Home›Psychiatry› Animal-assisted therapy reduces depression, anxiety, and stress in adults with moderate-to-large effects
Animal-assisted therapy reduces depression, anxiety, and stress in adults with moderate-to-large effectsAnimal assisted therapy reduces anxiety, depression and stress in adults
Journal of global healthPublished July 18, 2026Study authors: Shih Chun-Ying, Arifin Hidayat, Kustanti Christina Yeni, Chang Wen-Jui, Huang Chi-Hsien, Fitryasari …PubMed ↗DOI ↗Editorial oversight: Dr. Ji-eun Park, MD · Brain, Mind & Pain
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Key Takeaway
Consider animal-assisted therapy as an adjunct for reducing depression, anxiety, and stress in adults, but not for pain or gait.
This meta-analysis synthesized data from randomized controlled trials involving 2391 adults with or without illness to evaluate the effects of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) on psychological and physical outcomes. The primary outcomes included depression, anxiety, stress, pain, and gait.
At post-intervention, AAT was associated with significant reductions in depression (Hedges' g = -0.403; 95% CI [-0.536, -0.271]), anxiety (Hedges' g = -0.661; 95% CI [-1.069, -0.253]), and stress (Hedges' g = -1.062; 95% CI [-1.849, -0.275]). These effects were not moderated by age or gender. However, no meaningful effect was found for pain or gait.
The authors noted substantial between-study variability for depression, anxiety, and stress, which tempers confidence in the pooled estimates. Adverse events and follow-up duration were not reported.
In practice, AAT appears to offer psychological benefits for adults, but its lack of effect on pain and gait, along with heterogeneity, suggests cautious application. Further research with standardized protocols and longer follow-up is needed.
How this fits prior evidence
This meta-analysis extends prior evidence on non-pharmacologic interventions for mental health. While habitual mindfulness practice and ecological momentary interventions have shown moderate effects on depressive and anxiety symptoms, AAT demonstrates moderate-to-large effects on depression, anxiety, and stress. The findings contrast with the lack of effect on pain and gait, highlighting AAT's psychological specificity. The substantial between-study variability echoes challenges seen in other behavioral interventions.
Living with chronic stress or feeling overwhelmed by anxiety can take a heavy toll on your mental health. New research looks at how spending time with animals might offer a way to find some relief. The study looked at data from over 2,000 adults to see if animal assisted therapy actually made a difference.
The results showed that interacting with animals led to clear improvements in feelings of anxiety and depression. Most notably, it significantly reduced stress levels for the participants. These mental health benefits were consistent across the board, meaning they worked for both men and women of all ages.
While the study found great success in improving mood and lowering stress, it did not find any meaningful changes in physical outcomes like pain levels or walking patterns. Because there was a lot of variation between different studies included in this review, these results should be seen as part of a larger picture for mental wellness.
What this means for you:
Animal assisted therapy significantly reduces anxiety, depression, and stress in adults of all ages and genders.
Common questions
Does animal assisted therapy help with anxiety and depression?
Yes, the study found that animal assisted therapy led to a reduction in both anxiety and depression for adults. These improvements were consistent across different groups, meaning the benefits were not limited by the age or gender of the people involved.
Can interacting with animals help reduce stress?
The research showed that animal assisted therapy significantly reduced stress levels in the adults studied. This finding suggests that spending time with animals can be a helpful way to manage feelings of stress in daily life.
Does animal therapy help with physical pain or walking?
While the study showed great results for mental health, it did not find any meaningful effect on physical pain or gait (the way a person walks). These specific physical outcomes did not change during the intervention.
BACKGROUND: Adults are at heightened risk of anxiety, stress, and depression; animal-assisted therapy (AAT) may serve as an effective approach to promote psychological well-being. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of AAT in improving depression, anxiety, stress, pain, and gait among adults with or without illness.
METHODS: We systematically searched six electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus) and included all studies published up to August 2024. We used comprehensive meta-analysis software to complete the quantitative synthesis. We reported pooled effect sizes as Hedges' g with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), after applying a random-effects model. Furthermore, we assessed heterogeneity using Cochran's Q test and the I statistic. We applied the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool to appraise the methodological quality of the included studies. The synthesis process followed PRISMA guidelines.
RESULTS: From the 13,345 studies identified, 35 randomised controlled trials involving 2391 adults were included. Across diverse populations, AAT was associated with reductions in depression (Hedges' g = -0.403; 95% CI = -0.536, -0.271), anxiety (Hedges' g = -0.661; 95% CI = -1.069, -0.253), and stress (Hedges' g = -1.062; 95% CI = -1.849, -0.275) at post-intervention, although substantial between-study variability was observed.
CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that AAT significantly improves anxiety, depression and stress in adults, but has no meaningful effect on pain or gait. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses indicate that psychological benefits depend on population and intervention characteristics, and are not moderated by age or gender.
REGISTRATION: PROSPERO: CRD42024570108.
