Animal-Assisted Therapy in Adolescents With Eating Disorders

Daniel Collado-Mateo

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Anorexia Nervosa/Bulimia; Eating Disorders in Adolescence; Eating Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: Dog-Assisted Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04869423

AAT_Eat_Disorders

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to improve eating disorders symptomatology, mental, psychosocial and physical health, quality of life, strength and body composition of adolescents with eating disorders by the development of a dog-assisted therapy program.

The current research will involve thirty-two patients distributed equally in a control and an experimental group. The intervention group will participate once a week in a dog-assisted therapy of seven weeks. Moreover, all the included patients will participate in an assessment session before and after the intervention to compare the effects of the dog-assisted therapy within and between groups in anxiety, depression, character, behavior, eating disorder evolution, health-related quality of life, treatment satisfaction, strength and body composition.

Based on previous studies on different populations, it is expected that, compared to the control group, the experimental group may experience a potential reduction in anxiety, depression and symptoms, while improving quality of life, strength, body composition and behavior.

Full description

Animal-Assisted Therapies (AAT) have proved to increase self-esteem, social capacity and impulse control while reducing anxiety and depression. Thus, AAT could be an innovative and effective therapy to improve the mental, social and physical health of adolescents with eating disorders.

Based on previous studies on different populations, it is expected that, compared to the control group, the experimental group may experience a potential reduction in anxiety, depression and symptoms, while improving quality of life, strength, body composition and behavior.

Thirty-two adolescents, younger than 18 years and diagnosed with eating disorders from the University Hospital Niño Jesus will participate in this study. The informed consent must be signed to be included in the study.

The intervention will consist of 7 weeks conducted once a week (50 minutes each session). It will include three parts: 1) a welcome part aimed to get in touch with the dog, 2) a main part, where participants will be taught basic notions about dog training and then try to train the dogs. In this part, the patients will perform different activities and exercises with the dog. 3) A closing part to say goodbye to the dogs.

Enrollment: 32 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: Under 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adolescents in the Psychiatry and Psychology Service of the Niño Jesús University Hospital
• Patients diagnosed with eating disorders
• Adolescents with the willingness to participate and availability to assist
• Having read and signed the written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with dog-allergy or dog phobia
• Adolescents with a history of impulsive animal aggression

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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32 participants in 2 patient groups

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in this group will simply continue with their daily living and therapies. Assessments will be conducted before and after the 7wk program but patients in this group will not take part in it

Experimental group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this group will take part in 7 dog-assisted therapy sessions (1 per week). This therapy will be added to their usual daily living and therapies. Assessments will be conducted before and after the 7-week program.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Dog-Assisted Therapy