Can sheep help to improve positive emotions, mindfulness, and self-efficacy expectancy? A pilot study of animal-assisted intervention as an enhanced CBT-based therapy for substance use disorders

Autor: Petra Schmid, Carmen Nauss, Claudia Jauch-Ederer, Petra Prinz, Stefan Tschöke, Carmen Uhlmann
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Frontiers in Psychiatry, Vol 15 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1664-0640
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1432679
Popis: IntroductionSubstance use disorders (SUDs) are common, and there is evidence of clinically significant benefit of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The efficacy of CBT in SUDs has been confirmed, although relapse rates of 40%–60% have been reported. An enhancement of CBT-based therapy through an animal-assisted intervention (AAI) with sheep to normalize the occurrence of negative emotions and improve positive emotions as well as mindfulness and self-efficacy expectancy was investigated.MethodsA single-session AAI with sheep in a group setting was investigated against treatment as usual over time. N = 36 psychiatric inpatients with SUDs were examined by questionnaires before and 1 week after the intervention and additionally immediately after the intervention.ResultsPositive emotions improved significantly in the AAI group 1 week after the intervention with a medium effect size, but not in the control group. Similarly, mindfulness and self-efficacy expectancy improved over time in the AAI group. When exploratory results were evaluated immediately after the intervention while still on the farm, the effects in favor of AAI were even larger.ConclusionsAAI can thus be considered effective in improving positive emotions, mindfulness, and self-efficacy expectancy. The impressive effect sizes immediately after the intervention encourage us to consider what can be done to maintain these even greater effect sizes over time.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00027539, identifier DRKS 00027539.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals