A randomised controlled study of dog assisted therapy: comparing a short and a long version for patients with fetal...

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) presents with complex neurodevelopmental challenges, including emotional, behavioral, and social difficulties. Dog-Assisted Therapy (DAT) has shown potential benefits, but optimal duration for maximal efficacy remains unclear.

The present randomised controlled trial aimed to compare the therapeutic impact of a short version (8 weekly sessions) versus a long version (16 sessions) of a manualised DAT protocol on clinical, functional, and family outcomes in children and adolescents with FASD.

Sixty-four participants were randomised to the short or long DAT version, with 55 completing treatment. Primary outcomes included social skills, internalizing and externalizing symptom profiles, quality of life, clinical severity, and parental anxiety and depression.

Both groups showed significant improvements across externalizing symptoms, social skills, FASD severity, and quality of life. However, the long-version DAT group exhibited greater reductions in externalizing symptoms (CBCL Inattention: F(1, 54) = 4.68, p = 0.035, ηp² = 0.083), problem behaviors (SSIS-P: F(1, 54) = 7.80, p = 0.007, ηp² = 0.13), and lower clinician- and parent-rated FASD severity scores (CGI-S Clinician: F(1, 54) = 6.54, p = 0.014, ηp² = 0.112; CGI-S Parent: F(1, 54) = 4.94, p = 0.031, ηp² = 0.087). Enhanced quality of life was also observed (KIDSCREEN-27 Peers and Social Support: F(1, 54) = 4.39, p = 0.041, ηp² = 0.078). Additionally, caregivers in the long-version group reported significant reductions in depressive symptoms (BDI-II: F(1, 54) = 14.03, p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.212). Both versions improved anxiety metrics comparably.

clinicaltrials.gov, NCT06763614.