Biopsychosocial Effect of Service Dog Training on Post-traumatic Stress (PTS) and Post Concussive Symptoms

Preliminary clinical evidence suggests that Service Members with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) who participate in the Service Dog Training Program (SDTP) report improved physical and psychological outcomes, including those with overlapping symptoms associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-concussion symptoms (PCS). Since 2011, over 3,000 injured Service Members have participated in the SDTP. The program entails teaching Service Members how to train service dogs. Participation in this program helps injured Service Members develop skills, such as attention and discipline, which are needed to successfully shape the dog's behavior and are translatable to other social settings. Further, participation in the program appears to enhance the participants' well-being, quality of life, and relationship with significant others, including their children. Moreover, Service Members (SM) who participate in the SDTP report being motivated to participate in the program for the chance of helping other wounded warriors, who will be the recipients of the dogs that they train.

Despite the reported anecdotal benefits from the SDTP, there has been a lack of prospective controlled research studies that examine the efficacy of the program or the biological basis as to how it may be helpful to improve the underlying disease. This study intends to examine the psychological, social, and biological effects of the SDTP combined with standard of care for individuals with symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), including those with overlapping TBI and persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms (PCS). This study will also seek to identify potential psychological, physiological, and/or biological factors that may influence the degree of response from this noninvasive intervention, as well as its potential impact on disease/symptom modification. Further, for those subjects with family members, it will seek to share data with a parallel study ongoing at the University of Maryland to evaluate the effects of the SDTP on family member stress levels, relationship satisfaction, communication evaluate the effects of the SDTP on family member stress levels, relationship satisfaction, communication and parenting.

To accomplish these aims the researchers will recruit DEERS eligible medical beneficiaries who are experiencing PTS and PCS symptoms. Up to 156 participants will be recruited in the National Capital Region (NCR) for a ten-week longitudinal pre-post study, in which each participant will serve as their own control. Additionally, up to 104 participants will be recruited for a three-week longitudinal parallel randomized study will be available for participants recruited through the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) 4-week Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP).

Each participant in the active group will train a service dog using methods that facilitate a relationship between the trainer and dog for the gradual shaping of desired behavior. Self-report measures of behavioral symptoms will be given weekly throughout participation in this study. Biological measures, including blood collection, HR, BP, etc. will be collected at baseline, during the three-week training follow-up, during the six-week training follow-up (NCR participants only), and at a three-month post-training followup (optional for NICoE IOP participants). The researchers will also be collecting self-report assessments from the participant, observational reports from an Occupational Therapist (OT) and electronic health records to track healthcare utilization and social skills (i.e. communication).

The study is being carried out in collaboration with the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (CNRM). Under this collaboration, the study will use the CNRM Core Resources including the CNRM Biorepository. Data stored and shared within the CNRM Data Repository will be coded, and upon destruction of the Master List, de-identified.

Inclusion criteria

• Participant must be 18-65 years old at time of consent.
• Participants must be DEERS eligible men or women from active duty, reserve, National Guard components, retirees, dependents and other Secretarial Designees.
• Participants must have a diagnosis of one of the following:
• PTSD or PTS symptoms (participants must score greater than or equal to 30 on the PCL-5 at screening)
• Anxiety Disorder NOS, Unspecified Trauma Related Disorder, Unspecified Anxiety Disorder, or Adjustment Disorder with evidence of the Service Member experiencing one or more traumatic event (meeting Criterion A of PTSD in DSM 5), and evidence of intrusion symptoms, avoidance symptoms, negative changes in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity related to the traumatic event or events (Criteria B, C, D, and E of PTSD in DSM 5) persisting beyond 30 days (Criterion F of PTSD in DSM 5)
• Participant may be of any race, ethnicity, or gender.
• Participants with a history of clinician diagnosed TBI are eligible to participate, given the considerable overlap between PTS symptomatology and post-concussive symptoms postacutely.
• Participant must be able to speak and read English, and be able to consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Participants must not be younger than 18 years old or other than 65 years old at the time of consent.
• Participant must not show current suicidal/homicidal plans (if the participant expresses current suicidal/homicidal plans, clearance from the participant's current behavioral health team can be provided).
• Participant must not exhibit violent or psychotic behavior.
• Participant must not currently or in the past month have been in an inpatient psychiatric health treatment program.
• Participant must not currently have an active substance abuse disorder or been in a substance abuse program in the past month.
• Participant must not have problems that limit cognitive competency to understand study procedures, including the ability to provide informed consent (e.g., severe TBI). Participant must not be unwilling to answer the study questionnaires.
• Participant must not be afraid of or allergic to dogs.
• Participant cannot be enrolled or participating in any other interventional study for PTS or PTSD treatment.
• Participants cannot currently or in the past six months have participated in clinical service dog training. Clinical service dog training is defined as a type of animal assisted therapy where patients train service dogs as part of a complementary treatment intervention aimed at reducing symptoms associated with physical and psychological injuries. Individuals who have completed a group or individual session in the past six months that only provided an informational overview of the service dog training program will be eligible for this study.