Effects of the Inclusion of a Dog in Psychotherapy on Children's Alliance and Treatment Motivation

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how including a dog in psychotherapy might influence treatment motivation and the therapeutic relationship for children and adolescents aged 9 to 17 years with psychiatric disorders. The goal is to understand whether a dog needs to be actively involved in therapy sessions or if simply having the dog present without integration offers benefits. This study is led by the University of Basel and focuses on improving therapy engagement in young patients. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: standard psychotherapy without a dog, psychotherapy with a dog actively involved in the therapy narrative, or psychotherapy with a dog present but not actively involved. The study compares these approaches to see how the dog's presence and role affect therapy outcomes over time. During the 9-week study, researchers will assess the therapeutic alliance and motivation of patients. Additional evaluations include patient treatment satisfaction at 4 weeks and the number of missed therapy sessions at 5 weeks. Participants will attend psychotherapy sessions according to their assigned group, and data will be collected through questionnaires requiring a basic understanding of German or English. The study monitors how the dog’s involvement impacts engagement and therapy progress.

Canine-assisted Psychotherapy Motivation Alliance