<p><i>Objectives.</i> To study the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among farmers as compared to rural referents and to evaluate the effects of physical work exposures, psychosocial factors, lifestyle and comorbidity.</p><p><i>Material and methods.</i> A cross-sectional population-based survey of 1013 farmers and 769 matched referents was performed. Data on various symptoms, consultations and sick leave and information on primary health care and hospital admissions were obtained along with information on physical workload, psychosocial factors and lifestyle. </p><p><i>Results.</i> The farmers reported higher lifetime prevalence of symptoms from hands and forearms, low back and hips as compared to the referents. However, the farmers did not seek medical advice more often than the referents, and they reported significantly fewer sick leaves. After adjustment for the influence of physical work exposure, farmers still had a excess rate of low back pain (LBP) and hip symptoms as compared with the referents, while a lower rate of neck-shoulder symptoms was revealed. Several of the psychosocial variables were associated with LBP but the difference in LBP prevalence between farmers and referents could only be explained to some extent. LBP was associated with musculoskeletal symptoms other than LBP and with chest discomfort, dyspepsia, symptoms from mucous membranes, skin problems, work-related fever attacks, and primary care for digestive disorders. Presence of both respiratory and digestive disorders doubled the LBP prevalence.</p><p><i>Conclusions.</i> Symptoms from hips and low back were more frequent among farmers than among referents, but farmers did not seek more health care and reported fewer sick leaves than referents. Physical work exposure and psychosocial factors did not explain the differences in low back and hip symptoms between the two groups. Significant associations between LBP and digestive and respiratory disorders might indicate that these disorders may have etiological factors in common.</p>

Objectives. To study the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among farmers as compared to rural referents and to evaluate the effects of physical work exposures, psychosocial factors, lifestyle and comorbidity. Material and methods. A cross-sectional population-based survey of 1013 farmers and 769 matched referents was performed. Data on various symptoms, consultations and sick leave and information on primary health care and hospital admissions were obtained along with information on physical workload, psychosocial factors and lifestyle. Results. The farmers reported higher lifetime prevalence of symptoms from hands and forearms, low back and hips as compared to the referents. However, the farmers did not seek medical advice more often than the referents, and they reported significantly fewer sick leaves. After adjustment for the influence of physical work exposure, farmers still had a excess rate of low back pain (LBP) and hip symptoms as compared with the referents, while a lower rate of neck-shoulder symptoms was revealed. Several of the psychosocial variables were associated with LBP but the difference in LBP prevalence between farmers and referents could only be explained to some extent. LBP was associated with musculoskeletal symptoms other than LBP and with chest discomfort, dyspepsia, symptoms from mucous membranes, skin problems, work-related fever attacks, and primary care for digestive disorders. Presence of both respiratory and digestive disorders doubled the LBP prevalence. Conclusions. Symptoms from hips and low back were more frequent among farmers than among referents, but farmers did not seek more health care and reported fewer sick leaves than referents. Physical work exposure and psychosocial factors did not explain the differences in low back and hip symptoms between the two groups. Significant associations between LBP and digestive and respiratory disorders might indicate that these disorders may have etiological factors in common.

Syftet med denna studie har varit att studera psykosociala faktorers påverkan på skaderisken hos ungdomslandslagsspelare i fotboll. Tvångsmässig passion är en central faktor som studerats i relation till skada. Även faktorerna antal träningstimmar per vecka, antal spelade matcher, stress, själförtroende och motivation har studerats i relation till skada. En kvantitativ design har använts där 300 svenska ungdomslandslagsspelare i fotboll ingått som undersökningsdeltagare. Använda mätinstrument i undersökningen har varit PANAS, PSS, Grit-scale, PCLDS, Passion Scale, SCI samt SMS. Resultaten visade att män ådrar sig fler allvarliga skador (minst 4 veckors frånvaro) än kvinnor. Vidare visade resultaten att flergångsskadade spelare har en signifikant högre tvångsmässig passion än andra spelare. Resultaten diskuteras i förhållanden till uppsatsens teoretiska ramverk samt resultat från tidigare forskning. Förslag för framtida forskning inom området ges. / The purpose of this study was to study psychosocial factors influence on injury risk among youth national team soccer players. Obsessive passion has been a key factor that has been studied in relation to injury. Also the factors number of training hours per week, number of matches played, stress, self confidence and motivation has been studied in relation to injury. A quantitative design was used in which 300 Swedish youth national team soccer players have concluded as study participants. Used instruments in this survey has been PANAS, PSS, Grit-scale, PCLDS, Passion Scale, SCI and SMS.. The results showed that men incur more serious injuries then women. Furthermore, results showed that players with more than one injury during the season had higher obsessive passion then other players. The results are discussed in relation to the theoretical framework and the results from previous research. Proposal for future research in the field are provided.

