Interest of Animal-assisted Therapy With Dogs in the Treatment of Depression

Interest of Animal-assisted Therapy With Dogs in the Treatment of Depression: a Randomized Controlled Trial

This study is a randomized controlled trial (comparing "occupational activities" versus "dog-assisted therapy" arms) investigating the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy with dogs in small groups of participants with depression. Patients in the "dog-assisted therapy" arm will participate in two group sessions (groups of 3 to 7 participants) of canine-assisted therapy, supervised by a healthcare professional certified in animal-assisted therapy alongside a psychiatric caregiver, for 30 minutes each week over 6 weeks. Patients in the "occupational activities" arm will participate in two group sessions (groups of 3 to 7 participants) of occupational activities, supervised by a healthcare professional experienced in group occupational activities alongside a psychiatric caregiver, for 30 minutes each week over 6 weeks.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient aged 18 to 65
• Patient affiliated with a social security scheme
• Patient hospitalized under voluntary psychiatric care
• Diagnosis of depression according to DSM-5-TR criteria
• QIDS-C16 score ≥11 at screening
• QIDS-SR16 score ≥11 at screening and inclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe comorbid psychiatric disorder
• Imminent risk of suicidal behavior
• Unstable comorbid somatic condition
• Vulnerable patients (under guardianship, curatorship, or judicial protection)
• Known fear of dogs
• Known allergy to dog fur