Effect of Brief Dog-Assisted Interventions on Stress Biomarkers: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Despite the growing popularity of dog-assisted interventions (DAI), limited empirical evidence exists on the effect of this therapeutic approach on biological stress responses. This systematic review focused on single instances of a dog-assisted intervention to specifically assess treatment outcomes on stress biomarkers in participants across the lifespan. A total of 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. Cortisol level, blood pressure and heart rate were the most frequently analyzed biomarkers. Evidence to date partially supports the notion that a brief therapeutic intervention with the assistance of a dog may influence the autonomic stress response given that the majority of studies found significant changes in stress biomarkers in groups receiving DAI compared to control groups. However, the present review failed to reach a conclusion regarding the effect of DAI on stress biomarkers within a specific population or settings mostly due to the heterogeneity of the studies. More studies of high quality, and with more transparent and standardized protocols are necessary to further understand the physiological outcomes of DAI in order to develop targeted, evidence-based interventions.