Table 4.
Summary of outcomes from studies included in the review
| First author (year) | Condition | Intervention | Outcomes of DAI | Author’s conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lutwack-Bloom (2005) [38] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ⎼Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) ↑Profile of Mood States (POMS) |
The results suggest that the findings indicated that the intervention works better with general mood disorders than with depression alone. |
| Majic (2013) [39] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ⎼Dementia Mood Assessment Scale (DMAS) ⎼Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ⎼Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) |
AAT is a promising option for the treatment of agitation/aggression and depression in patients with dementia. |
| Travers (2013) [40] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ↑↓Quality of Life-Alzheimer’s Disease (QOL-AD)a
⎼The MOS-Item short form health survey (SF-36) ⎼Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS-SF) ↑Multidimensional Observational Scale for Elderly Subjects (MOSES)b |
The authors conclude that the study provides some evidence that dog-assisted therapy may be beneficial for some residents of aged care facilities with dementia. |
| Bono (2015) [41] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ↑Barthel Index ↑Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) ↓Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) |
The study confirms the feasibility of AAT with dogs in low-mild Alzheimer’s disease |
| Friedmann (2015) [42] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ⎼Barthel Index - Physical function ↑Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) ⎼AES – Emotional function ⎼Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) |
Evidence supports that the PAL program helps preserve/enhance function of AL residents with CI. |
| Olsen (2016) [43] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ↑Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) ⎼Brief Agitation Rating Scale (BARS) ↑Quality of Life in Late-stage Dementia (QUALID)c |
Animal-assisted activities may have a positive effect on depression and QoL in older people with dementia. |
| Thodberg (2016) [44] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ⎼Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ⎼Gottfried-Brane-Steen scale (GBS) ⎼Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) ⎼Sleep data ⎼Body Mass Index (BMI) |
Visit type did not affect the long-term mental state of the patients. The relationship between sleep duration and dog-accompanied visits remains to be explored. |
| Schuck (2015) [45] | Psychiatric disorders | Therapeutic | ↑ADHD-Rating Scale-Fourth edition (ADHD-RS-IV) ↑Social Skills Improvement Systems-Rating Scales (SSIS-RS) ↑Social Competence Inventory (SCI) |
Results suggest that CAI offers a novel therapeutic strategy that may enhance cognitive-behavioral interventions for children with ADHD. |
| Stefanini (2015) [46] | Psychiatric disorders | Therapeutic | ↑Children Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) ↑Format of hospital care scale ↑Ordinary school attendance scale ↑Patients behaviors during AAT |
Our results verify that AAT can have significant positive effects on therapeutic progress and the recovery process. |
| Calvo (2016) [47] | Psychiatric disorders | Therapeutic | ⎼Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) ⎼EQ-5D – Quality of life ↑Adherence to Treatment ↑ Decrease in saliva cortisol |
The results suggest that AAT could be a useful adjunct to conventional psychosocial rehabilitation for people with schizophrenia. |
| Stefanini (2016) [48] | Psychiatric disorders | Therapeutic | ↑Children Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) ↑Youth Self Report (YSR) ↑Patients behaviors during AATd |
The effects of AAT in reducing emotional and behavioral symptoms and increasing global competence and psychological functioning were substantiated. |
| Nagengast (1997) [49] | Stress and mood | Supportive | ↑Systolic blood pressure ⎼Diastolic blood pressure ↑Mean arterial blood pressure ↑Heart rate ⎼Peripheral skin temperature ↑Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD) |
The findings support the use of a companion animal in reducing stress experienced by children during physical examination. |
| Hansen (1999) [50] | Stress and mood | Supportive | ⎼Systolic blood pressure ⎼Diastolic blood pressure ⎼Mean arterial blood pressure ⎼Heart rate ⎼Peripheral skin temperature ↑Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD) |
Companion animals may be useful in a variety of health care settings to decrease procedure-induced distress in children. |
| Havener (2001) [51] | Stress and mood | Supportive | ⎼Peripheral skin temperature ⎼Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD) |
The authors conclude that further research using a larger sample should be done to determinate the effect of a companion animal with children for whom the dental visit is most stressful. |
| Johnson (2008) [52] | Stress and mood | Activity | ⎼Profile of Mood states (POMS) ⎼Self-perceived health questionnaire ⎼Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OTLQ) |
The study warrants replication with a larger sample to determine applicability of animal-assisted activity in cancer patients with radiation therapy. |
| Vagnoli (2015) [53] | Stress and mood | Supportive | ↑Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD) ⎼The Wong-Baker Scale (Face scale) ⎼Visual analog scale (VAS) - pain ⎼State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) ↑Serum cortisol plasma |
The presence of dogs during venipuncture reduces distress in children and improves physical, social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. |
| Krause-Parello (2016) [54] | Stress and mood | Activity | ↑Systolic blood pressure ⎼Diastolic blood pressure ↑Heart rate |
Study findings supported that pet therapy significant decreased blood pressure and heart rate. |
| Harper (2015) [55] | Pain | Supportive | ↑Visual analog scale (VAS) - pain Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey (HCAHPS)e |
The use of therapy dogs has a positive effect on patients’ pain level and satisfaction with hospital stay after total joint replacement. |
↑ Statistical significant improvement for the DAI compared to the alternative
↓ Statistical significant impairment for the DAI compared to the alternative
⎼ No statistical significant change between the alternatives
aSignificant improvement in one facility and significant impairment in another. The impairment may have been effected by an outbreak of gastroenteritis
bPatients with higher (worse) baseline scores
cPatients with severe dementia
d§Indicating improvement in motivation, relationship, socialization, cure and affects
ePatients in the intervention group had higher proportions of top box scores in categories of nursing communication and pain management