Presence of Psychiatric Assistance Dogs and Relation to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Outcomes: A Nonrandomized, Observational Study in a Military Sample

The purpose of this study was to examine differences between military veterans and service members with and without a psychiatric assistance dog (PAD) who were receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for post -traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Six hundred eighty-two military veterans presented at a 2-week intensive, outpatient CBT program for PTSD from February 2016 to February 2020. Self-reports of symptoms and rates of treatment completion by PAD ownership were assessed. Patients with PADs (n = 93) reported higher scores on the PTSD Checklist .04; Cohen's d = 0.23) and Neurobehavhen's d = 0.34) at baseline. PTSD symptom change was comparable between participants with and without PADs (P > .05). Dropout was higher among owners of PADs, but this difference was not significant (P = .11). Among military populations, those with PADs may experience more severe PTSD and neurocognitive symptoms, but having a PAD was not associated with treatment out come in intensive CBT. [Psychiatr Ann. 2022;52(5):191-198.]