Long-term Sustainability of the Effects of Dog-Assisted Therapy in Children and Adolescents With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: a 12-month Longitudinal Study

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Dog assisted therapy: The intervention consists of a structured dog-assisted therapy program previously delivered to children and adolescents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in the clinical setting. It is distinguished by the active involvement of a trained therapy dog as part of the therapeutic process, with sessions designed to promote social interaction, emotional regulation, behavioral engagement, and communication. The present study does not introduce a new intervention; rather, it evaluates the persistence of the effects produced by this specific dog-assisted therapy program over time.

Study summary

This study looks at whether dog-assisted therapy helps children and adolescents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder improve social skills, behavior, quality of life, and emotional well-being, and whether these benefits last over time. It is also aimed at assessing caregivers' emotional well-being. Participants will already have completed the therapy, and the study will follow them at different time points to see if the changes remain months later. Families and health care providers should know that the evaluation uses standard questionnaires and clinical ratings, with no new invasive procedures, and the main goal is to better understand which children and families benefit most and how to make this type of therapy more effective in routine care.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children — Single administration baseline
  Intellectual Quotient
• Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL by Achenbach) — 3, 6 and 12 months after baseline
  Internalizing/ Externalizing Symptoms maximum scores for symptom severity
• Social Skills Improvement System-Parent Form (SSIS-P) — 3, 6 and 12 months after baseline
  Social skills assessment - 0 to 60 max scotring
• KidScreen 27- 0 maximum 135 - highest severity symptoms at 135 — 3, 6 and 12 months after baseline
  Quality of life assesment
• Clinical Global Impression Scale for Severity.0 to 7 (7 most severely ill). — 3,6 and 12 months after baseline
  Severity of FASD symptoms

Trial sites (1)

More Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron Research Institute trials in Spain