AAT Client Assessment & Care Planning 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client with PTSD reports feeling calmer when petting the therapy dog but becomes hypervigilant when the dog moves suddenly. How should the care plan address this?
- Discontinue AAT due to triggering potential
- Incorporate predictability training so the client knows the animal's cues and movements (Correct answer)
- Restrain the animal during all sessions
- Refer the client to a different therapist
Correct answer: Incorporate predictability training so the client knows the animal's cues and movements
Teaching the client to read animal cues increases predictability and reduces hypervigilance, turning a trigger into a therapeutic tool.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of a SMART goal in an AAT care plan?
- Client will feel better after working with the therapy dog
- Client will reduce self-reported anxiety scores by 20% within 8 weeks using AAT sessions twice weekly (Correct answer)
- Client will enjoy time with animals
- Client will participate in therapy regularly
Correct answer: Client will reduce self-reported anxiety scores by 20% within 8 weeks using AAT sessions twice weekly
SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, as demonstrated by the measurable and time-limited second option.
Question 3: When reassessing a client mid-treatment in AAT, which domain is MOST important to monitor?
- The therapy animal's comfort level only
- Progress toward established therapeutic goals and any adverse reactions (Correct answer)
- The number of sessions completed
- Whether the client has developed a bond with the animal
Correct answer: Progress toward established therapeutic goals and any adverse reactions
Progress toward therapeutic goals and monitoring for adverse reactions are the core clinical indicators guiding mid-treatment reassessment.
Question 4: A client with severe immunodeficiency is referred for AAT. What is the MOST important consideration for the care plan?
- The client's preference for animal species
- Medical clearance from the client's physician and strict infection control protocols (Correct answer)
- Whether the facility allows animals
- The animal's breed and temperament
Correct answer: Medical clearance from the client's physician and strict infection control protocols
Immunocompromised clients require physician clearance and rigorous infection control measures before AAT can be safely incorporated.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'client-centered' AAT care planning?
- The therapist selects all goals and interventions based on clinical expertise
- Goals and interventions are co-developed with the client based on their values and preferences (Correct answer)
- The care plan is determined by insurance requirements
- The animal handler determines the session structure
Correct answer: Goals and interventions are co-developed with the client based on their values and preferences
Client-centered care involves collaborative goal-setting that respects the client's values, preferences, and lived experience.
Question 6: An elderly client in a long-term care facility appears to have cognitive decline. How should the AAT care plan be adapted?
- Use complex tasks with the animal to stimulate cognition
- Simplify interactions, use repetitive comforting activities, and involve care staff in sessions (Correct answer)
- Discontinue AAT as it is not appropriate for cognitive decline
- Allow the client to lead all sessions independently
Correct answer: Simplify interactions, use repetitive comforting activities, and involve care staff in sessions
Simplified, repetitive, and comforting animal interactions are best suited for clients with cognitive decline, with staff support enhancing safety.
Question 7: A therapist is assessing whether AAT is appropriate for a client with a history of animal abuse. What factor is MOST critical to evaluate?
- Whether the client has expressed remorse and completed relevant treatment (Correct answer)
- The type of animal that was previously abused
- Whether the client currently owns pets
- The legal history of the client
Correct answer: Whether the client has expressed remorse and completed relevant treatment
A history of animal abuse requires evaluation of remorse, treatment completion, and current risk to ensure the therapy animal's safety.
AAT Client Assessment & Care Planning 3
A client with PTSD reports feeling calmer when petting the therapy dog but becomes hypervigilant when the dog moves suddenly.
How should the care plan address this?