Table 7. Regression outcomes for Aim 3 (identifying mechanisms), after variable selection by elastic net.
| Predictor | Association with symptoms at three-months follow-up | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTSD | Depression | Anxiety | |||||
| B | SE | B | SE | B | SE | ||
| Human-Animal Bond | Closeness (IOS) | - | - | - | - | -1.66* | 0.65 |
| Attachment (LAPS) | - | - | -1.68 | 1.25 | - | - | |
| Perceived Costs (MDORS) | 2.65 | 2.08 | 1.19 | 1.18 | 3.20** | 0.94 | |
| Human-Animal Interactions | Objective Proximity Tracking | 0.04 | 1.79 | - | - | - | - |
| Veteran Use of Trained Service Dog Tasks | Interrupt/alert to anxiety | -2.47 | 1.84 | - | - | - | - |
| Cover (watch back) | -4.18* | 2.02 | - | - | 1.98* | 0.91 | |
| Make a friend | - | - | 2.46* | 0.97 | 0.58 | 0.87 | |
| Veteran Use of Dog Training Methods | Overall Training Frequency | - | - | -1.24 | 1.24 | -1.33 | 1.13 |
| Daily Positive Punishment | -4.12 | 3.87 | - | - | -1.66 | 1.91 | |
| Daily Negative Punishment | - | - | - | - | -1.93 | 2.39 | |
| Daily Bond-Based | 4.27 | 4.05 | - | - | - | - | |
| Daily Dominance | 11.32* | 4.27 | 7.02** | 2.31 | - | - | |
| Dog Behavior | Activity | -1.64 | 1.89 | 0.57 | 1.02 | - | - |
| Problem Behaviors | -2.14 | 2.23 | -2.31 | 1.25 | -1.48 | 1.00 | |
| Veteran Control Variables | Age | -0.26 | 2.21 | - | - | - | - |
| Race/Ethnicity | - | - | -5.16* | 2.50 | - | - | |
| Baseline Symptoms | 8.43*** | 1.84 | 4.18*** | 0.96 | - | - | |
| Model | N | 57 | 55 | 55 | |||
| R2 | 0.49*** | 0.51*** | 0.40*** | ||||
Note. IOS = Inclusion of Other in the Self Scale. LAPS = Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale. MDORS = Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale. Table excludes variables that were not selected by elastic net for any of the outcomes. Regression coefficients (B) and standard errors (SE) are unstandardized, Huber-White robust estimates where all variables have been entered into models as standardized z-scores. For categorical independent variables (human race/ethnicity; all daily training methods), coefficients represent the point difference of the entered category (human white; training method used daily) compared to the reference category (human BIPOC and anyone not wishing to disclose; training method not used daily). For continuous independent variables (all remaining), coefficients represent the change in points for the dependent variable associated with one standard deviation increase in the independent variable. Clinically meaningful differences are considered to be 5 points for PTSD and 3 points each for depression and anxiety. Predictors not selected by elastic net for any of the outcomes included variables for human-animal bond (MDORS perceived emotional closeness), human-animal interactions (MDORS dog-owner interactions), veterans use of trained service dog tasks (calm/comfort from anxiety, block/create space), and veteran control variables (gender identity, marital status).
- = Predictor was not selected by elastic net for that outcome
***p < .001
**p < .010
*p < .050