Les améliorations dans les protocoles de traitement pour la majorité des cancers pédiatriques ont augmenté de façon marquée les taux de survie. Cependant, des risques élevés de multiples problèmes de santé chez les survivants sont bien documentés. En ce qui concerne spécifiquement les problèmes neuropsychologiques, les principaux facteurs de risque individuels connus à ce jour (l’âge au diagnostic, le genre du patient, l’exposition aux radiations) demeurent insuffisants pour cibler efficacement et prévenir les séquelles à long terme. Les objectifs généraux de cette thèse étaient : 1) la caractérisation des trajectoires individuelles de problèmes de comportement chez une population de patients pédiatriques atteints de leucémie lymphoblastique aiguë; 2) l’identification des principaux déterminants génétiques, médicaux et psychosociaux associés aux problèmes de comportements. Les hypothèses étaient : 1) Il existe une association entre les trajectoires individuelles de problèmes de comportement et a - des facteurs psychosociaux liés au fonctionnement familial, b - des polymorphismes dans les gènes modérateurs des effets thérapeutiques du méthotrexate et des glucocorticoïdes, c - des variables liées aux traitements oncologiques. 2) L'utilisation de modèles statistiques multi-niveaux peut permettre d’effectuer cette caractérisation des trajectoires individuelles et l’identification des facteurs de risque associés. 138 patients pédiatriques (0-18 ans) ayant reçu un diagnostic de leucémie lymphoblastique aiguë entre 1993 et 1999 au CHU Ste-Justine ont participé à une étude longitudinale d’une durée de 4 ans. Un instrument validé et standardisés, le Child Behavior Checklist, a été utilisé pour obtenir un indice de problèmes de comportement, tel que rapporté par la mère, au moment du diagnostic, puis 1, 2, 3 et 4 ans post-diagnostic. Des données génétiques, psychosociales et médicales ont aussi été collectées au cours de cette même étude longitudinale, puis ont été exploitées dans les modélisations statistiques effectuées. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que les problèmes de comportement de type internalisés et externalisés possèdent des trajectoires et des facteurs de risque distincts. Les problèmes internalisés sont des manifestations de troubles affectifs chez le patient, tels que des symptômes dépressifs ou anxieux, par exemple. Ceux-ci sont très prévalents tôt après le diagnostic et se normalisent par la suite, indiquant des difficultés significatives, mais temporaires. Des facteurs médicaux exacerbant l'expérience de stress, soit le risque de rechute associé au diagnostic et les complications médicales affectant la durée de l'hospitalisation, ralentissent cette normalisation. Les problèmes externalisés se manifestent dans le contact avec autrui; des démonstrations d’agression ou de violence font partie des symptômes. Les problèmes externalisés sont plus stables dans le temps relativement aux problèmes internalisés. Des variables pharmacologiques et génétiques contribuent aux différences individuelles : l'administration d’un glucocorticoïde plus puissant du point de vue des effets pharmacologiques et toxicologiques, ainsi que l’homozygotie pour l’haplotype -786C844T du gène NOS3 sont liés à la modulation des scores de problèmes externalisés au fil du temps. Finalement, le niveau de stress familial perçu au diagnostic est positivement corrélé avec le niveau initial de problèmes externalisés chez le patient, tandis que peu après la fin de la période d’induction, le niveau de stress familial est en lien avec le niveau initial de problèmes internalisés. Ces résultats supportent l'idée qu'une approche holistique est essentielle pour espérer mettre en place des interventions préventives efficaces dans cette population. À long terme, ces connaissances pourraient contribuer significativement à l'amélioration de la qualité de vie des patients. Ces travaux enrichissent les connaissances actuelles en soulignant les bénéfices des suivis longitudinaux et multidisciplinaires pour comprendre la dynamique de changement opérant chez les patients. Le décloisonnement des savoirs semble devenir incontournable pour aspirer dépasser le cadre descriptif et atteindre un certain niveau de compréhension des phénomènes observés. Malgré des défis méthodologiques et logistiques évidents, ce type d’approche est non seulement