title: The use of Animal-Assisted Therapy in adolescents with acute mental disorders: A randomized controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) with a standard treatment protocol in children and adolescents admitted to the psychiatry hospital for acute mental disorders. We used a methodology involving high quality standards for AAT research.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pre-post experimental design with a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in 34 hospitalized patients (17 treatment, 17 control) was carried out.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study focused on improvement in clinical status including, global functioning measured by the Children Global Assessment Scale (C GAS), format of care and ordinary school attendance measured by a rating scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results indicate a statistically significant improvement in global functioning, reduction in format of care and increased ordinary school attendance in the treatment group, but not in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results verify that AAT can have significant positive effects on therapeutic progress and the recovery process.
authors.affiliation: Neurofarba Department, Child's Health Unit, University of Florence, Italy. Electronic address: mariacristina.stefanini@unifi.it.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Stefanini
authors.affiliation: Neurofarba Department, Child's Health Unit, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.affiliation: Neurofarba Department, Child's Health Unit, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allori
authors.affiliation: Nurse and Therapist AAT, Meyer Pediatric Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Galeotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Psychology and Psychiatry Unit, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tani
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D056447:Animal Assisted Therapy; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Acute psychiatric disorders in children/adolescents; Animal-Assisted Therapy in pediatric hospital; Methodology of AAT; Randomized controlled study