HISTORICAL PRECONDITIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANISTHERAPY AS A METHOD OF SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT

Abstract

The article examines the historical prerequisites for the development of canistherapy as a method of socio-psychological support. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing interest in the use of animal-assisted therapy in social work, psychology, and rehabilitation practice, as well as the need for scientific justification of its effectiveness. The purpose of the article is to analyze and systematize the historical foundations of canistherapy as a method of sociopsychological support. The study analyzed historical sources, scientific publications, and modern approaches to the use of canistherapy in socio-psychological practice. It was established that human-dog interaction has a long history, which gradually contributed to the perception of dogs as companions capable of positively influencing a person’s psycho-emotional state. It was determined that an important stage in the development of ideas about using animals for therapeutic purposes was the spread of humanistic approaches in medicine and psychiatry at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries. Significant contributions to the scientific understanding of the therapeutic potential of human-animal interaction were made by the research of B. Levinson, which initiated the development of animal-assisted therapy as a separate field of scientific and practical study. The article also highlights the development of canistherapy in the second half of the 20th century and the early 21st century, its dissemination in medical, educational, and social-rehabilitation institutions, as well as the activities of international organizations that promote animal-assisted therapy programs. It is emphasized that today canistherapy is considered an effective tool for psychosocial support, contributing to the reduction of anxiety and stress levels, improvement of emotional well-being, and enhancement of social adaptation