Horse-assisted Intervention, Heart Rate Variability & Stress

Официальное название

Horse-assisted Intervention and Heart Rate Variability in Participants Under Stressful Conditions

Обзор

In this study, the effects of an animal-assisted intervention on people with increased stress levels are investigated. The data collected will be compared with those of participants with high stress levels but without animal-assisted intervention (participants only observe nature) and with a control group consisting of people without stress exposure. The study will be performed in the following setting: Questionnaire examination on chronic stress, questionnaire on current well-being and heart rate variability (HRV) measurement before the horse-assisted intervention, one HRV measurement and one questionnaire examination (POMS) on current well-being after the horse-assisted intervention, one questionnaire (POMS) on current well-being 5 days after the horse-assisted intervention.

Подробное описание

The early recognition of chronic stressors, which are often neglected by those affected until physical symptoms appear, is of essential importance. In addition to psychopharmacological therapy modalities, complementary methods such as animal-assisted intervention should also be considered in order to expand the therapeutic spectrum and thus prevent stress-associated consequential harms as early as possible.

Stress has gained importance in recent years not only in the medical context, but also due to its economic relevance. Chronic stress in particular leads to numerous medically relevant secondary diseases and to increased sick leaves and even permanent incapacity to work. One possible intervention to reduce stress could be animal-assisted intervention.

Primary hypothesis: The use of animal-assisted intervention in people diagnosed with chronic stressful situations will lead to measurable increases in heart rate variability.

Secondary hypothesis: The use of animal-assisted intervention in people diagnosed with chronic stressful situations leads to improved well-being (target parameter: POMS questionnaire)

Вмешательства

• Поведенческое animal-assisted intervention
  horse-assisted intervention
• Поведенческое watching the countryside
  just watching the countryside

Первичные конечные точки

• Change in heart rate variability [Срок оценки: Time point 1: Baseline heart rate variability before the animal assisted intervention, Time point 2: heart rate variability immediately after the animal-assisted intervention]

Вторичные конечные точки (1)

• Change in state of mood states (Profile of Mood States Questionnaire) [Срок оценки: Time point 1: Baseline state of mood states before the animal assisted intervention, Time point 2: state of mood states immediately after the animal-assisted intervention]

Критерии участия

Критерии включения

• Male, female and diverse
• Age between 18-75 years

Критерии исключения

• Animal hair allergies (especially horse hair allergies, fear of horses)
• Acute severe psychiatric conditions (e.g. psychosis)
• Persons, unable to give signed informed consent,
• All persons, who have not signed the informed consent form.

Критерии приведены из реестра в оригинале (на английском). Окончательную оценку соответствия проводит исследовательский центр.

Здоровые добровольцы: Нет

Дизайн исследования

Распределение

Нерандомизированное

Модель

Последовательный дизайн

Маскирование

Простое слепое

Основная цель

Профилактика

Центры проведения

Австрия · 1 центр

• Medical University of Graz — Graz

Идентификаторы

NCT: NCT05703165 · 34-521

Первоисточники (государственные реестры)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH, США)

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