The Effect of a Unique Stimulus ( Swimming with Dolphins)
On the Communication Between Parents and Their Children with Disabilities
Susan K. Lindeblad, M.S, Ed., P.T.
University of Miami, Division of Physical Therapy
In cooperation with
Dolphins Plus, & Marine Medical and D.A.T.A Foundation, Key Largo Florida

Animal assisted therapy is an evolving field that has gained popularity. The field of animal assisted therapy has expanded the role that animals fulfill in human life; providing assistance in physically challenging situations, heightening awareness of the environment, developing and challenging the senses through touch and motion, and providing unique opportunities and exposure to unexplored phenomena. Unique experiences such as swimming with the dolphins help to form memories and bonds between human beings, particularly bonding between children and their parents. During the child's development this parent-child bond is an essential factor in psychosocial growth and the child's interaction with others. Play is often the foundation of this bonding relationship.
This was a descriptive study designed to identify the behavioral interactions between parents and their children with disabilities in the presence of the unique stimulus of swimming with dolphins. The questions addressed included: optimal length of time for swims, optimal number of swims to create a change in behaviors, and to describe the phenomena that occurs during the swims. The subjects included thirteen parent-child pairs, observed during their participation in the Dolphin Assisted Therapy Association (DATA) program, located at Dolphins Plus in Key Largo, Florida. The child subjects were individuals with a variety of developmental disabilities, ranging in age from 3-9 years old.
Five behaviors were observed, with the use of videotapes. These included; eye contact, smiling, laughing, touching, and verbal interaction. Each behavior was quantified as to the number of interactions in each category and who initiated the interaction. Eye contact was counted as a mutual phenomenon. The five behaviors were measured in times per session at pre-swim, swimming, and post-swim five minute intervals and represented as ordinal data.
Results were reported in case study design, as proposed by Robert Yin. Pattern matching for similar behaviors was accomplished, and triangulation of at least three sources of evidence were used in the analysis. The following patterns occurred. Pre-swim, the children exhibited a general excitement all 4 sessions. The dolphins increased noises and activity prior to the pairs entering the water. In swim #1 The parents were directive in controlling behaviors. The primary behavior issue evolved around the lack of compliance to wear the snorkeling equipment. The children showed increased signs of fatigue between 15 - 25 minutes, during this time period, parental instructions increased. In both swim #1 & 2, playful interactions between the pairs occurred more frequently than in sessions # 3 & 4. Dolphin contacts seemed to increase in the second swim, which initially agitated the children. The pairs in session # 3 begin to look together for the dolphins as their first priority, and engage in more enriched communication, as observed by longer and more equal verbal exchanges. It was observed that more physical touch occurred.
Conclusions : 1 )an optimal time for a swim is 20 minutes per session, 2) a minimum of at least three sessions is necessary to develop an increase in positive interactions. 3) parents reported a positive effect on home activities, and would seek out the experience again in the future. This was a preliminary study with a small number of subjects future studies should explore the amount of physical touch that occurs in the dolphin interactions, as well as to more specifically quantify parent attitudes related to the experience, and their communication with their child.
This study was done in conjunction with M.S.P.T. students at the University of Miami, as condition of course requirements in Research, 1995 and 1996.

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