A Pilot Study on Animal-Assisted Intervention in Correctional Settings

Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) is a self-report measure of common mental health concerns. The three subscales are each measured with seven items, using a 4-point Likert scale from 0 = Did not apply to me at all to 3 = Applied to me very much or most of the time. Scores are summed for each subscale, with higher scores indicating more severe levels of emotional symptoms.

International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form (I-PANAS-SF; Thompson, 2007) is an adapted version of the PANAS-SF (Watson et al., 1988) and designed specifically for non-English speaking individuals. Using a 5-point Likert scale from 1 = Never to 5 = Always, individuals rate on their experience of five positive affect and five negative affect in the present moment. Scores are summed for each subscale, with higher scores indicating higher levels of positive or negative affect.

Heart rate data are collected via photoplethysmogram signals and then transformed into heart rate variability with artifacts corrected through automated detection using the Kubios HRV Scientific software (Kubios, 2024).

Both phasic and tonic skin conductance data are captured with a galvanic skin response sensor

To track PIC's conduct and interpersonal behaviors during incarceration, official correctional records on disciplinary offences and privileges received in the week prior to each AAI session, including counts and associated behaviors, are collected.

The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) is a self-report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, based on its diagnostic criteria in DSM-5 (Blevins et al., 2015). Each of the 20 items is rated on a 5-point Likert scale of 0 = Not at all to 4 = Extremely.

Brief Interpersonal Reactivity Index (B-IRI) measures empathy by four subscales, namely Perspective Taking, Empathic Concern, Fantasy, and Personal Distress. Each subscale is measured by four items, using a 5-point Likert scale from 1 = Does not describe me at all to 5 = Describes me very well and with higher sum scores indicating higher levels in the corresponding aspect of empathy.

New General Self-Efficacy Scale (NGSES) is designed to measure self-efficacy across contexts. Using a 5-point Likert scale from 1 = Strongly disagree to 5 = Strongly agree, individuals rate on a total of eight items about their self-perceived ability to perform across different contexts. Scores are summed across all items, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy.

The Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI; Rolffs et al., 2018) measures an individual's flexibility in responding to difficult experiences. Its short form consists of 12 items, which uses a 6-point Likert scale from 1 = Never True to 6 = Always True, and demonstrates psychometric soundness when used among Chinese (Li, 2024). Scores are summed across items, with higher scores indicate greater level of psychological flexibility.

Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help (ATSPPH) measures an individual's help seeking preferences as indicated by three subscales, namely Openness to seeking professional help, Value in seeking professional help, and Preference to cope on one's own. Its short form contains 10 items, each rated on a 4-point Likert scale from 0 = Disagree to 3 = Agree. Scores are summed across items for each subscale, with higher scores indicating greater levels in each of the measured domains.

Participants' behaviors during each AAI session and across the sessions are rated by independent observers on six items, using 3- to 5-point Likert scales (Koda et al., 2015). These items ask for ratings on a participant's general facial expression in terms of its affective valence, tenderness toward the animal, amount of talking, willingness to have contact with the animal, interest in the animal, and ease of interaction with the animal.

Four open-ended questions are used to help understand participants' experience with the AAI descriptively. These items include one on overall psychological wellbeing on the day of measurement, one on feelings toward the animal, one on feelings toward peers in the assigned AAI, and one on overall psychological wellbeing throughout the past week.