souhaitable pour étudier des processus dynamiques, mais les travaux présentés dans cette thèse indiquent que cela est possible avec les moyens analytiques actuels. / Recent improvements in pediatric cancers treatment have led to marked increases in patient survival rate. However, it has been well documented that pediatric cancer survivors are at elevated risk for various other health problems. With respect specifically to neuropsychological side effects, known predictors (mainly: age at diagnosis, patient gender, exposure to radiation therapy) remain insufficient so far to target, and prevent efficiently, long term sequelae in this population. General objectives related to this thesis were: 1) characterization of individual trajectories of behavioral problems in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia; 2) the identification of genetic, medical and psychosocial determinants of behavioral problems in this population. This research program was based on the following hypotheses: 1) there is an association between the trajectories of individual behavioral problems and a – familial well-being-related psychosocial factors, b – gene polymorphisms involved in the therapeutic responses to methotrexate and glucocorticoids, c – anti-cancer treatments-related variables. 2) Multilevel statistical modeling can be used to characterize patient groups according to their individual behavioral problem trajectories, and can also identify predictive factors. 138 pediatric patients (0-18 years old) who received an acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosis between 1993 and 1999 at CHU Ste-Justine participated in this 4 years-long longitudinal study. A standardized and validated instrument, the Child Behavior Checklist, was used to measure behavior problems, as reported by the mother, at diagnosis, and then 1, 2, 3 and 4 years post-diagnosis. Genetic, psychosocial and medical data were also collected during this longitudinal study; these data were exploited in the context of the statistical modeling performed. Results obtained suggest that internalized and externalized behavioral problems have distinct trajectories and have different predictive factors. Internalized problems are affective issues presented by the patient, such as depressive or anxious symptoms. They are highly prevalent post-diagnosis and normalize over the following years, suggestive of temporary yet significant problems. Stress-enhancing medical variables such as a higher relapse risk at diagnosis and medical complications requiring a longer hospitalization slow down the normalization process. Externalized problems need interpersonal contact to occur; violence or aggressiveness manifestations are some examples. Compared to internalized problems, externalized problems are much more stable across time. However, pharmacological and genetic variables do contribute to individual differences in trajectories. In particular, administration of a more potent glucocorticoid (from pharmacological and toxicological perspectives) and being homozygous for NOS3 gene -786C844T haplotype are linked to modulation of externalized problems in time. Finally, the level of perceived family stress at time of diagnosis is positively correlated with initial externalized problems, while shortly after the induction period, the level of familial stress is linked with the initial internalized problems. Together, these results support the idea that a holistic care strategy is essential to develop efficient, preventive interventions in this population, due to the multifactorial nature of these behavioral problems. The knowledge generated in the present studies could contribute to better quality of life for these patients. This thesis also brings a more holistic contribution to our current knowledge of behavioral problems in this population, by highlighting the need for individual, multidisciplinary follow-ups, with particular emphasis on repeated measurements and appropriate statistical analyses. More than ever, knowledge de-compartmentalization appears essential in reaching a certain comprehension level of observed phenomena, rather than adhering to descriptive settings. It indicates that, despite obvious methodological and logistic challenges, this type of research is not only desirable in studying dynamic processes, but is certainly achievable with current analytical tools.

