Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Program As a Useful Adjunct to Conventional Psychosocial Rehabilitation for Patients with Schizophrenia: Results of a Small-scale Randomized Controlled Trial.
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Program As a Useful Adjunct to Conventional Psychosocial Rehabilitation for Patients with Schizophrenia: Results of a Small-scale Randomized Controlled Trial.
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DOI：
10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00631
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发表时间：
2016
影响因子：
3.8
通讯作者：
Fatjó J
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Calvo P;Fortuny JR;Guzmán S;Macías C;Bowen J;García ML;Orejas O;Molins F;Tvarijonaviciute A;Cerón JJ;Bulbena A;Fatjó J
目前，人-动物相互作用研究的主要目标之一是证明动物辅助治疗（AAT）对特定患者或参与者的益处。本研究的目的是评估AAT计划作为精神分裂症患者常规6个月心理社会康复计划的辅助措施的效果。我们的假设是，AAT纳入心理社会康复将有助于积极的影响，对神经病学和生活质量的整体计划，AAT将是一个积极的经验，为患者。为了验证这些假设，我们比较了项目前和项目后的阳性和阴性症状量表（PANSS）和EuroQol-5维度问卷（EuroQol-5D）评分，最后四次AAT会议的会议前与会议后唾液皮质醇和α-淀粉酶，以及项目不同元素之间的依从率。我们在西班牙的一家精神病护理中心进行了一项随机对照研究。22例慢性精神分裂症住院患者完成了为期6个月的康复计划，其中包括个人心理治疗，团体治疗，功能计划（旨在改善日常功能），社区计划（旨在促进社区重返社会）和家庭计划。对照组的每个成员（n = 8）参加了一个活动，从一系列的治疗活动的功能程序的一部分。代替这种功能性程序活动，AAT治疗组（n = 14）参加了每周两次1小时的AAT会议。所有参与者每周接受相同的康复总小时数。在项目结束时，两组（对照组和AAT治疗组）均显示出阳性和总体胰腺炎学的显著改善，如PANSS所测量的，但只有AAT治疗组显示出阴性胰腺炎学的显著改善。对AAT治疗的依从性显著高于对对照组功能康复活动的总体依从性。皮质醇水平在参与AAT会话后显著降低，这可能表明与治疗犬的相互作用减少了压力。总之，这个小规模随机对照试验的结果表明，AAT可以被认为是一个有用的辅助传统的精神分裂症患者的心理康复。
Currently, one of the main objectives of human–animal interaction research is to demonstrate the benefits of animal assisted therapy (AAT) for specific profiles of patients or participants. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of an AAT program as an adjunct to a conventional 6–month psychosocial rehabilitation program for people with schizophrenia. Our hypothesis is that the inclusion of AAT into psychosocial rehabilitation would contribute positively to the impact of the overall program on symptomology and quality of life, and that AAT would be a positive experience for patients. To test these hypotheses, we compared pre–program with post–program scores for the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the EuroQoL-5 dimensions questionnaire (EuroQol-5D), pre–session with post–session salivary cortisol and alpha–amylase for the last four AAT sessions, and adherence rates between different elements of the program. We conducted a randomized, controlled study in a psychiatric care center in Spain. Twenty–two institutionalized patients with chronic schizophrenia completed the 6–month rehabilitation program, which included individual psychotherapy, group therapy, a functional program (intended to improve daily functioning), a community program (intended to facilitate community reintegration) and a family program. Each member of the control group (n = 8) participated in one activity from a range of therapeutic activities that were part of the functional program. In place of this functional program activity, the AAT–treatment group (n = 14) participated in twice–weekly 1–h sessions of AAT. All participants received the same weekly total number of hours of rehabilitation. At the end of the program, both groups (control and AAT–treatment) showed significant improvements in positive and overall symptomatology, as measured with PANSS, but only the AAT–treatment group showed a significant improvement in negative symptomatology. Adherence to the AAT-treatment was significantly higher than overall adherence to the control group’s functional rehabilitation activities. Cortisol level was significantly reduced after participating in an AAT session, which could indicate that interaction with the therapy dogs reduced stress. In conclusion, the results of this small-scale RCT suggest that AAT could be considered a useful adjunct to conventional psychosocial rehabilitation for people with schizophrenia.