Canine and Equine Therapy for Mental Health: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness [Internet]
Abstract: Animals have been used for medicinal and therapeutic purposes throughout much of the course of human history., Formal research into the use of animals for therapeutic purposes being in the 1960s, where work investigating the use of pet psychotherapy for treatment of behavior disorder in children was published. More recently, animals have been incorporated into a number of “animal-assisted interventions”, including animal-assisted activities, animal assisted-therapy, and service animal programs. The most common forms of animal-assisted interventions for the treatment of mental health conditions involve dogs or horses, often described as canine or equine therapy (or hippotherapy), respectively. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders (including generalized anxiety disorder; GAD), and major depressive disorder (MDD) are common mental health conditions associated with disability, decreased quality of life, increased mortality, and economic burden.– PTSD is a persistent mental health condition that may occur in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, such as exposure to death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence. GAD, which is estimated to affect approximately 1 in 40 Canadians aged 15 years and older per year, is characterized by persistent and excessive fear, worry, and feelings of being overwhelmed. Finally, symptoms of MDD (also known as clinical depression or major depression) include sadness, insomnia, loss of interest in hobbies, and feelings of worthlessness or guilt. A formal diagnosis of MDD requires the persistence of symptoms over a period of at least two weeks. Treatment strategies for PTSD, GAD, and MDD often include clinical care with pharmacologic agents (e.g., antidepressants), psychotherapy, or a combination of both approaches. The objective of the current report is to summarize and appraise the available evidence on the clinical effectiveness of canine therapy and equine therapy versus other forms of psychotherapy for the treatment of individuals with PTSD, GAD, MDD. This report compliments a 2012 CADTH Rapid Response Report on the use of therapy dogs and horses for patients with mental health conditions.
Copyright © 2019 Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health.
Publication Date: 2019-08-30 PubMed ID: 31682391
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Summary
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The research article explores the effectiveness of animal-assisted interventions, specifically canine and equine therapy, in treating mental health conditions such as PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder.
Background and Scope
- The research paper presents an investigative study into various forms of therapy used for treating Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and major depressive disorder (MDD), mental health conditions common throughout the world.
- Recent advances have seen the incorporation of animals into therapeutic interventions, with the use of dogs and horses being the most frequent. The use of dogs and horses in therapy is often referred to as canine and equine therapy (or hippotherapy), respectively.
- The main goal of the article is to examine and summarize available evidence on the clinical effectiveness of canine and equine therapy compared to other forms of psychotherapy for the treatment of individuals with PTSD, GAD, and MDD.
Mental Health Conditions discussed
- The conditions mentioned in the paper, namely PTSD, GAD, and MDD, are associated with significantly decreased quality of life, increased mortality, and economical burdens. They’re characterized by symptoms such as persistent and excessive fear, sadness, insomnia, loss of interest in hobbies, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, among others.
- A formal diagnosis of these conditions requires the presence of these symptoms for an extended period, at least two weeks in the case of MDD.
- These conditions are usually treated with a blend of clinical care, pharmacologic treatments like antidepressants and psychotherapy.
Animal-assisted Interventions
- Animal-assisted interventions have been used for therapeutic purposes since the 1960s, with the early uses being related to pet psychotherapy for treating behavior disorders in children.
- These interventions include animal-assisted activities, animal-assisted therapy, and service animal programs, with dogs and horses being the most common.
- The research seeks to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of these canine and equine therapies in comparison to other forms of psychotherapy for PTSD, GAD, and MDD treatment.
- The study builds on a 2012 CADTH Rapid Response Report on the application of therapy dogs and horses for patients with mental health conditions.
Cite This Article
APA
Young C, Horton J.
(2019).
Canine and Equine Therapy for Mental Health: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness [Internet]
CADTH Rapid Response Reports.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
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