Abstract
Background: Anhedonia, a component of the negative symptom dimension and a core phenomenon in schizophrenia, is associated with poor social functioning and is resistant to treatment. We tested the hypothesis that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) may improve anhedonia. Objective: To compare the effect of psychosocial treatment sessions in which a dog was an active participant (AAT) with comparable sessions without a dog, using a controlled protocol. Method: The hedonic tone of 10 chronic schizophrenia patients who participated in 10 weekly interactive sessions of AAT was compared to a control group treated without animal assistance. The hedonic tone was measured with the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale. Subjective quality of life variables and clinical symptoms were also assessed. Results: The AAT group showed a significant improvement in the hedonic tone compared to controls. They also showed an improvement in the use of leisure time and a trend towards improvement in motivation. Conclusion: AAT may contribute to the psychosocial rehabilitation and quality of life of chronic schizophrenia patients.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 31-35 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics |
| Volume | 74 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2005 |
Keywords
- Anhedonia
- Animal-assisted therapy
- Controlled study
- Rehabilitation
- Schizophrenia
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Psychology
- Applied Psychology
- Psychiatry and Mental health