Give to animal assisted therapy for burnout

In recent years, animal assisted therapy has become a popular method to increase happiness and wellbeing, especially for people who do not like recieving the usual therapy provided by psychologists. In the Netherlands, work responsibilities have become so demanding that employees are struggling to keep up, causing a lot of stress, which effects them even after the work-day is done. If this intense stress is present for a long enough time, it might develop into a condition that is commonly known as burnout. As a result of increasing stress in the workplace, recent studies have shown that millions of people around the world suffer from burnout. Thus, creating a strong need for researchers to find creative solutions to decrease work-place stress. This urgent problem has caught the attention of a group of Master students who have decided to tackle this problem head on, with hopes of improving the mental health of workers in the Netherlands. 

The project by Zain Gangaram and his team aim to provide the experimental evidence needed to better understand the working mechanisms of burnout, and assess the response rates of burnt out individuals to animal assisted therapy. 

Science for mental wellbeing
The project will focus on animal assisted therapy, performed through mindfulness with donkeys and will run for 12 weeks. In order to measure the effects on individuals with burnout symptoms, the study measures the dopamine and motivation levels of the participants, and alpha waves (EEG) will be assessed throughout treatment sessions. The novelty of this treatment is designed to combat the growing prevalence of burnout symptoms, while simultaneously investigating biomarkers of burnout, in an attempt to distinguish it from similar disorders.

In order get the project started, Zain and his team of fellow students need 7200,-. Will you help them kick off their valuable research?

About the project team
Zain Gangaram, Antonia Vankann, Jenna Roovert and Ozgu Gümüştekin are master students at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience and Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at Maastricht University. They follow a research master in which they want to apply their academic knowledge to the existing Animal Assisted Therapy:

'Donkeys are very social animals and adapt their behaviour to people. A great experience to witness. We are very determined to further research this unique therapy. We believe this deep connection between animal and human being can have a profound impact on peoples lives.' – Project team

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