Dog-Assisted Therapy in Adolescents Attending a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital

Summary

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a dog-assisted therapy program integrated into a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital, as well as to explore participants' subjective experiences.

Mental health disorders in adolescence are common and often require intensive treatment approaches. Day hospitals provide structured care while allowing adolescents to remain in their family and social environments. Dog-assisted therapy has been proposed as a complementary intervention that may support emotional regulation, reduce distress, and enhance motivation and engagement in treatment.

A mixed-methods study was conducted, combining a randomized controlled trial with a qualitative phenomenological analysis. A total of 70 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years attending a mental health day hospital were included. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group, which received dog-assisted therapy in addition to treatment as usual, or to a control group that received treatment as usual only.

The intervention consisted of eight structured sessions of dog-assisted therapy, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. Clinical and emotional outcomes were assessed before and after the intervention using standardized instruments. In addition, immediate emotional changes were evaluated before and after each session. A qualitative component based on semi-structured interviews was conducted to better understand participants' experiences.

The study seeks to provide evidence on whether dog-assisted therapy can be a useful complementary intervention in adolescent mental health care, particularly in improving immediate emotional regulation, motivation, and therapeutic engagement.

This is an interventional trial registered retrospectively after study completion. Data were collected between \[01/01/2024\] and (31.12.2025\]

Conditions

• Mental Health Disorders in Adolescents
• Emotional Dysregulation
• Anxiety Disorders
• Depressive Disorders
• Eating Disorders

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Experimental: Experimental: Dog-assisted therapy + Treatment as usual

Participants received a structured dog-assisted therapy program integrated into routine care in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital. The intervention consisted of eight sessions, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. Each session followed a standardized structure including an initial phase of contact with the dog, a main phase involving structured therapeutic activities aimed at promoting emotional regulation, social interaction, and therapeutic engagement, and a closing phase for reflection. Sessions were delivered by mental health professionals with the support of a certified canine specialist.

OTHER

Active Comparator: Treatment as usual

Los participantes asignados al grupo de control recibieron el tratamiento habitual proporcionado en el Hospital de Día de Salud Mental Infantil y Adolescente, sin exposición a la terapia asistida con perros. La atención estándar incluyó un programa multidisciplinario compuesto por psicoterapia individual y grupal, psicoeducación, apoyo académico y actividades terapéuticas que se imparten de forma rutinaria en el entorno del hospital de día. Los participantes continuaron recibiendo esta atención estándar durante todo el período del estudio.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Obra Social La Caixa, Spain

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Hospital Clinic of Barcelona

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-01-12

Primary Completion

2025-12-14

Completion

2026-05-12

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations