Dog-Assisted Therapy in Adolescents Attending a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital (DAT-MH-DH)

June 17, 2026 updated by: Hospital Clinic of Barcelona

Randomized Controlled Trial and Subjective Experience of Dog-Assisted Therapy in Adolescents Attending a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital: A Mixed-Methods Study

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a dog-assisted therapy program integrated into a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital, as well as to explore participants' subjective experiences.

Mental health disorders in adolescence are common and often require intensive treatment approaches. Day hospitals provide structured care while allowing adolescents to remain in their family and social environments. Dog-assisted therapy has been proposed as a complementary intervention that may support emotional regulation, reduce distress, and enhance motivation and engagement in treatment.

A mixed-methods study was conducted, combining a randomized controlled trial with a qualitative phenomenological analysis. A total of 70 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years attending a mental health day hospital were included. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group, which received dog-assisted therapy in addition to treatment as usual, or to a control group that received treatment as usual only.

The intervention consisted of eight structured sessions of dog-assisted therapy, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. Clinical and emotional outcomes were assessed before and after the intervention using standardized instruments. In addition, immediate emotional changes were evaluated before and after each session. A qualitative component based on semi-structured interviews was conducted to better understand participants' experiences.

The study seeks to provide evidence on whether dog-assisted therapy can be a useful complementary intervention in adolescent mental health care, particularly in improving immediate emotional regulation, motivation, and therapeutic engagement.

This is an interventional trial registered retrospectively after study completion. Data were collected between [01/01/2024] and (31.12.2025]

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Adolescence is a critical developmental period associated with increased vulnerability to mental health disorders, including affective, anxiety, behavioral, and eating disorders. These conditions often present with complex symptom profiles and significantly impact emotional regulation, interpersonal functioning, and engagement in treatment.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospitals provide intensive, structured care while allowing adolescents to remain in their family and social environments. However, maintaining motivation and therapeutic engagement in this context can be challenging, highlighting the need for complementary interventions that facilitate emotional connection and participation.

Dog-Assisted Therapy (DAT) is a structured intervention involving interactions between patients and trained dogs under professional supervision, with predefined therapeutic goals. Previous research suggests that DAT may reduce stress and anxiety, enhance emotional regulation, and improve motivation and social interaction. Nevertheless, evidence from controlled studies in intensive treatment settings remains limited.

This study evaluates the effectiveness and feasibility of integrating DAT into routine care in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital. A mixed-methods design was used, combining a randomized controlled trial with a qualitative phenomenological approach.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either DAT in addition to standard treatment or standard treatment alone. The intervention consisted of eight structured sessions delivered over approximately eight weeks within the Day Hospital program.

Quantitative analyses focused on changes in clinical and emotional outcomes between baseline and post-intervention, as well as between-group differences. In addition, immediate emotional responses associated with DAT sessions were explored. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews to examine participants' lived experiences and perceived impact of the intervention.

Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods for pre-post and between-group comparisons, alongside a phenomenological-hermeneutic analysis of qualitative data to identify emerging themes and capture subjective experience.

This study aims to contribute to the evidence base on complementary interventions in adolescent mental health care, particularly regarding the role of DAT in enhancing emotional regulation, motivation, and therapeutic engagement within intensive treatment settings.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

70

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Spain
    • Barcelona
      • Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 08036
        • Hospital Clinic de Barcelona

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years
  • Receiving treatment at a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital
  • Willingness and motivation to participate in the intervention
  • Written informed consent provided by the participant and their legal guardians

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Estimated intelligence quotient (IQ) below 80
  • Allergy to dogs
  • Fear of dogs or animal phobia
  • History of aggressive behavior towards animals

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Dog-Assisted Therapy + Treatment as Usual

Participants assigned to the experimental group received a structured dog-assisted therapy program in addition to treatment as usual provided in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital. The intervention consisted of eight sessions of dog-assisted therapy, each lasting approximately 45 minutes, integrated into routine clinical care.

Each session followed a standardized structure including three phases: an initial contact phase with the dog to facilitate adaptation, a main phase involving structured therapeutic activities with the dog aimed at promoting emotional regulation, social interaction, and therapeutic engagement, and a closing phase focused on reflection and session completion.

Sessions were conducted by mental health professionals with the support of a certified canine specialist. In addition to the intervention, participants continued receiving standard multidisciplinary care, including psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and educational support.
Behavioral: Experimental: Experimental: Dog-assisted therapy + Treatment as usual

Participants received a structured dog-assisted therapy program integrated into routine care in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital. The intervention consisted of eight sessions, each lasting approximately 45 minutes.

Each session followed a standardized structure including an initial phase of contact with the dog, a main phase involving structured therapeutic activities aimed at promoting emotional regulation, social interaction, and therapeutic engagement, and a closing phase for reflection.

Sessions were delivered by mental health professionals with the support of a certified canine specialist.

Other: Active Comparator: Treatment as usual
Los participantes asignados al grupo de control recibieron el tratamiento habitual proporcionado en el Hospital de Día de Salud Mental Infantil y Adolescente, sin exposición a la terapia asistida con perros. La atención estándar incluyó un programa multidisciplinario compuesto por psicoterapia individual y grupal, psicoeducación, apoyo académico y actividades terapéuticas que se imparten de forma rutinaria en el entorno del hospital de día. Los participantes continuaron recibiendo esta atención estándar durante todo el período del estudio.
Active Comparator: Treatment as Usual

Participants assigned to the control group received treatment as usual provided in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital, without exposure to dog-assisted therapy.

Standard care included a multidisciplinary program composed of individual and group psychotherapy, psychoeducation, academic support, and therapeutic activities routinely delivered within the day hospital setting. Participants continued receiving this standard care throughout the study period
Behavioral: Experimental: Experimental: Dog-assisted therapy + Treatment as usual

Participants received a structured dog-assisted therapy program integrated into routine care in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Hospital. The intervention consisted of eight sessions, each lasting approximately 45 minutes.

Each session followed a standardized structure including an initial phase of contact with the dog, a main phase involving structured therapeutic activities aimed at promoting emotional regulation, social interaction, and therapeutic engagement, and a closing phase for reflection.

Sessions were delivered by mental health professionals with the support of a certified canine specialist.

Other: Active Comparator: Treatment as usual
Los participantes asignados al grupo de control recibieron el tratamiento habitual proporcionado en el Hospital de Día de Salud Mental Infantil y Adolescente, sin exposición a la terapia asistida con perros. La atención estándar incluyó un programa multidisciplinario compuesto por psicoterapia individual y grupal, psicoeducación, apoyo académico y actividades terapéuticas que se imparten de forma rutinaria en el entorno del hospital de día. Los participantes continuaron recibiendo esta atención estándar durante todo el período del estudio.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
HONOSCA
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8
Change in global clinical functioning assessed using the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA). This instrument evaluates behavioral, emotional, and psychosocial difficulties in adolescents attending mental health services. Higher scores indicate greater severity of problems. The outcome measures the difference between pre-intervention and post-intervention total scores.
Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in state anxiety (STAIC)
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8
Change in anxiety levels assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (state subscale). This instrument measures situational anxiety in children and adolescents, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety levels.
Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8
Change in emotional regulation difficulties (DERS)
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8
Change in emotional regulation difficulties measured using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), a self-report instrument assessing multiple domains of emotional dysregulation. Higher scores indicate greater difficulties in emotional regulation.
Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8
Change in depressive symptoms (CDI)
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8
Change in depressive symptomatology assessed using the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), a self-report measure widely used to evaluate depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. Higher scores indicate greater depressive symptoms.
Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8
Change in eating disorder symptomatology (EDI-2)
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8
Change in eating disorder-related symptoms assessed using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), administered only in participants diagnosed with eating disorders. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Baseline and post-intervention at Week 8
Immediate change in emotional state (FIS)
Time Frame: Immediately before and after each session, throughout the 8-week intervention period]
Immediate change in self-reported emotional state assessed before and after each dog-assisted therapy session using the Facial Image Scale (FIS). This scale consists of five facial expressions ranging from very unhappy to very happy, providing a rapid measure of emotional response to the intervention.
Immediately before and after each session, throughout the 8-week intervention period]

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Hospital Clinic of Barcelona

Collaborators

Obra Social La Caixa, Spain

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 12, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 14, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

May 12, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 28, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 17, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2023-0075

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be shared due to the sensitive nature of the data, which involves minors receiving mental health care. Data protection regulations and ethical considerations limit the possibility of sharing identifiable or detailed individual-level data. Aggregated results will be reported in scientific publications.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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