The purpose is to investigate whether animal-assisted therapy has positive biopsychosocial effects on patients with brain injuries. This study investigates the short-term biopsychosocial effects that occur when animals are present during therapy sessions in comparison to therapy sessions without animals, observing a group of 25 patients over 24 therapy sessions. While half of the sessions are held in presence of an animal and half without, they are as comparable as possible with respect to content and setting. In this study, patients who are in a slightly advanced rehabilitation process, assessed via their function profile, are investigated.
This study is designed as a controlled cross-over, within-subject trial with repeated measurement. The experimental condition is the standardised therapy session using therapy animals (AAT), while the control condition is the comparable "standard" therapy session without the presence of an animal. Over a period of six weeks, patients have four standardised therapy sessions per week, that alternate in a way that two sessions in two consecutive weeks are similar except for one is with the presence of animals and one without. In this way, data is collected over 24 therapy sessions (12 experimental, 12 control) for each patient. Each therapy session lasts 30 minutes with an additional 5 minutes before and 10 minutes after the session for filling in the questionnaires. The study takes place at REHAB Basel. Animal-assisted therapies will be held at the "Therapie-Tiergarten" at REHAB Basel in the presence of one or more animals that will be selected by the therapist and the patient together and with which the patient has a relationship. Patients who are willing to join the study will be selected and allocated randomly to start with either the experimental or the control condition. Participation in the study will be cancelled if a patient wishes to do so or if they choose to withdraw from the animal-assisted therapy program. Other criteria for withdrawal are if the patient is harmed by an animal or if the animals are abused by the patient.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
22
physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy in the presence of an animal
standard physiotherapy, standard speech therapy and standard occupational therapy
REHAB Basel
Basel, Switzerland
Social Functioning: Total Social Behavior
Interaction and communication behavior is assessed via video coding in Noldus Observer. Percentage of all social behaviors are collected and aggregated to one measure, the total social behavior.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Social Functioning: Verbal Communication
Interaction and communication behavior is assessed via video coding in Noldus Observer. Percentages of the defined verbal behaviors is collected and aggregated to one measure.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Social Functioning: Nonverbal Communication
Interaction and communication behavior is assessed via video coding in Noldus Observer. Percentage of the defined nonverbal behaviors is collected and aggregated to one measure.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Social Functioning: Physical Contact
Interaction and communication behavior is assessed via video coding in Noldus Observer. Percentage of the defined physical contact is collected and aggregated to one measure.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Social Functioning: Attention
Interaction and communication behavior is assessed via video coding in Noldus Observer. Percentage of the defined attention behavior is collected and aggregated to one measure.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Positive Emotional Display
Emotional display is assessed via video coding in Noldus Observer. Percentage of the defined behavior during the therapy sessions is collected and aggregated to one measure of positive emotion.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Negative Emotional Display
Emotional display is assessed via video coding in Noldus Observer. Percentage of the defined behavior during the therapy sessions is collected and aggregated to one measure of negative emotion.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Neutral Emotional Display
Emotional display is assessed via video coding in Noldus Observer. Percentage of the defined behavior during the therapy sessions is collected and aggregated to one measure of neutral emotion.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Mood 1: Motivation
Assessed via visual analogue scale as self-rating Scale ranging from 0 (not motivated) to 160 (highly motivated)
Time frame: 6 weeks
Mood 2: Bipolar Mood Dimension (Good-bad)
Assessed via the Mehrdimensionaler Befindlichkeitsfragebogen (MDBF) We analysed the bipolar mood dimension (good-bad) ranging from 4 (not at all good mood) to 20 (very good mood).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Mood 3: Satisfaction Self-assessment
Assessed via visual analogue scale as rating by the therapist Satisfaction during the therapy sessions was assessed by the patient themselves using a VAS ranging from 0 (unsatisfied) to 160 (satisfied).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Mood 4: Satisfaction Therapist Rating
Satisfaction during the therapy sessions was assessed by the therapist using a VAS ranging from 0 (unsatisfied) to 160 (satisfied).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Heart Rate
Assessed via EKG (Polar) during the sessions and measured in beat/min.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Motor Activity
Assessed via actimeter at the patients wrist during sessions, measuring acceleration of the hand. It records data in 15-s epochs for maximum sensitivity. Data were calculated to yield average activity Counts per minute.
Time frame: 6 weeks
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