Assessing the impact of an animal-assisted intervention for jail inmates

Effects of Dog-Based Animal-Assisted Interventions in Prison Population: A Systematic Review

“…Moreover, five articles (25% of the total) evaluated only male inmates [ 39 , 47 , 48 , 54 , 55 ]. Three of them [ 39 , 47 , 48 ] were focused on developmental disorders, psychiatric disorders, and drug-addicted inmates.…”

“…Table 2 displays the study design in each for the selected articles. A total of 14 (70% of the total) articles were classified as observational studies (an experimental group that was only assessed once at the end of the intervention) [ 14 , 18 , 39 , 44 , 48 , 49 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 ]. Of them, seven (50%) followed a quantitative [ 18 , 39 , 48 , 49 , 54 , 56 , 57 ] and seven (50%) a qualitative methodology [ 14 , 44 , 52 , 53 , 55 , 58 , 59 ].…”

“…Table 2 shows the control group protocols for each article. Fourteen of them [ 14 , 18 , 39 , 44 , 48 , 49 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 ] did not include a control group, while the design of remaining six studies [ 32 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 50 , 51 ] did. In this regard, treatment as usual or activities without dog presence were the most usual protocols for control groups.…”

“…Table 4 shows all the instruments and outcomes measures for the quantitative studies. Regarding the most studies variables in these studies, anxiety was measured in six articles [ 32 , 39 , 47 , 49 , 54 , 57 ], depression was measured in four of them [ 39 , 47 , 54 , 57 ], and, lastly, tension, irritation, vigor fatigue, distraction, and perspective taking were measured in two articles [ 32 , 39 ]. Three studies were classified as randomized controlled trials [ 45 , 46 , 50 ], two of them [ 45 , 50 ] showing within group improvements in social role, symptom distress, interpersonal relationships, or empathic concern, among others.…”

“…Moreover, two articles were classified as non-randomized controlled trials [ 32 , 47 ] (two groups with pre and post assessments but without randomization), showing between groups effects on depression, sleep disorders, infraction rate, or state anxiety. The other seven articles [ 18 , 39 , 48 , 49 , 54 , 56 , 57 ] were observational studies, with reporting effects on recidivism, emotional state, tension, cortisol level, or emotional stability among other variables.…”