Animal-Assisted Interaction for Hospitalized Children

Overseen By Nancy R Gee, PhD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University

Disqualifiers: Fear of dogs, Allergy to dogs, Cognitive impairment, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

Duration: 1 week

67 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this research study is to test whether an animal-assisted intervention (AAI) is better than conversation with another person or treatment as usual for improving mood, anxiety, loneliness, quality of life, and indicators of health care services such as number of hospitalizations, length of hospital stay, and cost of services for children and adolescents.

Research Team

Nancy R Gee, PhD

Principal Investigator

Virginia Commonwealth University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for English-speaking children and adolescents aged 8-17 who are hospitalized and can understand the study, as well as adults over 18. Participants must have a working phone, email, or address for follow-up and be expected to stay in the hospital for at least five more days.

Inclusion Criteria

You need to be able to speak English.

You are between 8 and 17 years old.

You need to understand what the study is about and agree to take part in it.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either animal-assisted interaction, conversational interaction, or treatment as usual over four consecutive days

1 week

Daily visits for 4 days

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in mood, loneliness, depression, and anxiety after treatment

4 weeks

1 visit (in-person or virtual)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Animal-assisted interaction
• Conversational interaction

Trial Overview The study is testing if therapy dogs (animal-assisted intervention) can help reduce depression, anxiety, and loneliness better than just talking to someone or receiving standard care. It also looks at how these interventions might affect hospital stays and healthcare costs.

Participant Groups

Group I: Conversational interaction Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Conversational interaction with the participants and the dog-handler

Group II: Animal-assisted interaction Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

A dog-handler team will visit participants in their hospital room

Group III: Treatment as usual Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will received the regular services currently being received in the hospital

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Virginia Commonwealth University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

732

Recruited

22,900,000+

Purina Mills, Inc

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

70+