The goal of this single-arm study is to learn if a dog adoption and training program can treat, prevent in \[describe participant population/primary condition; could include any of the following: sex/gender, age groups, healthy volunteers\]. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the dog adoption and training program decrease posttraumatic stress symptoms in veterans with self-reported posttraumatic stress symptoms? * Does the dog adoption and training program decrease stress and improve psychosocial health in veterans with self-reported posttraumatic stress symptoms? * Does the dog adoption and training program decrease inflammation, increase oxytocin, and change the structure and resting-state function of specific brain regions in veterans with self-reported posttraumatic stress symptoms? Participants will: * Attend eight one-hour professional dog training sessions within a 10-week period. * Visit the clinical research unit four times during the study for data collection.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
120
Eight, one-hour professional dog training sessions over 8-10 weeks
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida, United States
RECRUITINGChange in self-reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) is a 20-item self-report measure of PTSD symptoms with scores ranging from 0 to 80.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in depression symptom severity from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a 9-item self-report measure of depressive symptoms with scores ranging from 0 to 27.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in anxiety symptom severity from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is a is a 7-item self-report measure of anxiety symptoms with scores ranging from 0 to 21.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in perceived stress severity from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) is a 10-item self-report measure of perceived stress symptoms with scores ranging from 0 to 40.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in sleep disturbance from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sleep 8b (PROMIS Sleep 8b) is an 8-item self-report measure of sleep quality over the past 7 days with raw scores ranging from 8 to 40 and standardized T scores ranging from 28.9 to 76.5.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in loneliness from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale is a 20-item self-report measure of loneliness with scores ranging from 20 to 80.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in alcohol use from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) is a 10-item self-report measure of alcohol use with scores ranging from 0 to 40.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in cannabis use from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT) is an 8-item self-report measure of cannabis use with scores ranging from 0 to 32.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in salivary oxytocin levels from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in determining social behavior. Salivary oxytocin levels range from 6.4-1000 pg/mL.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
IL-1β is a pro-inflammatory cytokine found to be higher in individuals with PTSD compared to healthy controls. IL-1β is measured via capillary blood obtained via fingerstick.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in Interleukin-6 (IL-6) from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
IL-6 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine found to be higher in individuals with PTSD compared to healthy controls. IL-6 is measured via capillary blood obtained via fingerstick.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
Change in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) from baseline to 4 weeks post-intervention
TNF-alpha is a pro-inflammatory cytokine found to be higher in individuals with PTSD compared to healthy controls. TNF-alpha is measured via capillary blood obtained via fingerstick.
Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-intervention
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