Integrated Animal-Assisted and Plant-Assisted Ecotherapy for Preschool Children with Speech Disturbances: A Program for the Arctic

Abstract

Background. In recent years, the number of children challenged in terms of speech development has been growing. In addition, children with speech disturbances tend to have attention disorders, low learning activity, reticence, and poorly developed play activity skills.

The Ecotherapy Program. We have developed and approved an educational and rehabilitation program with correction elements entitled “Ecological Therapy for Six- or Seven-Year-Old Children with Speech Disturbances.” The program includes educational (familiarization with wildlife), rehabilitation (elements of art, work, animal and garden therapy), communication (stimulation of speech activity and social adaptation), and correction components (development of fine motor skills, finger games, tongue twisters).

Control methods. Effectiveness of the program was verified using both psychological and physiological tests: Lüscher color tests, psycho-geometric tests, cardiorhythmography, and blood flow velocity in the general carotid artery (ultrasonic dopplerography).

Results. All children participating in the program displayed visible signs of vocabulary enrichment, development of communication skills, increased complexity of speech structure, better psycho-emotional states, improved observation skills and self-assurance, higher creativity, and better imagination as compared to the control group.

Discussion. A system of influence factors of the nature-assisted program was suggested. After experimental testing, the program was applied in the Murmansk Region (NW Russia) and in Svalbard (Norway). The Ecotherapy Program is deemed most suitable for the Arctic, when applied for overcoming polar night negative effects.

Conclusions. After the ecotherapy course, certain psychological, physiological, and logopaedic improvements were observed. Key Words: Ecotherapy—Child development—Quantitative research—Connection to nature—Education.

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