The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of AAT intervention in adolescents admitted to the Acute Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, regardless of diagnosis, in terms of improving self-efficacy and reducing anxiety symptoms. To assess professional opinions on the effects of intervention on participants, and to determine participant satisfaction. These objectives were accomplished through a multicenter, non-randomized, open-label, two-arm controlled study of AAT for adolescents with mental disorders.
The rationale of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Animal Assisted Therapy (with therapy dogs) in adolescents admitted to the Acute Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit and regardless of diagnosis. The investigators conducted a multicenter, non-randomized, controlled, open-label, two-arm clinical trial in three hospitals. A total of 178 adolescents admitted to the Acute Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit were included in the study. Participants from the three hospitals were assigned to Experimental Group (n=114) and participants from one hospital were assigned to Control Group (n=64). Both the experimental group and the control group carried out a total of two one-hour group sessions at the hospitals' own facilities, on a weekly basis for two consecutive weeks; with the additional assistance of the therapy dog in the Experimental group. The investigators evaluated changes on self-efficacy and anxiety symptoms at pre-treatment and post-treatment; and they assessed professional opinions on the effects of intervention on participants at post-treatment, and determined participant satisfaction at post-treatment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
178
A structured AAT program and pharmacological treatment in Experimental group. The same structured program without therapy dog and pharmacological treatment in Control group.
Hospital de Mataró
Mataró, Barcelona, Spain
Hospital Universitari Santa Maria
Lleida, Spain
Hospital Universitario Infantil Niño Jesús
Madrid, Spain
Change from baseline General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) at 2 weeks.
Is a generic self-administered instrument for measuring self-efficacy beliefs in certain life situations. The total scale score ranges from 10 to 40 points.
Time frame: This scale was administered at baseline and at week 2
Change from baseline State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire (STAI) at 2 weeks.
Is a self-administered questionnaire that assesses the levels of clinical anxiety (both trait anxiety ("most of the time") and state anxiety ("at the present moment")). The total score on each of the subscales ranges from 0 to 60 points.
Time frame: This questionnaire was administered at baseline and at week 2
Participant evaluation questionnaire for professionals.
This is a questionnaire that was completed by the professionals in the three hospitals at the end of the intervention with the EG, using a Likert scale from 1 to 4 (1= Not at all, 2= Somewhat, 3= Quite, and 4= A lot). It contains the following questions: * Have you observed any positive changes in the patient's attitude since the AAT session? * Has the dog generated motivation? * Do you consider AAT useful for this patient?
Time frame: At the end of the intervention (week 2).
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