NCT06860412

Efficacy of a Dog Assisted Group Intervention in Elderly with Unwanted Loneliness

Efficacy of a Dog Assisted Group Intervention in Elderly People with Unwanted Loneliness: Project "Paws with You"

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (actual)
• Sponsor: Fundacio d'Investigacio en Atencio Primaria Jordi Gol i Gurina · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a dog-assisted group intervention in elderly people with unwanted loneliness; in terms of improving the perception of unwanted loneliness and emotional well-being. To analyze whether differences are obtained in social support and to determine the satisfaction of the participants. Participants will be recruited from a Primary Health Care Center. These objectives will be accomplished through a randomized clinical trial, single blind, two-arm study of AAT for elderly people with unwanted loneliness.

Detailed description

Background: Unwanted loneliness negatively affects the physical and psychological health of older adults, as well as increasing the likelihood of engaging in behaviors harmful to health. This is an increasing reality and is considered a public health problem. Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a planned, structured, goal-oriented therapeutic intervention directed by health professionals. Purposes: To evaluate the efficacy of AAT (with therapy dogs) in elderly people with unwanted loneliness. To assess whether there are differences in the scores obtained after the group intervention regarding the perception of unwanted loneliness and emotional well-being. To analyze whether differences are obtained in social support. To determine participants' satisfaction with the group intervention. Methodology: A two-arm randomized controlled clinical trial (control group (CG) and experimental group (EG)) with a simple blind (evaluator). Participants will be recruited from a Primary Health Care Center: aged 65 or older, diagnosed as "living alone," and experiencing unwanted loneliness. Intervention: The EG will participate in 9 psycho-educational group sessions (once-a week, 90 minutes) with a therapy dog as a facilitator. In the CG, the same sessions will be conducted without the therapy dog. Assessment: UCLA Loneliness Scale, Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale, Emotional Well-Being Scale (e-CAP), Duke-UNC-11 Functional Social Support Questionnaire, and Satisfaction Questionnaire.

Conditions

• Loneliness
• Elderly (people Aged 65 or More)
• Animal Assisted Therapy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Animal Assisted Intervention	This is a multimodal group intervention program that simultaneously carries out health education activities, physical activities, emotional activities and social interactions through the integration of a psychoeducational intervention and animal-assisted therapy for elderly people with unwanted loneliness.
BEHAVIORAL	Psychoeducational Intervention as Usual	This psychoeducational intervention is a multimodal group intervention program that simultaneously carries out health education activities, physical activities, emotional activities and social interactions for elderly people with unwanted loneliness.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-02-12
• Primary completion: 2026-02-01
• Completion: 2026-03-01
• First posted: 2025-03-06
• Last updated: 2025-03-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain