Date
9-17-2026
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision (PhD)
Chair
Stacey Lilley
Keywords
animal-assisted therapy, multicultural competence, mental health counseling, Theory of Planned Behavior, creative-based intervention
Disciplines
Counseling
Recommended Citation
Perry, Ashleigh R., "Animal-Assisted Therapy: An Exploration of the Utilization of Animal-Assisted Therapy" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8885.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8885
Abstract
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has been increasingly incorporated into professional counseling practice, yet limited research has examined the factors associated with counselors’ reported utilization of animal-assisted interventions (AAI). Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior-informed framework, this quantitative, nonexperimental correlational study examined whether subjective norms predicted counselors’ reported AAI utilization, with attitudes and perceived behavioral control included as covariates. Multicultural competence was examined first as an overall mediator and then through the parallel mediating pathways of multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. Following data screening, 28 participant responses were retained for the primary analysis. Multiple regression and mediation analyses using PROCESS Model 4 was conducted. Although the overall model predicting reported AAI utilization was statistically significant, subjective norms and the individual predictors within the utilization model were not statistically significant. Neither of the overall multicultural competence nor the awareness, knowledge, and skills subscales significantly mediated the relationship between subjective norms and reported AAI utilization. Perceived behavioral control was positively associated with multicultural skills; however, this relationship did not reach statistical significance as a mediating pathway. Given the small sample, the findings should be interpreted cautiously. This study contributes to counselor education by highlighting the importance of professional preparation, cultural responsiveness, organizational support, and animal welfare in the ethical implementation of AAI.
