Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T22:35:13.321Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Establishing consensus on the best ways to educate children about animal welfare and prevent harm: An online Delphi study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

JC Muldoon  and
JM Williams
JC Muldoon*
Affiliation:
Caar (Children, adolescents and animals research), Clinical & Health Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Doorway 6, Medical School, Elsie Inglis Quad, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK
JM Williams
Affiliation:
Caar (Children, adolescents and animals research), Clinical & Health Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Doorway 6, Medical School, Elsie Inglis Quad, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Many animal welfare organisations deliver education programmes for children and young people, or design materials for schoolteachers to use. However, few of these are scientifically evaluated, making it difficult for those working in this field to establish with any certainty the degree of success of their own programmes, or learn from others. There has been no guidance specifically tailored to the development and evaluation of animal welfare education interventions. Accordingly, a three-stage online Delphi study was designed to unearth the expertise of professionals working in this field and identify degree of consensus on various aspects of the intervention process: design, implementation and evaluation. Thirty-one experts participated in Round 1, representing eleven of 13 organisations in the Scottish Animal Welfare Education Forum (SAWEF), and eleven of 23 members of the wider UK-based Animal Welfare Education Alliance (AWEA). Seven further professionals participated, including four based in Canada or the US. Eighty-four percent of the original sample participated in Round 2, where a high level of consensus was apparent. However, the study also revealed areas of ambiguity (determining priorities, the need for intervention structure and degree of success). Tensions were also evident with respect to terminology (especially around cruelty and cruelty prevention), and the common goal for animal welfare to be part of school curricula. Findings were used to develop a web-based framework and toolkit to enable practitioners to follow evidence-based guidance. This should enable organisations to maximise the quality and effectiveness of their interventions for children and young people.

