Oxytocin has been proposed as a neuroendocrine mechanism that may mediate the relationship between dog ownership and positive health outcomes and be linked to human-dog interactions and is thought to be a mechanism of interspecies bonding. While the role of oxytocin in human bonding behaviours and social behaviour, in general, is becoming well-established the role of oxytocin in human-animal interaction and Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) remains unclear. This research gap calls for more high-quality research investigating this possible neuroendocrine underlying mechanism to advance knowledge about AAI. If oxytocin indeed might be involved in interspecies bonding, intranasally administered oxytocin should not only enhance trust toward a human but also towards a dog.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
176
Syntocinon nose spray is usually applied in the context of labour and breast feeding. In this study, however, it will be used to induce an oxytocin (OT) release. Participants will apply three sprays in each nostril which will result in a dose of 24 I.U of oxytocin per participant
The dogs involved in the study are trained and used to work with different people in animal-assisted interventions. The dog will be familiarized with the room and the material as well as the staff of the study. The dog will be specifically trained for this study. The dog will be involved for a maximum of 3 sessions per day (approx. 20 minutes in total) and 2 days per week.
The placebo nose spray contains a saltwater solution and will be applied like the Syntocinon nose spray containing oxytocin.
University of Basel
Basel, Canton of Basel-City, Switzerland
RECRUITINGTrust in the therapist
The main outcome is trust in the therapist, measured by the Trust and Respect Scale. The current questionnaire contains 8 items, four for trust and four for respect. Each item is measured on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = "strongly disagree" to 7 = "strongly agree"), of which 4 are formulated negatively. High values indicate high trust toward the therapist for the positively framed items, and for the negatively framed items low values mean high trust toward the therapist.
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
Trust in the dog
The secondary outcome "trust in the dog" will be measured with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The following extremes will be used: no trust to complete trust. High values indicate high trust in the dog.
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
perceived emotional closeness to the dog
The Coleman Dog Attitude Scale (C-DAS) is a reliable and validated measure designed to assess attitudes towards dogs. The C-DAS is a 24-item self-report measure with an alpha ranging from 0.98 to 0.99.
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
perceived stress
The secondary outcome "perceived stress" will be measured with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The following extremes will be used: no stress to extreme stress. High values indicate that participants perceive a lot of stress.
Time frame: pre-intervention
perceived stress
The secondary outcome "perceived stress" will be measured with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The following extremes will be used: no stress to extreme stress. High values indicate that participants perceive a lot of stress.
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
level of difficulty
The secondary outcome "level of difficulty" in talking about a selected stressful event will be measured with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The following extremes will be used: no difficulty to extreme difficulty. High values indicate that participants find it extremely difficult to talk about a selected stressful event.
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
therapeutic alliance
The Therapy Session Questionnaire (in German "Therapiesitzungsbogen für Patienten und Therapeuten") will be used to assess the secondary outcome of "therapeutic alliance". The current questionnaire contains 20 items. Each item is measured on a 7-point Likert scale (-3 = "not at all" to +3 = "yes, exactly"). High values indicate high therapeutic alliance.
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
therapeutic climate
Therapy Session Questionnaire (in German "Therapiesitzungsbogen für Patienten und Therapeuten") will be used to assess the secondary outcome of "therapeutic climate". The current questionnaire contains 20 items. Each item is measured on a 7-point Likert scale (-3 = "not at all" to +3 = "yes, exactly"). High values indicate a good therapeutic climate.
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
psychological flexibility
The secondary outcome "psychological flexibility" will be measured with the psychological flexibility questionnaire (Psy-Flex). The Psy-Flex questionnaire consists of six items, which are representative for the six skills. Items are rated on a Likert scale (5 = "very often" to 1 = "very rarely") and are then summed up. Higher scores represent higher psychological flexibility.
Time frame: pre-intervention
psychological flexibility
The secondary outcome "psychological flexibility" will be measured with the psychological flexibility questionnaire (Psy-Flex). The Psy-Flex questionnaire consists of six items, which are representative for the six skills. Items are rated on a Likert scale (5 = "very often" to 1 = "very rarely") and are then summed up. Higher scores represent higher psychological flexibility.
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
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