Institute For Healthy Aging

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Institute For Healthy Aging
Development of an Assisted Pet Adoption
Intervention to Treat Social Isolation Among Rur
al, Isolated Elderly
A Demonstration Project
2003 Grant Proposal
Craig A. Cookman, RN PhD, Principal
Jean Scott, PhD, Co. P.I. Anna Tacon, PhD, Co. P.
I.
Charles Stelle, PhD, Co P.I.
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Attachment Related Developmental Task Achievement
in Aging
Developmental Task Achievement (Feeney Noller,
1996)
Attachment
Health
Social Integration Self - Transcendence
Pet Attachment
People Attachment
Proximity Separation Protest Secure Base Effect
Health-Related QOL
Ware and Sherbournes SF - 36
Reeds STAS Heidrichs Perceived Social Integrati
on Scale (PSI)
Poresky Pet Bonding Scale (Phase II)
Lipson-Parra Adult Attachment Scale (LAAS)
Attachment Structure Tool (GAST)
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Questions for Intervention Development /
Refinement

• The intervention is fairly straightforward
  introduction of the pet. So the
  
• question is also one of the appropriateness and
  sensitivity of outcome
  
• measures as well? (Conn, et al., 2001) Can you
  clarify that?
  
• 2. What are the essential components of the
  intervention itself looking for a
  
• complete list that the proposal could be sure to
  address.
  
• 3. Kind of intrigued by Conns 8 issues
• Conceptual basis
• Previous descriptive research
• Related intervention literature
• Intervention targeted for population
• Specificity / generality
• Single / bundled interventions
• Intervention delivery issues
• Dose
• 4. Say one wanted to validate each essential
  feature of an intervention -
  
• how would one know they had been thorough and
  complete?
  
• 5. How do issues of reliability and validity
  relate to interventions as opposed
  
• to the measures used in an intervention study?
• 6.

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Effect of Pet Attachment on Holistic Health
Outcomes Among Older Adults Living Alone
Social Isolation
Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Health Outcomes
Pet Attachment
Loneliness Depression
Social Integration Functional Status Self-Transc
endence