Effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in adolescent psychiatric inpatients: a multicenter clinical trial

The number of adolescents hospitalized with mental health problems, which are vulnerable and under a stressful situation, has increased in the last years. Non-pharmacological therapies, including Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), have been proposed as complementary approaches to current psychiatric interventions and contribute to the comprehensive care of patient; however, current studies are inconclusive and further studies are recommended. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of AAT in improving self-efficacy and reducing anxiety symptoms among adolescents in acute psychiatric units, assess healthcare professionals’ perceptions, and determine participant satisfaction. A multicenter, non-randomized clinical trial was conducted in the Acute Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit from three Hospitals. The Control Group (CG) had 1 session 1 h per week, and the Experimental Group (EG) also had 1 session 1 h per week with the additional assistance of the therapy dog, during 2 weeks. We used the General Self-Efficacy Scale and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire (STAI) before and after the intervention, and collected the Participant’s satisfaction post intervention. A total of 178 participants were included in the study (64 CG and 114 EG). A significant improvement in self-efficacy was obtained in the EG compared to the CG. And a statistically significant improvement in anxiety (STAI-State) was observed in the EG, but the difference was not significant when comparing both groups. Participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the intervention. Our findings suggest that AAT may improve self-efficacy in adolescents with psychiatric conditions. However, no significant differences were observed between groups regarding anxiety levels. This study aims to provide innovation and research in a little studied area that may be useful as a complement to pharmacological treatment in the adolescent population. The clinical trial was retrospectively registered in the “Clinical Trials.gov”, registration number: NCT06414850 (05/16/2024).