Introdução – A capacidade para o trabalho é influenciada por vários fatores, incluindo a condição de saúde, características sócio-demográficas, estilo de vida e fatores relacionados ao trabalho. Objetivo – Analisar os fatores associados à capacidade para o trabalho em uma população de eletricitários. Métodos – Estudo transversal onde foram analisados 475 trabalhadores, voluntários, de uma empresa privada no setor eletricitário do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionários auto-preenchidos (Índice de Capacidade para o Trabalho - ICT, Escala Estresse no Trabalho - EET, Medical Outcomes Study 36 – Item short form health survey – SF-36, Questionário de Baecke, Questionário de tolerância de Fagerström e Questionário AUDIT). A relação entre as variáveis foi analisada por meio do coeficiente de correlação de Spearman, e para comparação das médias foram utilizados os testes Mann-Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis. A análise conjunta das variáveis foi feita por meio de regressão linear múltipla. Resultados – Foi identificada uma diminuição progressiva do valor do ICT significativamente associada aos aumentos da idade (r=-0,16, p<0,001), do índice de massa corporal (r=-0,17, p<0,001), do consumo de álcool (r=-0,11, p=0,019), do tempo na empresa (r=-0,17, p<0,001) e da intensidade do estresse no trabalho (r=-0,37, p<0,001). O valor do ICT apresentou elevação associada ao incremento da prática de atividade física (r=0,19, p<0,001). A média do valor do ICT esteve associada à unidade de trabalho (p=0,043). O ICT esteve associado significativamente com as diversas dimensões do estado de saúde físico e mental (p<0,001 em todas as dimensões). A análise múltipla, ajustada por sexo e tempo na empresa, evidenciou que os fatores que melhor explicaram a variação do ICT foram o estresse no trabalho e as dimensões da saúde física. Uma segunda análise, excluídas as dimensões da saúde, mostrou que o estresse no trabalho, a unidade de trabalho e características do estilo de vida foram os fatores que melhor explicaram a variação do ICT. Conclusões – A pesquisa evidenciou que o estresse decorrente de fatores psicossociais do trabalho, a elevação do índice de massa corporal, o consumo de bebida alcoólica e o local de trabalho podem contribuir para a diminuição da capacidade para o trabalho, e que uma boa qualidade do estado da saúde física e a prática de atividade física podem contribuir para a manutenção da capacidade para o trabalho dos eletricitários. / Introduction – The work ability receives influence of several factors, including the health state, social and demographic characteristics, the lifestyle, and factors related to work. Aim – To analyze the factors associated with work ability in a population of electric sector workers. Methods – This is a cross-sectional study. There have been analyzed 475 volunteers workers of a private company of the electric sector of São Paulo, Brazil. They answered the questionnaires: Work Ability Index - WAI, Work Stress Scale – WSS, Medical Outcomes Study 36 – Item short form health survey – SF-36, Baecke Questionnaire, Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire and AUDIT test. These questionnaires got information regarding work ability, stress related to psychosocial factors at work, health state, smoking, alcohol intake and practice of physical activities. The statistical analyses were done using Spearman correlation coefficient, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and multiple linear regression models. Results – There was a significant progressive decrease of the WAI value associated to the increase of the age (r=-0,16, p<0,001), body mass index (r=-0,17, p<0,001), alcohol intake (r=-0,11, p=0,019), time at company (r=-0,17, p<0,001) and intensity of work stress (r=-0,37, p<0,001). The WAI value presented elevation associated to the increment of the practice of physical activities (r=0,19, p<0,001). The mean of WAI was associated to workplace (p=0,043). The WAI had significant association with the several dimensions of the physical and mental health state (p<0,001 in all dimensions). The multiple analyses, adjusted for sex and time at company, showed that the factors that better explained the variability of WAI were work stress and the physical health dimensions. Another analysis, excluded the health dimensions, showed that work stress, local of work and lifestyle characteristics were those that better explained the variability of WAI. Conclusions – The stress related to psychosocial factors of the work, the body mass increase, the alcohol intake and the workplace can contribute to the decrease of work ability, and a good physical health state and the practice of physical activity can contribute to the maintenance of the work ability of the electric sector workers.

