In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open , researchers evaluated the associations between psychiatric service dog partnership and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans. Study: Service Dogs for Veterans and Military Members With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder . Image Credit: parsobchai Ngammoa/Shutterstock.
com PTSD is characterized by intrusion, higher arousal/reactivity, adverse cognitive and mood changes, and trauma avoidance reminders. It is associated with various comorbidities, including generalized anxiety disorder and major depression. While current evidence-based PTSD treatments are effective for some people, retention and uptake are limited.
Preliminary reports suggest that psychiatric service dog partnerships have been shown to improve self-reported PTSD symptoms in veterans. Nevertheless, only one clinical trial has compared service dogs and emotional support dogs, preventing conclusions regarding service dogs relative to usual care. Besides, studies on service dogs have not relied on blinded clinician ratings to assess PTSD severity outcomes.
In the present study, researchers examined the associations between psychiatric service dog partnerships and PTSD symptom severity, psychological functioning, anxiety, and depression among veterans. They compared veterans receiving a trained service dog and usual care (intervention group) to those on a waiting list for a service dog, who received usual care (controls). Veterans aged ≥ 18 were recruited .
