A Review of Animal-Assisted Therapy for Older Adults in South Korea: Effects on Depression and Cognitive Function and Implications for Practice

  This review paper aims to identify effective animal-assisted therapy (AAT) programs for older adults and explore the practical and policy implications of these programs by analyzing the assessment tools used to measure depression and cognitive function. South Korea became a super-aged society in 2025, when those aged 65 and older exceeded 20% of the population. Mental health issues, such as cognitive decline, depression, and dementia, have emerged as significant social and structural challenges. In response, AAT has gained attention as a preventive and therapeutic intervention. Canine-assisted AAT has been shown to reduce depression by promoting emotional bonding, social interaction, and physical activity, as well as by enhancing emotional stability through increased oxytocin secretion. AAT has also demonstrated improvements in cognitive domains, including attention, memory, and language ability, even among older adults with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Tools such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE-III), and Geriatric Depression Scale-Korean Version (GDS-K) have been widely used to verify these changes. Overall, AAT is evaluated as an effective, nonpharmacological intervention with high preventive and clinical applicability that promotes multidimensional improvements in the cognitive, emotional, and social functioning of older adults.