A obesidade mórbida é uma doença crônica, de causas multifatoriais e de tratamento difícil, que apresenta alto risco para a saúde. A cirurgia bariátrica tem se mostrado a opção mais eficaz de tratamento para a redução das comorbidades, mas pode ser seguida de problemas físicos que causam dificuldades nos relacionamentos interpessoais, dificultando a adaptação psicossocial do indivíduo ao meio ambiente social. Em longo prazo o sucesso depende da mudança de comportamento, principalmente em relação aos hábitos alimentares, da complementação necessária de vitamina e sal mineral e da prática regular de exercícios físicos de forma contínua. Ao longo do tempo, fatores psicológicos exercem influência sobre a capacidade de o paciente adaptar-se às condições de vida para a necessária manutenção da redução do peso corpóreo. O período de tempo decorrido após a cirurgia, entre 4 e 12 anos, foi investigado em uma amostra composta por 75 pessoas; todos os pacientes foram operados com a utilização da mesma técnica cirúrgica e pelo mesmo cirurgião, também coordenador da equipe multidisciplinar. A idade mínima foi de 26 e máxima de 76 anos. Foram utilizados três instrumentos de avaliação psicológica com a seguinte finalidade: medir o Nível de Coping e Habilidade Social; pesquisar a opinião dos sujeitos de forma categorizada pelo método do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo, mediante a aplicação de instrumento desenvolvido especificamente para a presente investigação; e avaliar a insatisfação com a imagem corporal pela aplicação da Escala de Silhuetas de Stunkard (SMT). Os resultados, tratados estatisticamente, revelaram pessoas com médio e alto nível de coping e habilidade social, que demonstram condições adequadas de enfrentamento e de formação de vínculos sociais; contudo encontram-se acima do peso esperado, cujo Índice de Massa Corporal indica situação de obesidade grau 1, de acordo com a OMS. Estão insatisfeitos com a silhueta atual, conscientes de que se encontram acima do peso desejado, mas valorizam altamente a opção que fizeram pela realização da cirurgia bariátrica, que lhes proporcionou autonomia, elevação da autoestima e os livrou da discriminação social. A discussão se fez com o aporte teórico de conceitos extraídos da psicologia cognitiva, da psicologia positiva, da psicanálise, da sociologia e da antropologia. Concluiu-se que a gastroplastia produz efeitos colaterais fisiológicos perenes, como engasgos, vômitos e mal-estar, que dificultam, mas não impedem, a adaptação psicossocial; que os entrevistados têm consciência de que o peso e a imagem não correspondem ao padrão esperado por eles, contudo apresentam adequado sentido de adaptação social; e para eles a cirurgia bariátrica ocupa um lugar que envolve representações mentais de rito de passagem, como transposição metafórica para um novo status da condição social / Morbid obesity is a chronic condition, of multi-factor causes, difficult to treat and which carries a high risk of health problems. Bariatric surgery has been shown to be the most effective treatment for reducing comorbidities, but it may be followed by physical problems that cause difficulties in interpersonal relationships, hindering the individual\'s psychosocial adaptation to the social environment. Long-term success depends on changing behavior especially in relation to food habits, use of vitamin supplements and mineral salt, as appropriate, and regular practice of physical activity. Over time, psychological factors may influence the ability of patients to adapt to their living conditions and maintain the weight loss. A period of time after surgery between 4 and 12 years was investigated in a sample of 75 people. All patients underwent the procedure using the same surgical technique, performed by the same surgeon and coordinator of the multidisciplinary team. The patients were aged between 26 years and 76 years. Three psychometric measures were used to investigate the level of coping and the participants\' opinion through an interview conducted in a categorized manner: the method of Discourse of the Collective Subject, including a questionnaire developed specifically for this research, and the assessment of body image dissatisfaction according to the Stunkard Silhouette Matching Task (SMT). The results, analyzed in statistical terms, revealed individuals with medium and high levels of coping and social skills, who demonstrate appropriate coping conditions and ability to establish social bonds. Nevertheless, they are still above the expected weight and present body mass indexes that indicate a status of grade 1 obesity, according to the WHO. These individuals are dissatisfied with their current silhouettes, aware that they are above the desired weight, but strongly value the choice they made for bariatric surgery that gave them autonomy and increased selfesteem, protecting them against social prejudice. The discussion was based on theoretical concepts drawn from cognitive psychology, positive psychology, psychoanalysis, sociology and anthropology. Conclusions: gastroplasty produces continuing physiological side effects that make psychological and social adaptation difficult, although it does not prevent them from occurring; the respondents are aware that their weight and body image do not match the pattern of their expectations, nevertheless they do present an adequate sense of social adaptation and, for them, bariatric surgery occupies a place that involves mental representations of rite of passage, as a metaphorical transposition to a new social status

