Randomized controlled study on the effectiveness of animal‐assisted therapy on depression, anxiety, and illness perception in institutionalized elderly

Abstract

Dog-assisted therapy has proved to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression in institutionalized elderly. The increase in verbal interactions with the handlers throughout the study suggests the dog acts as a facilitator of social interaction, eliciting positive emotional responses. Dog-assisted therapy shows promising results in the perception of illness timeline and treatment control, indicating potential enhancement of the sense of treatment-related empowerment. However, further study is required.