Animal-Assisted Interactions in Children With Life-Threatening Conditions and Their Parents

Overview

This study will evaluate the effects of animal-assisted interactions (AAI) on stress, anxiety, and quality of life in children with a life-threatening condition and their parents. It is anticipated to be a milestone in understanding the human-animal bond.

Objectives: 1. Examine the feasibility of animal-assisted interactions sessions for children with a life-threatening condition and primary caregiver to: * Identify and document modifications for a safe and feasible intervention, * Obtain recruitment estimates and determine potential recruitment barriers * Evaluate elements of implementation fidelity (design, training, delivery/receipt of Treatment, enactment) * Verify safety. H1-1: Children and parents (\>60%) will complete the interventions and provide positive acceptability data. H1-2: Implementation fidelity can be achieved with the proposed methodology 2. Determine the preliminary efficacy of animal-assisted interactions sessions for: * Children with a life-threatening condition (LTC) for the outcome of health-related quality of life * Children with a LTC and their primary caregivers for the outcomes of stress and anxiety H2-1 Children with a life-threatening condition who receive animal-assisted interactions will experience improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL) more than patients who do not receive animal-assisted interactions. H2-2a Children with life-threatening condition who receive animal-assisted interactions will experience decreased stress and anxiety more than parents of children who do not receive animal-assisted interactions. H2-2b Primary caregivers of children with a life-threatening condition who receive animal-assisted interactions will experience decreased stress and anxiety more than parents of children who do not receive animal-assisted interactions.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes