Assessing an Animal-Assisted Treatment Program for Adults With Aphasia: The Persons With Aphasia Training Dogs Program

NCT04610346 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: IRB-2020-450R03HD101146
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 17
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The lives of more than 2 million Americans are affected by aphasia, an acquired language impairment most commonly resulting from stroke that affects the ability to remember and express words. The well-being of these individuals is affected not just by the loss of words that is aphasia, but also the loss of friendships and opportunities for community engagement in which the loss of words can result. This study evaluates an animal-assisted treatment, The Persons with Aphasia Training Dogs (PATD) Program, designed to target the psychosocial consequences of aphasia by training participants in positive reinforcement dog training techniques that harness new skill learning and the advantages of interaction with family- or shelter-dwelling dogs to increase confidence and social engagement to support participants in living well with aphasia.

Conditions

Aphasia

Keywords

aphasia; animal-assisted therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Assessment of Living With Aphasia (ALA, Kagan et al., 2010)

  The Assessment of Living with Aphasia is a pictographic self-reported measure of quality of life living with aphasia across four domains (aphasia, participation, environment, and personal) and an overall evaluation of how well the participant judges that they are overcoming the 'wall' (obstacle) of aphasia. Participants respond using a visual-analog scale with nine points (0 (minimum), .5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 (maximum) with higher values being associated with a better outcome. The total scaled score (0- minimum - 4- maximum) is the sum of the raw scores in each of the four domains divided by the number of questions pertaining to each domain, plus the response to the 'wall' question.

  Once within approximately 1 week of the end of training, then once approximately 3 months after end of training

• PI-adapted Version of Pet Partners Animal-handler Evaluation.

  Participants were score on a PI-adapted version of the Pet Partners Animal-Handler Evaluation. Each participant was scored on a 3-point scale ( 0= not ready (minimum), 1= ok, 2= best (maximum)) by a certified professional dog trainer on their cueing of each of five basic obedience behaviors (LOOK, TOUCH TARGET, SIT, STAY, COME), hence the maximum score on each summative evaluation is 10 (rating of 2 x each of the 5 obedience behaviors). On this scale, a higher number indicates a better outcome. An a-priori criterion was set at 5 (out of 10) or higher for achieving competence.

  Once within approximately 1 week of the end of training, then once approximately 3 months after end of training

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• The Confidence After Stroke Measure (Horne et al., 2017)

  Once within approximately 1 week of the end of training, then once approximately 3 months after end of training

• Behavioural Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) (Wilson et al., 1996)

  Once within approximately 1 week of the end of training, then once approximately 3 months after end of training

Study Arms (2)

Immediate

OTHER

Participants in this group will begin the training protocol immediately (within 1 week) after baseline pre-training evaluation is completed.

Behavioral: Persons with Aphasia Training Dogs Program

Delayed

OTHER

Participants in the delayed arm will participate in two pre-training evaluations, one immediately upon enrollment and one at the end of the delay period immediately before beginning training

Behavioral: Persons with Aphasia Training Dogs Program

Interventions

Persons with Aphasia Training Dogs Program BEHAVIORAL

Participants will learn and apply positive reinforcement training techniques for working with dogs to train them in basic obedience behaviors (e.g., SIT, STAY).

Also known as: PATD Program

Delayed; Immediate

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Clinical diagnosis of aphasia acquired as the result of cerebro-vascular accident (CVA)
• English as a native or primary language
• Evidence of linguistic and cognitive capacity to understand the research requirements
• Willingness and stamina to participate in the protocol
• Lives within 1 hour driving distance to MRRI (50 Township Line Rd, Elkins Park, PA 19027 and (as appropriate) PSPCA HQ (350 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19134

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosis of neurological injury or disease other than CVA

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Albert Einstein Healthcare Network: lead
• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute

Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, 19027, United States

Location

Related Publications (7)

• Adams, D. L. (1997). Animal-assisted enhancement of speech therapy: A case study. Anthrozoös: A multidisciplinary journal of the interactions of people and animals, 10(1), 53-56.

  BACKGROUND

• Beetz, A. M. (2017). Theories and possible processes of action in animal-assisted interventions. Applied Developmental Science, 21(2), 139-149.

  BACKGROUND

• Hediger K, Thommen S, Wagner C, Gaab J, Hund-Georgiadis M. Effects of animal-assisted therapy on social behaviour in patients with acquired brain injury: a randomised controlled trial. Sci Rep. 2019 Apr 9;9(1):5831. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-42280-0.

  PMID: 30967589 BACKGROUND

• Hilari K, Needle JJ, Harrison KL. What are the important factors in health-related quality of life for people with aphasia? A systematic review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2012 Jan;93(1 Suppl):S86-95. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2011.05.028. Epub 2011 Nov 25.

  PMID: 22119074 BACKGROUND

• LaFrance C, Garcia LJ, Labreche J. The effect of a therapy dog on the communication skills of an adult with aphasia. J Commun Disord. 2007 May-Jun;40(3):215-24. doi: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2006.06.010. Epub 2006 Sep 6.

  PMID: 16950329 BACKGROUND

• Macauley BL. Animal-assisted therapy for persons with aphasia: A pilot study. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2006 May-Jun;43(3):357-66. doi: 10.1682/jrrd.2005.01.0027.

  PMID: 17041821 BACKGROUND

• Shadden, B. (2005). Aphasia as identity theft: Theory and practice. Aphasiology, 19(3-5), 211-223

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Aphasia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Speech Disorders; Language Disorders; Communication Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Limitations and Caveats

Challenges to feasibility, both with respect to initial recruitment and completion (for those in the shelter dog condition) primarily related to access to a dog, not inability to engage in the treatment. However, we do not feel this unduly limits the feasibility of the treatment overall as future iterations are planned to be embedded within direct clinical service delivery with therapy or facility dog- handler teams, rather than relying on participants' own family dogs or shelter dogs.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Sharon Antonucci, Ph.D CCC-SLP, C-AAIS
• Organization: Jefferson Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute

sharon.antonucci@jefferson.edu

215-663-6561

Study Officials

• Sharon M Antonucci, Ph.D.

  AEHN

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Director, MossRehab Aphasia Center

Model Details: Participants will be randomized to one of two study arms, immediate or delayed treatment.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 21, 2020
• First Posted: October 30, 2020
• Study Start: March 30, 2023
• Primary Completion: August 28, 2024
• Study Completion: August 28, 2024
• Last Updated: October 16, 2025
• Results First Posted: October 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)