Keywords

animal welfareanimal welfare educationchildrencruelty preventionDelphiyoung people
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , May 2021 , pp. 179 - 195
Copyright
© 2021 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Aguirre, V and Orihuela, A 2010 Assessment of the impact of an animal welfare educational course with first grade children in rural schools in the state of Morelos, Mexico. Early Childhood Education Journal 38: 27–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-010-0384-2CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arbour, R, Signal, T and Taylor, N 2009 Teaching kindness: The promise of humane education. Society & Animals 17: 136–148. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853009X418073Google Scholar
Arkow, P 2006 ‘Old wine in a new bottle’: New strategies for humane education. In: Fine, AH (ed) Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy, 2nd Edition pp 425–451. Elsevier/Academic Press: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Ascione, FR 1997 Humane education research: Evaluating efforts to encourage children's kindness and caring toward animals. Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs 123: 59–77. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289452372_Google Scholar
Ascione, FR and Weber, CV 1996 Children's attitudes about the humane treatment of animals and empathy: One year follow up of a school-based intervention. Anthrozoös 9: 188–195. https://doi.org/10.2752/089279396787001455CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beaver, BV 2005 Introduction: Animal Welfare Education, a crit-ical time in veterinary medicine. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education 32(4): 419–421. https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme.32.4.419CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Berger-Estilita, J, Nabecker, S and Greif, R 2019 A Delphi consensus study for teaching ‘Basic Trauma Management’ to third-year medical students. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine 27(1): 91. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-019-0675-6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bruner, JS 1960 The Process of Education. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA, USAGoogle Scholar
Coleman, GJ, Hall, MJ and Hay, M 2008 An evaluation of a pet ownership education program for school children Anthrozoös 21:271–284. https://doi.org/10.2752/175303708X332071CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Diamond, IR, Grant, RC, Feldman, BM, Pencharz, PB, Ling, SC, Moore, AM and Wales, PW 2014 Defining consensus: a systematic review recommends methodologic criteria for reporting of Delphi studies. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 67(4): 401–409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2013.12.002CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Faver, CA 2010 School-based humane education as a strategy to pre-vent violence: Review and recommendations. Children and Youth Services Review 32: 365–370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.10.006CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hagelskamp, C, Brackett, MA, Rivers, SE and Salovey, P 2013 Improving classroom quality with The RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning: Proximal and distal outcomes. American Journal of Community Psychology 51: 530–543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-013-9570-xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harden, RM and Stamper, N 1999 What is a spiral curriculum?, Medical Teacher 21(2): 141–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/01421599979752CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hawkins, R, Mendes Ferreira, GR and Williams, J 2019 The development and evaluation of ‘Farm Animal Welfare’ an educational computer game for children. Animals 9 (91). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9030091CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hawkins, R, Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Williams J 2020 The development and pilot evaluation of a ‘serious game’ to promote positive child-animal interactions. Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin 8(2): 68–92Google Scholar
Hawkins R, Williams J and Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) 2017a Assessing effectiveness of a nonhuman animal welfare education program for primary school chil-dren. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 20(3): 240–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2017.1305272CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hawkins, RD, Hawkins, EL and Williams, JM 2017b Psychological risk factors for childhood nonhuman animal cruelty: A systematic review. Society & Animals 25(3): 280–312. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685306-12341448CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hawkins, RD and Williams, JM 2016 Children's Beliefs about Animal Minds (child-BAM): Associations with positive and negative child-animal interactions. Anthrozoös 29: 503–519. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2016.1189749CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jamieson, J, Reiss, MJ, Allen, D, Asher, L, Wathes, CM, Abeyesinghe, SM and Abeyesinghe, S 2012 Measuring the success of a farm animal welfare education event. Animal Welfare 21: 65–75. https://doi.org/10.7120/096272812799129402CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keeney, S, Hasson, F and McKenna, H 2011 The Delphi Technique in Nursing and Health Research. Wiley-Blackwell Publishing: Chichester, UK. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444392029CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kesebir, S and Kesebir, PA 2017 Growing disconnection from nature is evident in cultural products. Perspectives on Psychological Science 12(2): 258–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691616662473CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lakestani, N, Aguirre, V and Orihuela, A 2015 Farm animal welfare and children: a preliminary study building an attitude scale and evaluating an intervention. Society and Animals 23(4): 363–378. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685306-12341370CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Longobardi, L and Badenes-Ribera, L 2019 The relationship between animal cruelty in children and adolescent and interper-sonal violence: A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior 46: 201–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2018.09.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mariti, C, Papi, F, Mengoli, M, Moretti, G, Martelli, F and Gazzano, A 2011 Improvement in children's humaneness toward nonhuman animals through a project of educational anthrozoolo-gy. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 6:12–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2010.07.003CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meints, K, Brelsford, V and De Keuster, T 2018 Teaching chil-dren and parents to understand dog signaling. Frontiers of Veterinary Science 5: 257. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00257CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muldoon, JC and Williams, JM 2021 The challenges and future development of animal welfare education in the UK. Animal Welfare 30: 197–209. https://doi.org/10.7120/09627286.30.2.197CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muldoon, JC, Williams, JM, Lawrence, A, Lakestani, N and Currie, C 2009 Promoting a ‘duty of care’ towards animals among children and young people: A literature review and findings from initial research to inform the development of interventions. Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit: University of Edinburgh, UK. http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&L ocation=None&Completed=0&ProjectID=15872#RelatedDocumentsGoogle Scholar
Muldoon, JC, Williams, JM and Lawrence, A 2012 Evidence Project Final Report: A study to assess how to promote a Duty of Care (DOC) towards animals among children and young people. University of Edinburgh, Defra, UK. http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=Mo re&Location=None&ProjectID=15872&FromSearch=Y&Publishe r=1&SearchText=duty%20of%20care&SortString=ProjectCode&S ortOrder=Asc&Paging=10#DescriptionGoogle Scholar
Nicoll, K, Trifone, C and Samuels, WE 2008 An in-class, humane education program can improve young students’ atti-tudes toward animals. Society and Animals 16(1): 45–60. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853008X269881CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ormrod, JE, Anderman, EM and Anderman, LH 2019 Educational Psychology: Developing Learners, Educational Psychology: Developing Learners, Pearson: Harlow, UKGoogle Scholar
Pritchard, A 2018 Ways of Learning: Learning Theories for the Classroom. Routledge: Oxon, UK. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315460611CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ratschen, E and Sheldon, TA 2019 Elephant in the room: ani-mal-assisted interventions. BMJ 367: l6260. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l6260CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rule, AC and Zhbanova, KS 2014 Guardians of the earth: Teaching children to care for all living things. In: Renck Jalongo, M (ed) Teaching Compassion: Humane Education in Early Childhood. Educating the Young Child (Advances in Theory and Research, Implications for Practice), Volume 8. Springer: Dordrecht, The Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6922-9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ryan, P 2009 Integrated Theory of Health Behavior Change: background and intervention development. Clinical Nurse Specialist 23(3): 161–172. https://doi.org/10.1097/NUR.0b013e3181a42373CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Samuels, WE, Meers, LL and Normando, S 2016 Improving upper elementary students’ humane attitudes and prosocial behav-iors through an in-class humane education program. Anthrozoös 29(4): 597–610. https://doi.org/10.1080/089 27936.2016.1228751CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schunk, D 2019 Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective, Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective, Pearson: Harlow, UKGoogle Scholar
Schunk, DH, Meece, J and Pintrich, P 2014 Motivation in Education: Theory, Research & Applications, 4th Edition. Pearson: Harlow, UKGoogle Scholar
Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) 2020 https://www.scottishspca.org/our-work/our-teams/inspectorsGoogle Scholar
Shapiro, K, Randour, ML, Krinsk, S and Wolf, JL 2014 The Assessment and Treatment of Children Who Abuse Animals: The AniCare Child Approach. Springer International Publishing: Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01089-2CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singer, IS, Klatte, IS, Welbie, M, Cnossen, IC and Gerrits, E 2020 A multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study of communicative participation in young children with language disorders. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 63: 1793–1806. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_JSLHR-19-00326CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sumsion, T 1998 The Delphi Technique: An adaptive research tool. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 61(4): 153–156. https://doi.org/10.1177/030802269806100403CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tardif-Williams, CY and Bosacki, SL 2015 Evaluating the impact of a humane education summer-camp program on school-aged children's relationships with companion animals. Anthrozoös 28: 587–600. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2015.1070001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van den Driessen Mareeuw, FA, Coppus, AMW, Delnoij, DMJ and de Vries, E 2020 Capturing the complexity of health-care for people with Down Syndrome in quality indicators - a Delphi study involving healthcare professionals and patient organ-isations. BMC Health Services Research 20: 694. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05492-zCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vermeulen, H and Odendaal, JS 1993 Proposed typology of companion animal abuse. Anthrozoös 6: 248–257. https://doi.org/10.2752/089279393787002178CrossRefGoogle Scholar
von der Gracht, HA 2012 Consensus measurement in Delphi studies. Review and implications for future quality assurance. Technological Forecasting & Social Change 79: 1525–1536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2012.04.013CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Muldoon and Williams supplementary material
Download undefined(File)
File 119.2 KB