N/A
Completed N=60
Service Dog Training Program for Military Veterans With PTSD
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03777020 ↗Enrolled (actual)
60
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Jul 2024
Primary outcomePrimary: Post Traumatic Stress Symptom Severity — 43.7; 38.9; 35.1; 31.6 score on a scale
Summary
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an invisible wound of war, affects approximately 20%1 of the 18.5 million U.S. veterans and places them at higher risk for impaired biopsychosocial functioning. PTSD symptom severity (PTSDSS) is significantly correlated with stress and psychosocial consequences of inability to regulate emotions, control impulsive behaviors, and function within family and society. Alarming veteran PTSD rates and its insidious effects demand empirically validated treatment programs. More than a million veterans receive new diagnoses of each year. VA PTSD therapy programs reach only 1% of veterans. Nearly 35% of veterans do not respond to widely used psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy treatments. Training a service dog (SD) is a novel rehabilitative animal-assisted intervention that shows promise in other populations. This project evaluates the efficacy of a service dog training program (SDTP) as an alternative and adjunctive treatment and rehabilitative option for veterans with PTSD.
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Post Traumatic Stress Symptom Severity |
43.7; 38.9; 35.1; 31.6 | — |
| SECONDARY Stress Biomarker Markers:Cortisol |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Stress Biomarkers: Alpha Amylase |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Stress Biomarkers: IgA |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Stress Biomarkers: HRV |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Stress Marker: Perceived Stress |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health: Positive Affect |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health: Health Related Quality of Life |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health: Resilience |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health: Relationship With Friends and Family |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health: Quality of Individual's Relationships |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health: Satisfaction With Social Activities |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health: Companionship |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health:Depression |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health: Anxiety |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Psychosocial Health: Suicidal Ideation |
— | — |
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Accepted into the Warrior Canine Connection Service Dog Training Program. Their inclusion criteria are:
- military veteran;
- diagnosis of PTSD;
- able to give informed consent; and
- able to understand English; And
- Military Veteran
Exclusion Criteria
Excluded from the Warrior Canine Connection Service Dog Training Program. Their criteria are:
- fear of dogs;
- allergy to pet dander;
- active substance abuse;
- active psychosis, or
- history of animal abuse
- Excluded by the WCC from participation in their Service Dog Training Program because they have:
fear of dogs; allergy to pet dander; active substance abuse; active psychosis, history of animal abuse or physically unable to complete tasks required to train dogs
.
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03777020). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication. Informational only — not medical advice.