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The aim of this research is to study the effect of an animal-assisted activity (AAA) on the stress level of hospitalized children.
A hospitalization is a major stressor in a child's life, which can have negative effects on recovery. It is assumed that animal-assisted interventions can have a positive effect on the level of stress, but this has not yet been sufficiently researched. This study aims to measure a possible effect. Children who are hospitalized will receive an animal-assisted activity. A normal afternoon in their hospital room counts as a control activity. The stress level is measured through saliva cortisol, blood pressure, heart rhythm variability and a visual analogue stress scale.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB arm | Other | Animal-assisted activity intervention on 2nd day of hospitalization, control intervention on the 4th day of hospitalization. |
|
| BA arm | Other | Control intervention on 2nd day of hospitalization, animal-assisted activity intervention on the 4th day of hospitalization. |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal-assisted activity | Behavioral | The intervention is an animal-assisted activity consisting of a visit to Villa Samson (a place on the campus of the hospital specifically intended for patients to meet pets), where the child will work with a therapy dog for 1 hour. Under supervision, the animal is stroked and combed by the child, they play games together, the child feeds the animal, etc. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change in heart rate variability (HVR) | A marker of the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. | 1 hour |
| Change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure | A marker of the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. | 1 hour |
| Change in saliva cortisol | A marker of the activity of the hypothalamic - pituitary - adrenal axis. | 1 hour |
| Change in visual analogue stress scale | A 10-point scale for patient self-reporting of stress. The scale ranges from 0-10 where 0 indicates a better and 10 indicates a worse outcome. | 1 hour |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Edward Campforts, MD, PhD | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UZ Brussel | Jette | 1090 | Belgium |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19095358 | Background | Hellhammer DH, Wust S, Kudielka BM. Salivary cortisol as a biomarker in stress research. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2009 Feb;34(2):163-171. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.10.026. Epub 2008 Dec 18. | |
| 17614016 | Background | Gamelin FX, Baquet G, Berthoin S, Bosquet L. Validity of the polar S810 to measure R-R intervals in children. Int J Sports Med. 2008 Feb;29(2):134-8. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-964995. Epub 2007 Jul 5. |
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Randomized clinical trial.
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|
| Control intervention | Other | The control intervention reenacts a normal stay in the hospital, so the child spends one hour in the hospital room where the child can play, watch tv, etc. |
|
| 22965867 | Background | Lesage FX, Berjot S, Deschamps F. Clinical stress assessment using a visual analogue scale. Occup Med (Lond). 2012 Dec;62(8):600-5. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqs140. Epub 2012 Sep 10. |
| 25919580 | Background | Al-Yateem NS, Banni Issa W, Rossiter R. Childhood stress in healthcare settings: awareness and suggested interventions. Issues Compr Pediatr Nurs. 2015 Jun;38(2):136-53. doi: 10.3109/01460862.2015.1035465. Epub 2015 Apr 28. |
| 15041082 | Background | Ursin H, Eriksen HR. The cognitive activation theory of stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2004 Jun;29(5):567-92. doi: 10.1016/S0306-4530(03)00091-X. |
| 17848391 | Background | Nassau JH, Tien K, Fritz GK. Review of the literature: integrating psychoneuroimmunology into pediatric chronic illness interventions. J Pediatr Psychol. 2008 Mar;33(2):195-207. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsm076. Epub 2007 Sep 10. |
| 24007813 | Background | Michels N, Sioen I, Clays E, De Buyzere M, Ahrens W, Huybrechts I, Vanaelst B, De Henauw S. Children's heart rate variability as stress indicator: association with reported stress and cortisol. Biol Psychol. 2013 Oct;94(2):433-40. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.08.005. Epub 2013 Sep 2. |
| 12858697 | Background | Vessey JA. Children's psychological responses to hospitalization. Annu Rev Nurs Res. 2003;21:173-201. |