Efficacy of Short vs. Long Dog-Assisted Therapy Programs in Children and Adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of a shorter (8 sessions) and longer (16 sessions) Dog-Assisted Therapy (DAT) program for children and adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). We evaluated the impact of DAT on social skills, internalizing and externalizing problems, quality of life, severity of the disorder, and parental emotional well-being. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 55 FASD patients, assigned to either the short (n = 24) or long (n = 31) DAT program. The longer DAT group showed significant reductions in externalizing symptoms (CBCL inattention; F = 4.676; p = 0.035; ES = 0.083) and greater improvements in social skills (SSIS-P Problem Behavior: F = 7.803, p = 0.007, ES = 0.13), lower FASD severity scores (CGI-S Clinician; F = 6.54, p = 0.014, ES = 0.014; CGI-S Parents: F = 4.938, p = 0.031; ES = 0.087), and enhanced quality of life (K-Screen Peers and Social: F = 4.38, p = 0.04, ES = 0.78) compared to the shorter program. Parents in the long DAT group also reported significant reductions in depressive symptoms (BDI-II; F = 14.03, p = 0.000, ES = 2.12). These findings suggest that both short- and long-duration DAT programs are effective, with longer programs offering additional benefits in specific domains. Clinical Trial Registration NCT06763614.