Animal-assisted Therapy, Schizophrenia
Conditions
Keywords
schizophrenia, animal-assisted therapy
Brief summary
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can be helpful to improve the psychiatric, emotional, physical,and social status in patients with physical and mental illness and the elderly. The study aims to investigate the effects of AAT program in middle-aged and older patients with schizophrenia. The investigators will recruit 40 patients with schizophrenia in psychiatric ward randomised into AAT group and control group. AAT group will complete the 12-week program. This study contains two assessment sessions before and after intervention, including PANSS, ACIS, MoCA-T, CHI, DASS-21, CST, TUG and 5MWT.
Detailed description
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can be helpful to improve the outcomes of psychiatric and emotional symptoms, physical activeness, social skills, well-beings in patients with physical and mental illness and the elderly. The study aims to assess the applications and outcomes of psychiatric symptoms, social skills, cognitive function, well-beings, emotional status and physical fitness of AAT program applied to middle-aged and older patients with chronic schizophrenia. The investigators will recruit 40 patients with chronic schizophrenia who were admitted to day care ward and rehabilitation ward, and conduct a randomized, controlled study. 40 patients will be stratified by the ward into AAT group and control group. AAT group will complete the 12-week program. This study contains two assessment sessions completed within one week before and after 12-week program. Subjects will be evaluated by the PANSS, ACIS, MoCA-T, CHI, DASS-21, CST, TUG and 5MWT in both sessions. Statistical analysis is examined using paired t-test to see whether there is a significant difference (based on p-value) between the scores of two assessment sessions in the AAT and control group, and using independent t-test to see whether there is a significant difference in the change scores of two assessment sessions between the 2 groups.
Interventions
Animal-Assisted Therapy is when animals are used in goal-directed treatment sessions. These goals can be physical, mental, emotional or social.
Sponsors
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. Having a diagnosis of schizophrenia according to the DSM-5. 2. Adult aged 40 years or older. 3. Having stable physical and psychological health conditions based on master clinician judgment. 4. Having the will to participate in the study after thorough comprehension of the content. 5. Not receiving treatment protocol last half a year.
Exclusion criteria
1. Severe cognitive impairment e.g. aphasia, being unable to follow 3 or more orders. 2. Being allergic to animals. 3. History of Asthma. 4. Coagulation disorders 5. presenting symptoms of specific phobia, anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder in context of dog, infection and contamination.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change scores of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale | Baseline, immediate after treatment | This test is used for measuring symptom severity of patients with schizophrenia. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change scores of The Taiwanese version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment | Baseline, immediate after treatment | This test is a cognitive screening test in the detection of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. |
| Change scores of Chinese Happiness Inventory | Baseline, immediate after treatment | This test is a subjective measure of well-being. |
| Change scores of Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 | Baseline, immediate after treatment | This test is a 21-item self report instrument for measuring depression, anxiety and tension/stress. |
| Change scores of Timed Up and Go | Baseline, immediate after treatment | This test is to assess mobility, balance, walking ability, and fall risk in older adults. |
| Change scores of The 5-Meter Walk Test | Baseline, immediate after treatment | This test is to assess walking speed. |
| Change scores of The Assessment of Communication and Interaction Skills | Baseline, immediate after treatment | This test is an observational rating scale designed to measure communication and interaction skills. |
| Change scores of Chair Stand Test | Baseline, immediate after treatment | This test is to measure leg strength. |
Countries
Taiwan
Contacts
Primary ContactChyi-Rong Chen, Master
Outcome results
None listed