Evaluation of an Animal Assisted Therapy Program in People With Mental Illness, for the Promotion of Positive Mental Health Behaviors
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Enrollment
- 60
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Positive Mental Health Questionnaire Lluch (39-156points)
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Scientific literature reports that focusing interventions on people with mental health problems, from the threshold of Positive Mental Health, is effective and allows the person to promote positive mental health behaviors. The well-known Animal Assisted Therapy is a complementary intervention used for decades that has reported scientific evidence in the field of mental health in communication, socialization, anxiety and adherence to treatment of patients.
This protocol aims to create and evaluate an Assisted Therapy program with dogs in relation to the development and promotion of Positive Mental Health behaviors in people with mental illness in a community rehabilitation service.
Detailed Description
Background Mental health problems have a high prevalence. According to data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), one in four people will suffer from some form of lifelong mental health problem and it is estimated that some 450 million people currently suffer from it. These are disorders that generate a social, economic and family burden that is expected to increase significantly over the next 20 years.
"Contribute to the promotion of positive mental health and well-being of people throughout their lives by developing specific programs for people with mental disorders, adapted to each stage of life and based on the promotion of healthy habits in physical, cognitive and emotional health ", is the first strategic line proposed by the European Mental Health Action Plan 2013/2020 (EMHAP).
In Catalonia, with the same approach, the strategies of the "Master Plan for Mental Health and Addictions 2017/2020" are elaborated whose objective is the promotion of health and prevention of the disease, all this, with a community base that prioritizes the recovery of the person oriented towards social and labor inclusion, and improve their quality of life.
The field of mental health intervention has changed its paradigm and approach. Since the middle of the twentieth century, a change has been looming, not only in the treatment of the disorder itself, but also in its prevention. Despite this change, the reality is that it is still, in many cases in mental health centers, mainly involved in the field of mental illness and clinical symptoms. It is relevant that interventions for people with mental health problems are attractive, to encourage commitment and with a positive approach, from the threshold of Positive Mental Health (PMH)) .
The term PMH itself, focuses on understanding the mental functioning of human beings from a "positive" perspective, ie, healthy, optimistic, oriented to well-being and personal growth.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Non Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Health Services Research
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •People diagnosed with a mental disorder
- •Presence of social dysfunction
- •Over 18 years
- •Voluntary acceptance to the study
Exclusion Criteria
- •Allergies to dogs
- •Phobia of dogs
- •History of animal abuse
- •People whose cognitive capacity does not allow them to follow the sessions of the intervention program
Arms & Interventions
Animal assisted terapy
The Experimental Group, in addition to receiving the usual activities of the rehabilitation device. You will receive the ten weekly sessions of the TAA Program.The program structure will aim to influence the 6 specific factors, described in the Multifactorial Model of Positive Mental Health of Dr. Lluch, which are: F1-Personal Satisfaction, F2-Prosocial Attitude, F3-Self-control, F4-Autonomy, F5- Problem Solving and Self-actualization and F6 Interpersonal Relationship Skills. For this reason, direct contact exercises with the dog will be designed and defined to work on them.
Intervention: Animal Assited therapy (Other)
Control Group
The Control Group will receive the usual activities of the rehabilitation device.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Positive Mental Health Questionnaire Lluch (39-156points)
Time Frame: Data collection will be done using an ad hoc form and the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire Lluch (1999). There is an interval of ten weeks between the pretest and posttest collection.
Evaluate the effectiveness of the Animal Assisted Therapy Program
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported