Evaluating the Impact of a Canine-assisted Therapy Program in Youth Residing in a Residential Treatment Center.
University of Chicago
Summary
The goal of this pilot project is to test for initial efficacy of the Recovery \& Care Canine-Assisted Therapy program that has been developed and implemented in youth institutionalized for behavioral and emotional problems. We are using two study sites, Lawrence Hall and Lydia Home, both Chicago-based residential treatment centers for youth with behavioral and emotional problems, many of whom have experienced child maltreatment and trauma. Comparisons will be made to a matched sample of youth from Lawrence Hall and Lydia Home receiving treatment as usual. Results from this project will provide preliminary evidence of whether a structured, goal-oriented intervention program focused on dog training activities has direct impact on increasing youth emotional self-regulation, impulse control, and self-efficacy, which are important targets for intervention among youth with mental health problems. If successful, this project could lead to a larger, randomized control clinical trials study that tests the longitudinal impact of the program that could further lead to national dissemination of the Recovery \& Care curriculum as an alternative therapeutic approach.
Description
The study uses a longitudinal, within-person design with two parallel conditions. In one condition, youth receive a 6-week canine therapy intervention. The other condition consists of treatment as usual. The subject population are youth that are in a full-time residential treatment facility in Lawrence Hall and Lydia Home. The Recovery \& Care Canine-Assisted Therapy intervention is a 1.25 hour structured curriculum that will occur weekly across a period of 6 weeks. The program will be delivered by the Canine Therapy Corps (CTCorps). Youth will work with CTC-affiliate staff, including trained…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 8–18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Youth must be receiving in-patient services at Lawrence Hall or Lydia Home * Youth must provide informed assent. * Youth must complete at least one of the primary outcomes during the baseline assessment. * Youth must remain in residential care for the duration of the 6-week intervention. * Youth assigned to the Recovery \& Care intervention group must attend at least one of the 6 sessions. Exclusion Criteria: * Severe cognitive, psychiatric, or physical condition or limitation that would prevent participation. * Severe animal allergy * Animal phobia * History of mistre…
Interventions
- BehavioralRecovery & Care Canine-Assisted Therapy
Active intervention. An 6-week session of structured, goal-oriented activities where youth focus on mastering dog obedience and dog training skills. Each session is 1 hour and 15 minutes in length and includes education, review of prior sessions, and specific skill-building activities. Skill-building activities progress in complexity during the course of the 6-week curriculum.
- OtherTreatment as usual
Youth in this condition receive treatment as usual from their health care providers
Locations (2)
- Lawrence Hall Child & Family Treatment CenterChicago, Illinois
- Lydia HomeEvanston, Illinois