LH Canine Therapy Study

Part of paid clinical trials in Chicago, Illinois.

Sponsor
University of Chicago
Study ID
NCT05840198
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Behavioral Disorder
  • Emotion Regulation
  • Self Esteem

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
8 Years - 18 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Recovery & Care Canine-Assisted Therapy — BEHAVIORAL
    Active intervention. An 6-week session of structured, goal-oriented activities where youth focus on mastering dog obedience and dog training skills. Each session is 1 hour and 15 minutes in length and includes education, review of prior sessions, and specific skill-building activities. Skill-building activities progress in complexity during the course of the 6-week curriculum.
  • Treatment as usual — OTHER
    Youth in this condition receive treatment as usual from their health care providers

Study Details

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 Dates

Start date
May 24, 2023
Status verified
Mar 2025
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2025
Completion
Dec 31, 2025

Study Design

Enrollment
48 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Active intervention
    Half of youth will be assigned to the active Recovery \& Care Canine-Assisted Therapy intervention arm.
  • Other: Waitlist control
    Half of youth will receive treatment as usual.

Primary Outcome Measure

Emotional Stroop [ Time Frame: Up to 1-month post-intervention ]

Central Contacts

Locations (2)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Lawrence Hall Child & Family Treatment CenterChicagoIllinois60625
Sean McGinnis, MSW
[email protected]
773-474-0547
Lydia HomeEvanstonIllinois60202
Heidi Flasch
[email protected]
847-424-5133

Find similar trials in Chicago, IL

By research site
Lawrence Hall Child & Family Treatment Center· Chicago, ILLydia Home· Evanston, IL

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