Animal-Assisted Therapy with Farm Animals for Persons with Psychiatric Disorders: Effects on Anxiety and Depression, a Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Abstract This study examined the effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy with farm animals during a 12 weeks' intervention on anxiety and depression among psychiatric patients by using a randomized controlled trial with a follow-up investigation at 6 months. Ninety adult patients were included, with 41 completers in the treatment group and 28 in the control group. Anxiety measured using Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory did not decrease significantly during the intervention for the treatment group but was significantly lower at follow-up compared with baseline (p = 0.002) and with the end of the intervention (p = 0.004). There was no significant change for the control group. Depression measured using Beck Depression Inventory was significantly lower at follow-up compared with baseline for both groups, but there were no significant differences between the groups. KEYWORDS: animal-assisted therapyanxietydepressionfarm animalspsychiatric patients ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Patients, therapists, and farmers are thanked for their participation in this project. We thank Dr. Tormod Ådnøy for statistical advice and help. The project is supported by a grant from The Research Council of Norway. Notes a Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the differences in means between time points and groups.