Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?

Few studies have explored the influence of an Animal-Assisted Intervention on patients with mental disorders. We investigated it’s impact on anxiety symptoms. We divided 51 patients with anxiety symptoms into two groups—treatment group, that went for a short 15–20 min’ walk with a dog, his handler a...

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Autores principales:	Dorota Wołyńczyk-Gmaj, Aleksandra Ziółkowska, Piotr Rogala, Dawid Ścigała, Ludwik Bryła, Bartłomiej Gmaj, Marcin Wojnar
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	MDPI AG 2021
Materias:	animal assisted intervention (AAI) dogs dogotheraphy anxiety anxiety disorders treatment heart rate Medicine R
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/525b11b95fc5419d80fc7d132df9d11e
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:525b11b95fc5419d80fc7d132df9d11e2021-11-11T17:47:05ZCan Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?10.3390/jcm102151712077-0383https://doaj.org/article/525b11b95fc5419d80fc7d132df9d11e2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/21/5171https://doaj.org/toc/2077-0383Few studies have explored the influence of an Animal-Assisted Intervention on patients with mental disorders. We investigated it’s impact on anxiety symptoms. We divided 51 patients with anxiety symptoms into two groups—treatment group, that went for a short 15–20 min’ walk with a dog, his handler and a researcher and control group, that went for a walk only with a researcher. We used State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of fear, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Ford Insomnia Response to Stress (FIRST), Brief symptom Inventory (BSI) and VAS of satisfaction after trial to assess. We also checked the resting blood pressure and resting heart rate before and after performing psychological tests while sitting. We have obtained full data of 21 people from the research group and 26 people from the control group. After the intervention, the treatment group reported lower anxiety levels as a state (Mean (M) = 34.35; Standard Deviation (SD) = 6.9 vs. M = 40.94; SD = 8.6) and fear (M = 1.05; SD = 1.0 vs. M = 2.04; SD = 2.2) than the control group. After a walk with a dog, trait anxiety (M = 34.35; SD = 6.9 vs. M = 46.3; SD = 9.6), state anxiety (M = 48.9; SD = 7.2 vs. M = 53.9; SD = 7.8), fear (M = 1.05; SD= 1.0 vs. M = 2.57; SD = 2.3) and resting heart rate (M = 71.05; SD = 12.3 vs. M = 73.67; SD = 13.1) decreased significantly, while walking without a dog only reduced state anxiety (M = 47.24; SD = 11.0 vs. M = 40.94; SD = 8.6). Multivariate analysis of variance showed that after the walk, state anxiety was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group, F(1.35) = 6.706, <i>p</i> <0.05, <i>η<sup>2</sup></i> = 0.161. Among those who walked with a dog, the intervention also led to significant decreases in fear and resting heart rate, F(1.44) = 11.694, <i>p</i> < 0.01, <i>η<sup>2</sup></i> = 0.210 and F(1.45) = 8.503; <i>p <</i> 0.01; <i>η<sup>2</sup></i> = 0.159, respectively. For anxious patients, a short walk with a dog is more beneficial than a walk without one. We found significant positive effects of a dog’s company on vegetative arousal and mental comfort. This is another study confirming the possible therapeutic effect of the animal on anxiety symptoms. Further research is required, especially in the large groups of patients, as recommendations on the use of Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) are needed.Dorota Wołyńczyk-GmajAleksandra ZiółkowskaPiotr RogalaDawid ŚcigałaLudwik BryłaBartłomiej GmajMarcin WojnarMDPI AGarticleanimal assisted intervention (AAI)dogsdogotheraphyanxietyanxiety disorders treatmentheart rateMedicineRENJournal of Clinical Medicine, Vol 10, Iss 5171, p 5171 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	animal assisted intervention (AAI) dogs dogotheraphy anxiety anxiety disorders treatment heart rate Medicine R
spellingShingle	animal assisted intervention (AAI) dogs dogotheraphy anxiety anxiety disorders treatment heart rate Medicine R Dorota Wołyńczyk-Gmaj Aleksandra Ziółkowska Piotr Rogala Dawid Ścigała Ludwik Bryła Bartłomiej Gmaj Marcin Wojnar Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?
description	Few studies have explored the influence of an Animal-Assisted Intervention on patients with mental disorders. We investigated it’s impact on anxiety symptoms. We divided 51 patients with anxiety symptoms into two groups—treatment group, that went for a short 15–20 min’ walk with a dog, his handler and a researcher and control group, that went for a walk only with a researcher. We used State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of fear, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Ford Insomnia Response to Stress (FIRST), Brief symptom Inventory (BSI) and VAS of satisfaction after trial to assess. We also checked the resting blood pressure and resting heart rate before and after performing psychological tests while sitting. We have obtained full data of 21 people from the research group and 26 people from the control group. After the intervention, the treatment group reported lower anxiety levels as a state (Mean (M) = 34.35; Standard Deviation (SD) = 6.9 vs. M = 40.94; SD = 8.6) and fear (M = 1.05; SD = 1.0 vs. M = 2.04; SD = 2.2) than the control group. After a walk with a dog, trait anxiety (M = 34.35; SD = 6.9 vs. M = 46.3; SD = 9.6), state anxiety (M = 48.9; SD = 7.2 vs. M = 53.9; SD = 7.8), fear (M = 1.05; SD= 1.0 vs. M = 2.57; SD = 2.3) and resting heart rate (M = 71.05; SD = 12.3 vs. M = 73.67; SD = 13.1) decreased significantly, while walking without a dog only reduced state anxiety (M = 47.24; SD = 11.0 vs. M = 40.94; SD = 8.6). Multivariate analysis of variance showed that after the walk, state anxiety was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group, F(1.35) = 6.706, <i>p</i> <0.05, <i>η<sup>2</sup></i> = 0.161. Among those who walked with a dog, the intervention also led to significant decreases in fear and resting heart rate, F(1.44) = 11.694, <i>p</i> < 0.01, <i>η<sup>2</sup></i> = 0.210 and F(1.45) = 8.503; <i>p <</i> 0.01; <i>η<sup>2</sup></i> = 0.159, respectively. For anxious patients, a short walk with a dog is more beneficial than a walk without one. We found significant positive effects of a dog’s company on vegetative arousal and mental comfort. This is another study confirming the possible therapeutic effect of the animal on anxiety symptoms. Further research is required, especially in the large groups of patients, as recommendations on the use of Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) are needed.
format	article
author	Dorota Wołyńczyk-Gmaj Aleksandra Ziółkowska Piotr Rogala Dawid Ścigała Ludwik Bryła Bartłomiej Gmaj Marcin Wojnar
author_facet	Dorota Wołyńczyk-Gmaj Aleksandra Ziółkowska Piotr Rogala Dawid Ścigała Ludwik Bryła Bartłomiej Gmaj Marcin Wojnar
author_sort	Dorota Wołyńczyk-Gmaj
title	Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?
title_short	Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?
title_full	Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?
title_fullStr	Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?
title_full_unstemmed	Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?
title_sort	can dog-assisted intervention decrease anxiety level and autonomic agitation in patients with anxiety disorders?
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/525b11b95fc5419d80fc7d132df9d11e
work_keys_str_mv	AT dorotawołynczykgmaj candogassistedinterventiondecreaseanxietylevelandautonomicagitationinpatientswithanxietydisorders AT aleksandraziołkowska candogassistedinterventiondecreaseanxietylevelandautonomicagitationinpatientswithanxietydisorders AT piotrrogala candogassistedinterventiondecreaseanxietylevelandautonomicagitationinpatientswithanxietydisorders AT dawidscigała candogassistedinterventiondecreaseanxietylevelandautonomicagitationinpatientswithanxietydisorders AT ludwikbryła candogassistedinterventiondecreaseanxietylevelandautonomicagitationinpatientswithanxietydisorders AT bartłomiejgmaj candogassistedinterventiondecreaseanxietylevelandautonomicagitationinpatientswithanxietydisorders AT marcinwojnar candogassistedinterventiondecreaseanxietylevelandautonomicagitationinpatientswithanxietydisorders
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Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?

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