PUBLISHED RESEARCH ON DOLPHIN HUMAN THERAPY

NOTE:  The information below summarizes the peer reviewed published research about Dolphin Human Therapy.  You should be able to access the published studies in a University library.

Nathanson, D.E. 2007.  Reinforcement effectiveness of animatronic and real dolphins.  Anthrozoos 20(2):181-194.
Where research was conducted:  Dolphin Cove, Key Largo, Florida and Helen Sands pool, Homestead, Florida.
When research was conducted: 2004.
Research subjects:  Thirty five children from seven countries, with diagnoses of Angelman syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, mental retardation, microcephaly, muscular dystrophy, pervasive development disorder, Rett syndrome, Smith-Lemi-Opitz, tuberous sclerosis.
Question Investigated:  Is an animatronic dolphin as effective as a reinforcer as a real dolphin?
Results:  Animatronic dolphins are as effective as real dolphins.
ABSTRACT:  Dolphin Human Therapy uses Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) as reinforcement in rehabilitation for children with disabilities. But the dolphins are expensive to use and subject to many environmental, administrative/legal and practical limitations.  An alternative reinforcer, an animatronic dolphin called TAD (Therapeutic Animatronic Dolphin), was designed, built , and compared with real dolphins as a reinforcer for 35 children with disabilities, representing ten diagnoses, seven countries, and five languages.  An ABA design and analysis examined three clinical issues.  First, no significant difference between dolphins and TAD was found in eliciting orienting responses of touching and/or saying words for children within ability groupings of moderate or severe levels of disability.  For children with profound disabilities , TAD was significantly more effective in eliciting an orienting response of looking.  Third, response times  to either dolphins  or TAD were the same  whether reinforcement  was given  from a platform or in water.  Interaction with TAD provided the same or more therapeutic benefits as interaction with dolphins, without environmental, administrative/legal and practical limitations, including high cost, associated with dolphins.

Nathanson, D.E. 1998.  Long term effectiveness of dolphin assisted therapy for children with severe disabilities.  Anthrozoos 11(1):22-32.

Where research was conducted:  Dolphins Plus, Key Largo, Florida, and Miami Seaquarium, Miami, Florida.

When research was conducted:  1995-1997.

Research subjects:  Seventy-one sets of parents from 8 countries.  Diagnoses of children included Angelman syndrome, Asperger syndrome, attention deficit disorder, autism, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, Down syndrome, hydrocephaly, microcephaly, pervasive developmental disorder, Rett syndrome, traumatic brain injury, tuberous sclerosis.

Question Investigated:  Are the gains made in two weeks of Dolphin Human Therapy maintained or improved after at least one year away from Dolphin Human Therapy?

Results:  Children maintained or improved skills about 50% of the time on 15 measures of behavior.

ABSTRACT:  Long-term effectiveness of dolphin assisted therapy, as practiced by Dolphin Human Therapy, was analyzed via a 15 item closed form, ratio scale parent questionnaire (n = 71).  Children with severe disabilities of many etiologies, from 8 countries, received either one or two weeks of therapy in the multidisciplinary, behavior modification program.  Results on three clinical issues were analyzed.  First, children maintained or improved skills acquired in therapy about 50% of the time even after 12 months away from therapy.  Second, no difference in long-term effects occurred as a function of differences in the three categories (genetic, brain damage, unknown causes) of etiology (ANOVA, F (2,39) = 2.79, p > .05).  Third, two weeks of therapy produced significantly better long-term results than did one week of therapy (t = 3.105, df = 28. p < .01).

Nathanson, D.E., de Castro, D., Friend, H., & McMahon. M.  1997.  Effectiveness of short-term dolphin assisted therapy for children with severe disabilities.  Anthrozoos. 10(2/3):90-100.

Where research was conducted:  Dolphins Plus, Key Largo, Florida.

When research was conducted:  1995-1996.

Research subjects:  Forty-seven children, 2-3 years of age (19 with cerebral palsy, 11 with brain damage, 5 with Down syndrome, 4 with Autism, 2 with Rett syndrome, 2 with tuberculosis, 1 with Cri-du-chat, and 1 with head injury).

Question Investigated:  Can two weeks of the Dolphin Human Therapy program achieve the same or better results than six months of conventional physical or speech therapy?

Results:  Significantly greater improvement and more cost effective treatment results from intensive therapy with Dolphin Human Therapy.

ABSTRACT:  The effectiveness of two week dolphin-assisted therapy was compared to the effectiveness of six month conventional physical and speech-language therapy.  Data were analyzed using a multiple baseline single subject across settings design, for 47 children with severe disabilities (20 females, 27 males), of multiple etiologies.  Children were placed in a physical therapy group (n = 17, mean age = 6 years, 8 months) and a speech-language group (n = 30, mean age = 6 years, 5 months).  Standardized charting procedures were used to measure acquisition of independent motor and speech-language skills.  Use of t tests for non-independent samples indicates that relative to conventional long-term therapy, dolphin-assisted therapy, as practiced by Dolphin Human Therapy, achieves positive results more quickly and is also more cost effective.

Nathanson, D.E. & de Faria, S.  1993.  Cognitive improvement of children in water with and without dolphins.  Anthrozoos 6(1):17-29.

Where research was conducted:  Dolphin Research Center, Grassy Key, Florida

When research was conducted:  1992.

Research subjects:  Eight children, 3-8 years of age (4 with Down syndrome, 3 with cerebral palsy, 1 with brain damage).

Results:  Children did well in water using their favorite toy for reinforcement, but achieved significantly better results in water with dolphin interaction as reinforcement.

ABSTRACT:  Orienting nonverbal responses and verbal responses of eight children with mental disabilities interacting in water with dolphins and in water with favorite toys away from dolphins were recorded and analyzed on videotape.  Significant improvements in hierarchical cognitive responses occurred when interaction with dolphins was used as reinforcement compared with improvements made when the reinforcement used was a favorite toy.  Water work with dolphins evoked a greater number of and higher level responses than without dolphins.

Nathanson, D.E.  1989.  Using Atlantic bottlenose dolphins to increase cognition of mentally retarded children.  In Clinical and Abnormal Psychology, 233-242, ed. P. Lovibond and P. Wilson.  North Holland:  Elsevier. 

Where research was conducted:  Dolphin Research Center, Grassy Key, Florida.

When research was conducted:  1988.

Research Subjects:  Six children, 2-6 years of age (3 with Down syndrome, 1 with hydrocephaly, 1 with brain damage, 1 multiply handicapped.)

Question Investigated:  Can pilot study results from 1978-1979 study be replicated using larger sample size, over a more concentrated period of time, using in water interaction to increase attention span and language skills?

Results:  Children learned two to ten times faster and with greater retention (compared to classroom setting) when working with dolphins.

ABSTRACT:  Atlantic bottlenose dolphins were used to help increase cognition for mentally retarded boys (three with Down syndrome; one with hydrocephaly, one with brain damage due to meningitis: one with a rare genetic anomaly) were taught new vocabulary words through interaction with dolphins.  Novelty, prior learning, order and position effects were all controlled.  Multiple baseline across subjects single single subject research design was used to assess the effect of interaction with dolphins on speech and memory.  Line drawings were presented on boards in treatment in the water by humans and dolphins and in baseline in a classroom away from the dolphins.  All research was videotaped.  Results indicated children learned two to ten times faster and with greater retention when working with dolphins.  Benefits include new evidence of the efficacy of using nonhuman species to help humans improve cognition.