PTSD & Assitance Dogs

Question 1

Essay Format

Answer 1

1. Introduction
2. Description of PTSD
3. Theories of PTSD
4. Assistance Dogs description & synthesis
5. Conclusion

Question 2

Essay 1 - Introduction

Answer 2

1. Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) is commonly experienced by vetrans
2. Assistance dogs have been shown to have psychosocial benefits to their owners

Question 3

Second Paragraph:

PTSD

1. Description
2. Causes
3. Criteria

Answer 3

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder occurs following an extreme traumatic event, in which a person continues to

• Re-experiences the event,
• Avoids reminders of the trauma
• Alterations in cognition and mood and
• Persistent increased arousal

Its causes include traumatic events such as;

• exposure to actual or threatened death
• serious injury
• or sexual violence

It must be experienced in the following ways

• Directly experiencing
• Witnessing in person
• Knowing of the event as it occurred to others and
• Learning a traumatic event occurred to a close family member or friend –
• Must have been violent or accidental.

It can also include experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event (i.e. first responders)

Question 4

Third Paragraph:

PTSD Theories

Answer 4

Current theories of PTSD

• Emotional processing,
• Dual representation, and the
• Cognitive model of PTSD.

Emotional Processing Theory (Foa & Kozak 1986)

1. Fear structures exist in our memory and when activated there are cognitive, behaviour and physiological responses
2. Normally they trigger an appropriate response to danger
3. Can become pathological
4. In Ptsd now benign stimuli become associated with danger and elicit cognitive, behavioural and psysiological responses
5. Beliefs about the trauma, influenced by schemas
6. World is dangerous and self in incompetent
7. Traumatic memory is stored in a fragmented manner and interferes with info processing
8. To address - reactivate and insert new info
9. This is how assistance dogs help

Question 5

Fourth Paragraph;

Assistance Dogs

Answer 5

1. Designed to help handlers quality of life
2. Help to grow and flourish - adversity
3. Complete tasks specific to owner
4. Handler also trained to focus on dog -patting etc
5. Example (trigger-insert dog)
6. Help to contradict schemas
7. Linked to reduction in symptomology
8. Routine helps improve social interaction
9. Proides comfort and safety

Question 6

Conclusion

Answer 6

1. Dogs interrupt negative arousal
2. Help redirect attention
3. Animal detects owners needs
4. Provide routine and social interaction
5. Emotional companionship
6. Help manage symptoms

Question 7

1. Description PTSD

Answer 7

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder occurs following an extreme traumatic event, in which a person continues to

1. Re-experiences the event,
2. Avoids reminders of the trauma
3. Alterations in cognition and mood and
4. Persistent increased arousal

Question 8

Causes of PTSD

Answer 8

Its causes include traumatic events such as;

1. exposure to actual or threatened death
2. serious injury
3. or sexual violence

Question 9

Criteria for PTSD

Answer 9

It must be experienced in the following ways

1. Directly experiencing
2. Witnessing in person
3. Knowing of the event as it occurred to others and
4. Learning a traumatic event occurred to a close family member or friend –
5. Must have been violent or accidental.
6. It can also include experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event (i.e. first responders)