Inpatients, Pediatric
Conditions
Keywords
Emotional Support Dog, Pet Therapy Dog, Child Life Specialist, anxiety, fear
Brief summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if medical dog intervention facilitated by a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) impacts pediatric patient coping, fear, and anxiety during inpatient admissions. The main questions it aims to answer are: What impact does facility dog support via a CCLS have on patient fear, coping, and anxiety? What effect does facility dog support via a CCLS have on patient heart rate? Researchers will compare medical dog intervention facilitated by a CCLS, CCLS intervention, and a coloring activity to see if medical dog interventions positively impact coping, fear, and anxiety. Participants will: Receive a visit from a medical dog and their CCLS handler, a CCLS, or a Child Life Activity coordinator. Engage in a mindfulness or coloring activity. Answer surveys regarding anxiety, coping, and fear. Have their heart rate measured before, during, and after their assigned intervention.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALColoring page activity led by CLAC
Participants will be provided coloring pages and colored pencils or crayons led by a Child Life Activity Coordinator, and will engage in the activity for 15 minutes.
BEHAVIORALMindfulness Activity led by CCLS
Participants will engage in a 10 minute mindfulness activity led by a Certified Child Life Specialist who will follow a mindfulness script. Participants will hold a stress ball during the activity.
BEHAVIORALMindfulness Activity led by CCLS and Facility Dog
Participants will engage in a 10 minute mindfulness activity led by a Certified Child Life Specialist who will follow a mindfulness script. Participants will be able to be next to and touch the medical dog during the activity.
Sponsors
Children's Hospital Colorado
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
8 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Children admitted to an inpatient unit at Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus * Who are eight to 17 years old.
Exclusion criteria
* Isolation precautions * Primary reason for admission is due to suicidality, self-injurious behavior, or injurious behavior * Patients with history of or currently presenting with aggression or unsafe behavior * Severe comorbidities secondary to traumatic brain injury, neurological disorder or neurodevelopmental issues that may confound study outcomes and administration of the study protocol (e.g., intellectual disability) * Not medically stable * Have a fear of dogs * Have an allergy to dogs * Have had a visit from a medical dog and medical dog handler during their current admission * Patient has an urgent or time-sensitive need requiring medical dog support - Patient is non-verbal.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory Short Form | Baseline and approximately 15 minutes after starting the intervention. | A 6-item measure that assesses anxiety via self-report. Individuals rate their agreement with six statements on a 4-point scale, ranging from 1 (not at all) to 4 (very much), with higher scores indicating more anxiety. |
| Children's Fear Scale | Baseline and approximately 15 minutes after starting the intervention. | A 1-item measure that assesses fear via self-report faces scale. Individuals rate their fear on a scale, ranging from no fear to extreme fear, by selecting one of five face pictures that matches how they feel. |
| Coping Questionnaire - Child | Approximately 15 minutes after starting the intervention. | Measures youth's perceived ability to cope on a three-item, individualized measure. Children rate their ability to make themselves less upset during an anxiety-provoking situation on a 7-point scale, ranging from 1 (not at all able to help myself or him/herself) to 7, with lower scores indicating poor coping. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate | Baseline, before the intervention, 5 minutes after intervention start, post-intervention (approximately 15 minutes after intervention start). | Participants' heart rate will be measured at four time points using a bedside heart rate monitor. |
| Parent Survey | Before the intervention. | Legal guardians will be if the participant has any developmental and/or psychological diagnoses, as well as if the patient has a dog at home. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
Primary ContactClaire Simonsen, BA
Outcome results
None listed