An adjunctive human-animal interaction intervention for veterans with PTSD: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Grubaugh, Anouk L.; Myers, Ursula S.; Keller, Stephanie M.; Wangelin, Bethany C.; Lozano, Brian E.; Tuerk, Peter W.

doi:10.1186/s13063-019-3877-3

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Although with a limited effect size, emotional numbing was found a potential mental health barrier (versus depression or anxiety) to seeking mental health support from others. The result suggests that individuals with emotional numbing might have limited capability and willingness to engage in psychological treatment (Grubaugh et al, 2019). Higher emotional numbing would lead to narrowed emotional experience including negative affect, thus leading to a lower perception of need for support.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotional numbing: A key construct in the assessment of mental health during COVID-19 pandemic

Li,

Hampel,

et al. 2023

Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology

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Emotional numbing is a debilitating response to traumatic stress, but no scale has yet to be validated for use among Chinese populations. The aim of the study is to revise and validate a brief measurement of emotional numbing and test the clinical significance of emotional numbing among Chinese adults. A total of 3,230 participants enrolled in this study during a city-wide lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China. The general subscale of the Emotional Reactivity and Numbing Scale (ERNS) was used to assess emotional numbing. Cronbach's αs were calculated to examine each item’s contribution to the measurement reliability. A unidimensional graded response model was estimated to evaluate the item-level performance and validity from an item-response theory (IRT) perspective. Informed by the reliability test and the IRT analysis, a four-item ENRS-C scale was found to be a reliable and valid measurement. Regression models were used to examine pandemic-related stressors and mental health correlates of emotional numbing. Emotional numbing was associated with intimate partner violence, bereavement, stressful life events and mental health outcomes including self-reported depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, psychological well-being, and sleeping problems. This study highlights emotional numbing as a mental health condition associated with major life stressors and has significant clinical and functional implications. Additional studies are needed to investigate how emotional numbing in China is shaped by sociocultural contexts that discourage the expression of socially disruptive emotions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotional numbing: A key construct in the assessment of mental health during COVID-19 pandemic

Li,

Hampel,

et al. 2023

Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology

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“…Another extension of such therapy is HAI, where PTSD symptoms such as apathy, emotional-numbing or lack of happiness to live are reduced thanks to animals. Help in the shelter is to restore soldiers' empathy and positive emotions and convince them to undergo PE [28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…And the combination of these symptoms may make them less likely to start or continue therapy that has already begun. For this reason, Prolonged Exposure (PE) was expanded to include Human-animal interaction (HAI), where veterans were to come into contact with dogs from the shelter, which was to reduce their emotionalnumbing symptoms and provoke them to participate more willingly in PE therapy [28].…”

Section: Psychotherapy In Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Disordermentioning

confidence: 99%

Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder – literature analyzing: symptoms, statistics and therapies

Kozyra¹,

Zimnicki²,

Kaczerska³

et al. 2020

J Educ Health Sport

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Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that affects 10-20% of people who will experience a serious mental injury in their lives. Soldiers are one of the most vulnerable social groups to develop PTSD as they reach several factors which may induce the PTSD. The aim of the study: The purpose of this work was to find literature on PTSD among people in the military service. Material and method: Literature has been found and selected among articles found in the websides such as PubMed and Google Scholar. Description of the state of knowledge: Literature describes both-factors predisposing to PTSD, and describtions of numerous methods of therapy for soldiers such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and Exposure Therapy. In addition, the literature provides many innovative methods to help combat the PTSD. It is important not only to inform the soldier about the therapy, but also to enable him to undergo it regularly. It is worth mentioning, for example, video to home-VTH, which is an extension of Exposure Therapy. Thanks to it, even if someone for some reason cannot participate in therapy in the place where it takes place, it can be done at home without fear of getting to the therapy. Summary: There are many methods of PTSD therapy. In addition to pharmacological, psychotherapy is very important. Soldiers should undergo these therapies and should be encouraged to complete cycles so that they can feel the effects of the therapy.

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“…The indications that are treated in equine-assisted interventions in a supportive way are manifold, and more and more studies are being conducted in this area which show positive physical and psychosocial effects [2]. For example, horses are used for the treatment of individuals with post-traumatic stress disorders [8,46] or autism [47]. However, studies such as these generally still have some limitations (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Equine-assisted biographical work (EABW) with individuals in the second half of life: study protocol of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

Schmidt

Wartenberg-Demand²,

Forstmeier

2020

Trials

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Background Equine-assisted therapy is more often practiced with children and adolescents than with the elderly, although individuals in the second half of life could also profit from it. This group, from the age of 50, is characterised by increasing emotional, social, health-related and cognitive changes; a critical life event, such as a neurological illness or loss of a family member, can increase the likelihood of subclinical depression. Individuals who exhibit depressive symptoms not necessarily diagnosed with a major depression may suffer from relevant losses of quality of life (e.g. sleep disorders, memory disorders, feelings of guilt, hopelessness). Despite the fact that the various healthcare systems are in general more frequently used, such individuals often do not receive adequate therapy. The processing of one’s biography (reminiscence) is an elementary component of most psychotherapy approaches and has been demonstrated to treat and prevent the development of major depression. In this study, equine-assisted biographical work (EABW), a combination of equine-assisted therapy and biographical work, will be applied with individuals with subclinical depression in the second half of their life. Methods This is a multicentre, prospective, randomised, controlled and open phase III study in enrolling participants with subclinical depression. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether a preventive, equine-assisted, age-specific treatment combining elements of equine-assisted intervention with those of biographical work offers better treatment potentials in comparison to a control group with no intervention. Study participants in the intervention group will receive weekly equine-assisted biographical work over a period of 8 weeks. The primary endpoint is the change in Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) in a pre-post comparison. Secondary endpoints include other health-related questionnaires including quality of life, reminiscence functions and anxiety. Discussion The present study is the first randomised study examining the efficacy of biographical work with a horse and has the potential to establish an empirically based treatment for individuals in the second half of life and improving the symptoms of subclinical depression. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00017010. Registered on 01 April 2019

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An adjunctive human-animal interaction intervention for veterans with PTSD: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Cited by 4 publications

References 35 publications

Emotional numbing: A key construct in the assessment of mental health during COVID-19 pandemic

Emotional numbing: A key construct in the assessment of mental health during COVID-19 pandemic

Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder – literature analyzing: symptoms, statistics and therapies

Equine-assisted biographical work (EABW) with individuals in the second half of life: study protocol of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

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