NCT05608551 Animal-assisted Trauma-focused Therapy for Children and Adolescents
| NCT ID | NCT05608551 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | University of Basel |
| Condition | Motivation |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 80 participants |
| Start Date | 2022-10-01 |
| Primary Completion | 2025-12-31 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 80 participants in total. It began in 2022-10-01 with a primary completion date of 2025-12-31.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
The study aims to investigate how the inclusion of an animal into a trauma-focused group therapy program (TF-CBT) affects therapy motivation of children and adolescents suffering from post-traumatic stress. 80 children and adolescents aged 9 to 17 years are recruited for the study. Participants must have experienced at least one traumatic event leading to post-traumatic stress symptoms. Participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups: animal-assisted trauma-focused therapy (AA TF-CBT) or standard trauma-focused therapy (TF-CBT). Parallel to the groups the parents/guardians of the participating children and adolescents take part in three parent meetings. The results of the study help to gain insights into how the inclusion of animals in trauma-focused psychotherapy can contribute to children and adolescents attending therapy, being more motivated in therapy, and can successfully complete therapy.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age between 9 and 17 years * experienced a traumatic event * remembers at least one traumatic event * Suffering from posttraumatic stress symptoms (screened via the CATS-2; cut-off ≥ 21; cut-off must be reached by either participant or caregiver) * Basic knowledge of child and parents in German to be able to understand content of the session and to fill in questionnaires * Informed consent (given by legal guardian for participants younger than 14 years) * Positive or neutral attitude towards animals Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to complete questionnaires due to lack of language skills or cognitive impairment * Diagnosed autism spectrum disorder; Exclusion only if interaction with others and group ability is limited due to autism * Reported significant impairment or safety issue (e.g., active suicidal ideation, acute psychosis) * Known abuse of substances used for emotion regulation (e.g. cannabis, alcohol, other hard drugs) * Fear of domestic animals * Allergic reactions to domestic animals * Reported aggressive behavior towards animals in the past
Contact & Investigator
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT05608551 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 9 Years or older, up to 17 Years, studying Motivation. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT05608551 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT05608551 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at karin.hediger@unibas.ch for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT05608551 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Basel, Switzerland, Zurich, Switzerland.
Who is sponsoring the NCT05608551 clinical trial?
NCT05608551 is sponsored by University of Basel. The trial plans to enroll 80 participants.