Animal-Assisted Intervention: An Effectiveness Study Using Qualitative and Quantitative Measures on Offenders With Mental Illnesses in Hong Kong

What this Trial Is About

Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress are common among incarcerated individuals and can increase the risk of reoffending. This study evaluates a brief animal-assisted intervention designed to support the mental health of offenders in secured facilities in Hong Kong. The research explores how acceptable and effective this group-based program is for improving psychological wellbeing among participants. Participants take part in four group sessions of animal-assisted intervention, each lasting about 60 minutes. These sessions focus on themes like effective communication, behavior principles, problem-solving, and teamwork. During each session, participants learn to give commands to a rehabilitative dog with professional guidance and engage in group activities involving these commands. Project staff facilitate discussions on challenges, learning, and personal experiences throughout the sessions. Throughout the study, participants complete questionnaires before and after treatment, and provide physiological and questionnaire data at the start and end of each session. Researchers measure changes in common psychopathology, emotional state, heart rate variability, and skin conductance over the four sessions and at follow-ups. Secondary outcomes include changes in disciplinary offenses, trauma symptoms, empathy, self-efficacy, psychological flexibility, openness to treatment, social interactions, and subjective treatment experiences. The study aims to gather comprehensive data on the intervention's effects and acceptability.

A Pilot Study on Animal-Assisted Intervention in Correctional Settings