Clinical trial NCT04869423: Animal-Assisted Therapy in Adolescents With Eating Disorders
Official title: Effects of Dog-assisted Therapy in Adolescents With Eating Disorders: a Controlled Trial.
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Eating Disorders in Adolescence
Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa/Bulimia
Keywords: Dog-assisted intervention
Eating Disorder Symptom
Depression
Anxiety
Adolescent behavior and character
Health-related quality of life
Strength
Body composition
Treatment satisfaction
Lead sponsor: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Purina España (Reg. Trademark of Nestle S.A.)
First posted: 2021-05-03
Enrollment: 32
Sex: ALL
Maximum age (years): 18
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Two groups: one control and one experimental group
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Brief summary: 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.

Detailed 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.

Eligibility criteria: 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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Changes in Eating disorder symptoms
timeFrame: At baseline and inmediately after the intervention (within 7 days after the last session)
measure: Changes in Health-related quality of life
timeFrame: At baseline and inmediately after the intervention (within 7 days after the last session)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Changes in Anxiety
timeFrame: At baseline and inmediately after the intervention (within 7 days after the last session)
measure: Changes in Depression
timeFrame: At baseline and inmediately after the intervention (within 7 days after the last session)
measure: Changes in Adolescent character
timeFrame: At baseline and inmediately after the intervention (within 7 days after the last session)
measure: Changes in Behavior
timeFrame: At baseline and inmediately after the intervention (within 7 days after the last session)
measure: Changes in Strength
timeFrame: At baseline and inmediately after the intervention (within 7 days after the last session)
measure: Changes in Body mass
timeFrame: At baseline and inmediately after the intervention (within 7 days after the last session)
measure: Treatment satisfaction
timeFrame: Inmediately after the intervention (within 7 days after the last session)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Madrid
country: Spain
facility: Niño Jesús University Hospital
Study officials:
affiliation: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
name: Daniel Collado-Mateo, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: