Research References for Assistance Dogs

PTSD and Military Studies

Seminal Research

  • Rodriguez et al. (2020). Defining the PTSD Service Dog Intervention: Perceived Importance, Usage, and Symptom Specificity of Psychiatric Service Dogs for Military Veterans. Frontiers in Psychology
  • Gillett & Weldrick. Effectiveness of Psychiatric Service Dogs in the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Veterans
  • Love, C. (2009). The Use of Psychiatric Service Dogs in the Treatment of Veterans with PTSD. US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command

 

Mental Health and Clinical Studies

Core Publications

  • Lloyd et al. (2019). Psychiatric assistance dog use for people living with mental health disorders. Frontiers in Veterinary Science
  • Van Hooff et al. (2018). Mental Health Prevalence, Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Study. Department of Defence and Veterans' Affairs
  • Van der Kolk (2015). The body keeps the score. Penguin Books

 

Animal-Assisted Therapy Research

Key Literature

  • Fine (2019). Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy. Elsevier Science & Technology
  • Beetz (2017). Theories and possible processes of action in animal assisted interventions. Applied Developmental Science
  • Shintani et al. The Effect of Service Dogs on the Improvement of Health-related Quality of Life

 

Medical and Nursing Research

Clinical Studies

  • Cole et al. (2007). American Journal of Critical Care
  • Braun et al. (2009). Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. Journal of Holistic Nursing
  • McCabe et al. (2002). Western Journal of Nursing Research

 

Foundational References

Diagnostic and Treatment Guidelines

  • American Psychiatric Publishing (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5th ed
  • Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health (2013). Acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. 2nd ed

 

Human-Animal Bond Studies

  • Coren (2004). How Dogs Think. Simon and Shuster
  • Rintala et al. (2002). Human-Animal Bond Resource Center research abstract on the effects of service dogs. Psychosocial Process

 

Neurological and Psychological Research

Brain Structure Studies

  • Fox et al. (2014). Is meditation associated with altered brain structure?. Neuroscience & Behavioural Reviews
  • Allen et al. (2002). Psychosomatic Medicine
  • Banks & Banks (2002). The Journals of Gerontology, Series A

 

Research References for Assistance Dogs and Mental Health

Clinical Studies

  • Lloyd et al. (2019) - Comprehensive study of psychiatric assistance dogs showing:
    • 94% reduced anxiety through tactile stimulation
    • 71% helped bring handlers back to present
    • 51% interrupted undesirable behaviours
    • 50% provided constant body contact
  • O'Haire & Rodriguez (2021) - Non randomised controlled trial with 156 military members showing:
    • Lower PTSD symptom severity
    • Reduced anxiety and depression
    • Improved Psychosocial functioning after 3 months

 

Quality of Life Studies

  • Bruckner et al. (2023) - Pilot study examining:
    • Improved quality of life for PTSD handlers
    • Analysis of assistance dogs' stress levels compared to companion dogs
    • Impact on handlers' daily functioning and social barriers
  • University of York PEDRO Study (2021)
    • First randomised controlled trial for hearing dogs
    • Showed significant improvements in:
      • Mental well-being
      • Independence
      • Reduced anxiety and depression
      • Decreased social isolation

         

Systematic Reviews

  • Rodriguez et al. (2020)
    • Higher social functioning
    • Enhanced emotional well-being
    • Improved work/school functioning
    • Better independence outcomes

       

Key Research Findings

Mental Health Benefits

  • Reduction in PTSD symptoms through:
    • Grounding techniques
    • Anxiety interruption
    • Deep pressure stimulation

 

Social Impact

  • Decreased social isolation
  • Enhanced ability to attend appointments
  • Improved interpersonal relationships

     

Healthcare Utilisation

  • 46% decreased use of psychiatric services
  • Reduced suicide attempts
  • Less need for hospitalisation
  • Decreased medication requirements

     

Long-term Outcomes

  • Sustained improvement in psychological well-being
  • Enhanced trauma treatment effectiveness
  • Better quality of life measures

     

Specialised Training Areas

Task-Specific Training

  • Anxiety reduction techniques
  • Behavioural interruption
  • Social buffer functions
  • Medical alert responses

 

Research Methodology Notes

Study Types

  • Randomised controlled trials
  • Longitudinal studies
  • Cross-sectional analyses
  • Pilot studies

 

Measurement Tools

  • Standardised psychological assessments
  • Quality of life metrics
  • Healthcare utilisation tracking
  • Behavioural observation protocols