Effects of Animal Assisted Activity on Biobehavioral Stress Responses of Hospitalized Children: A Randomized Control Trial

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Psychosocial Stress

Treatments: Behavioral: Therapy dog visitation (TDV); Behavioral: non-TDV control

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03017027

HSC-SN-14-0202

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of a 10-minute therapy dog visitation (TDV) in reducing biobehavioral stress responses among hospitalized school-age children by comparing responses between TDV and non-TDV control groups.

Enrollment: 53 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 7 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• understand English
• alert and oriented to person, place, and time
• able to complete study instruments
• able to provide saliva specimens, and
• consent from parent/legal guardian, and
• assent from child.

Exclusion criteria

• currently taking hormone replacement, or steroidal antiinflammatory medications
• in contact precautions at facility
• diagnosed with Addison's or Cushing's disease, and
• fears, phobias, or allergies to dogs.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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53 participants in 2 patient groups

Therapy dog visitation (TDV)

Experimental group

Description:

The TDV intervention consists of a one-time 10 minute TDV with the dog handler and his/her dog interacting with the patient. The therapy dog visitation program is a currently established program and each therapy dog meets obedience, temperament, and health standards required by the organization and are deemed appropriate to therapy dog visitation. For hygienic reasons, dogs are bathed before visitation and the patient is required to wash hands before and after the visit. The TDV will be casual and not restrict the handler with conversing, which is standard practice in TDV. The therapy dog will be leashed and controlled by the dog handler. If the participant wants the dog to be placed on the bed, a clean sheet will be placed on the bed in between the dog and patient. The TDV will be casual and not restrict the handler with conversing, which is standard practice in TDV. Tactile and visual contact with the dog will be promoted.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Therapy dog visitation (TDV)

non-TDV control

Other group

Description:

Participants randomized to the control condition will receive a new plush stuffed animal for the same 10-min timeframe without any structured activities. At the end of the session, a stuffed animal will be offered to the participant to keep.

Treatment:

Behavioral: non-TDV control