NCT04663815

The Impact of an Animal-assisted Activity on the Stress Level of Hospitalized Children

The Impact of an Animal-assisted Activity on the Stress Level of Hospitalized Children: a Randomized Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 14 (actual)
• Sponsor: Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 6 Years – 12 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of this research is to study the effect of an animal-assisted activity (AAA) on the stress level of hospitalized children.

Detailed description

A hospitalization is a major stressor in a child's life, which can have negative effects on recovery. It is assumed that animal-assisted interventions can have a positive effect on the level of stress, but this has not yet been sufficiently researched. This study aims to measure a possible effect. Children who are hospitalized will receive an animal-assisted activity. A normal afternoon in their hospital room counts as a control activity. The stress level is measured through saliva cortisol, blood pressure, heart rhythm variability and a visual analogue stress scale.

Conditions

• Hospitalization in Children

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Animal-assisted activity	The intervention is an animal-assisted activity consisting of a visit to Villa Samson (a place on the campus of the hospital specifically intended for patients to meet pets), where the child will work with a therapy dog for 1 hour. Under supervision, the animal is stroked and combed by the child, they play games together, the child feeds the animal, etc.
OTHER	Control intervention	The control intervention reenacts a normal stay in the hospital, so the child spends one hour in the hospital room where the child can play, watch tv, etc.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-04-01
• Primary completion: 2021-05-30
• Completion: 2021-06-30
• First posted: 2020-12-11
• Last updated: 2021-10-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Belgium