Effects of Animal Assisted Activity on Biobehavioral Stress Responses of Hospitalized Children: A Randomized Control Trial
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Psychosocial Stress
- Sponsor
- The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
- Enrollment
- 53
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in Anxiety as measured by the State Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-C) scale
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 9 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
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.
Investigators
Sandra M Branson
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Eligibility Criteria
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.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in Anxiety as measured by the State Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-C) scale
Time Frame: immediately before session, immediately after session
State anxiety will be measured using the State Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-C), a widely used instrument with upper elementary or junior high school aged children. The instrument is composed of 20 statements that ask about how one feels at a particular moment in time with three responses from "very to not". Scores range from 20 to 80 and higher scores indicate a higher state of anxiety. Internal consistency has been demonstrated; researchers have reported acceptable reliability coefficients in hospitalized children ages 7-11 years old with Cronbach's α of .94.
Change in Positive Mood/Affect as measured by the 10-item Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children (10 PANAS-C)
Time Frame: immediately before session, immediately after session
The 10 PANAS-C is a 10 item youth self-report measure used in child and adolescent populations which asks youth to rate adjectives of varying mood states (5 negative and 5 positive affect adjectives) on how often they feel joyful, cheerful, happy, lively, and proud and miserable, mad, afraid, scared, and sad. The item responses use a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ("very slightly or none at all") to 5 ("extremely"). The 10 item PANAS-C demonstrates acceptable validity and internal consistency estimates when compared to the full-length 27-item PANAS-C scale with alpha of .86 for the positive scale; .82 for the negative scale.
Change in Negative Mood/Affect as measured by the 10-item Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children (10 PANAS-C)
Time Frame: immediately before session, immediately after session
The 10 PANAS-C is a 10 item youth self-report measure used in child and adolescent populations which asks youth to rate adjectives of varying mood states (5 negative and 5 positive affect adjectives) on how often they feel joyful, cheerful, happy, lively, and proud and miserable, mad, afraid, scared, and sad. The item responses use a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ("very slightly or none at all") to 5 ("extremely"). The 10 item PANAS-C demonstrates acceptable validity and internal consistency estimates when compared to the full-length 27-item PANAS-C scale with alpha of .86 for the positive scale; .82 for the negative scale.
Change in biological stress response as assessed by salivary cortisol levels
Time Frame: immediately before session, immediately after session
Saliva samples will be collected salivary cortisol (stress), CRP, and IL-1ß (inflammatory). Time of salivary collection will be between the times of 1000-1300 to control for circadian rhythmicity. On the day of batch assay all samples will be assayed using the Salimetrics ® kits (with acceptable precision and accuracy) with an enzyme immunoassay procedure following the manufacturer's directions.
Change in biological inflammatory stress responses as assessed by salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) levels
Time Frame: immediately before session, immediately after session
Saliva samples will be collected salivary cortisol (stress), CRP, and IL-1ß (inflammatory). Time of salivary collection will be between the times of 1000-1300 to control for circadian rhythmicity. On the day of batch assay all samples will be assayed using the Salimetrics ® kits (with acceptable precision and accuracy) with an enzyme immunoassay procedure following the manufacturer's directions.
Change in biological inflammatory stress responses as assessed by salivary interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) levels
Time Frame: immediately before session, immediately after session
Saliva samples will be collected salivary cortisol (stress), CRP, and IL-1ß (inflammatory). Time of salivary collection will be between the times of 1000-1300 to control for circadian rhythmicity. On the day of batch assay all samples will be assayed using the Salimetrics ® kits (with acceptable precision and accuracy) with an enzyme immunoassay procedure following the manufacturer's directions.
Secondary Outcomes
- Attachment level to pets as assessed by the Pet Attitude Scale (PAS)(immediately before session)
- Human-Animal Interaction as assessed by the Human-Animal Interaction Scale (HAIS)(immediately after session)
- Human-Animal Interaction as assessed by the HAIS observer questionnaire(immediately after session)