Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5678513 | Contemporary Clinical Trials | 2017 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a leading cause of impairments in quality of life and functioning among Veterans. Service dogs have been promoted as an effective adjunctive intervention for PTSD, however published research is limited and design and implementation flaws in published studies limit validated conclusions. This paper describes the rationale for the study design, a detailed methodological description, and implementation challenges of a multisite randomized clinical trial examining the impact of service dogs on the on the functioning and quality of life of Veterans with PTSD. Trial design considerations prioritized participant and intervention (dog) safety, selection of an intervention comparison group that would optimize enrollment in all treatment arms, pragmatic methods to ensure healthy well-trained dogs, and the selection of outcomes for achieving scientific and clinical validity in a Veteran PTSD population. Since there is no blueprint for conducting a randomized clinical trial examining the impact of dogs on PTSD of this size and scope, it is our primary intent that the successful completion of this trial will set a benchmark for future trial design and scientific rigor, as well as guiding researchers aiming to better understand the role that dogs can have in the management of Veterans experiencing mental health conditions such as PTSD.
Keywords
RCTU.S. Department of Veterans AffairsClinician Administered PTSD ScaleHERCPCL-5AKCSAEPSQIHRQOLPHQ-9IACUCCAPSIRBDSM-VMCsQOLQuality of lifeADIRandomized controlled trialPosttraumatic stress disorderPTSDStress disordersDARPCsInstitutional Animal Care and Use CommitteeService dogPittsburgh sleep quality indexadverse eventserious adverse eventsAmericans with Disabilities ActColumbia Suicide Severity Rating ScaleMINIMini International Neuropsychiatric Interviewmental component scorephysical component scoreinstitutional review boardADApost-traumaticHealth-related quality of life
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Authors
Gabrielle H. Saunders, Kousick Biswas, Tracey Serpi, Stephanie McGovern, Shirley Groer, Eileen M. Stock, Kathryn M. Magruder, Daniel Storzbach, Kelly Skelton, Thad Abrams, Mark McCranie, Joan Richerson, Patricia A. Dorn, Grant D. Huang,