LH Canine Therapy Study

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Emotion Regulation, Behavioral Disorder, Self Esteem

In brief

The goal of this pilot project is to test for initial efficacy of the Recovery \& Care Canine-Assisted Therapy program that has been developed and implemented in youth institutionalized for behavioral and emotional problems. We are using two study sites, Lawrence Hall and Lydia Home, both Chicago-based residential treatment centers for youth with behavioral and emotional problems, many of whom have experienced child maltreatment and trauma. Comparisons will be made to a matched sample of youth from Lawrence Hall and Lydia Home receiving treatment as usual. Results from this project will provide preliminary evidence of whether a structured, goal-oriented intervention program focused on dog training activities has direct impact on increasing youth emotional self-regulation, impulse control, and self-efficacy, which are important targets for intervention among youth with mental health problems. If successful, this project could lead to a larger, randomized control clinical trials study that tests the longitudinal impact of the program that could further lead to national dissemination of the Recovery \& Care curriculum as an alternative therapeutic approach.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05840198

Run by

University of Chicago

People needed

48

Starts

2023-05-24

Expected to finish

2025-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2025-08-17

Who can join

Age: 8 and older, up to 18. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Youth must be receiving in-patient services at Lawrence Hall or Lydia Home
• Youth must provide informed assent.
• Youth must complete at least one of the primary outcomes during the baseline assessment.
• Youth must remain in residential care for the duration of the 6-week intervention.
• Youth assigned to the Recovery \& Care intervention group must attend at least one of the 6 sessions.

You may not qualify if…

• Severe cognitive, psychiatric, or physical condition or limitation that would prevent participation.
• Severe animal allergy
• Animal phobia
• History of mistreatment of animals.

Where it is running

• Lawrence Hall Child & Family Treatment Center — Chicago, Illinois, United States (enrolling)
• Lydia Home — Evanston, Illinois, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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