This thesis’ purpose is to review how music in school settings contributes to children’s development, psychosocial health, and well-being. The undertaken method is a compilation of current research which focuses on different themes within the field of music in school settings: group processes, personality processes, cognitive processes, and contribution to society. The objective is to find out about how music lessons and music projects are being applied in school settings to support children’s health and development. The thesis answers the following research question: In which ways can the practice of music in school settings contribute to prevent psychosocial problems amongst children and youth? To answer this question, research published between 2006 – 2020 is studied and analysed with three theoretical perspectives to provide a better understanding of the material: social capital, cognitive theory as well as protective and risk factors for children’s development. The used method for carrying out this thesis is a research summary, which summarises the results within thematic units. The results of the study show that music in school settings can contribute to positive factors within groups such as social cohesion, communication, prosocial skills, and behaviour, generating a more positive social environment in schools with possibilities to encounter school problems related to aggression. Furthermore, music practice in school can enhance children’s learning processes within academic dimensions and aspects related to children’s self and well-being. Results also show music projects’ significance of contributing differentresources, especially to schools located in socio-economically poorer areas.

Rapid increases in population ageing and the associated rise in the prevalence of dementia have created many challenges for the care of older people with dementia. As the majority of people now living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) now have dementia, the need to maximise the quality of life for this group is increasingly recognised. While such issues have attracted research and policy attention in recent years, the evidence base for practice in dementia care is still underdeveloped. The need for more effective therapeutic interventions to improve the quality of life for older people with dementia is recognised, particularly those living in RACFs. The use of pets is one example of recent attempts to help create a more home-like environment and dog therapy is available in many facilities. Well designed research to demonstrate whether it actually has a positive impact on residents’ quality of life is lacking. This study is the first reported randomised controlled trial investigating dog therapy for people with dementia. Fifty-five older people with mild to moderate dementia living in three residential aged care facilities in the Greater Brisbane area participated in this study. The goal was to identify whether dog therapy accrued any benefits to residents’ well being and compare the benefits, if any, with human-only therapy intervention. The main hypothesis was that dog contact delivered in a small group recreational therapy format would have a beneficial effect on the well being of participants. It was additionally hypothesised that prior and current positive relationships with dogs would be related to improved outcomes of dog therapy and support a human-animal bond explanation of relationship development with the therapy dog(s). Participants were randomly assigned into two groups within each facility: The dog therapy group and a human-only therapy group. Session plans were structured according to a recreational therapy format. Three therapy dogs were used (a miniature Poodle, a Staffordshire Terrier and a German Shepherd Dog) with one dog present at any dog therapy session A before-and-after design was used with concealment of participants at allocation. Mixed methods were used including a panel of seven validated psychometric instruments, an observational measure and a series of four novel questionnaires, dogs for older groups with Alzheimer’s (DOGA), developed de novo specifically to investigate the effects of dog therapy on participants within this study. Measures of mood, quality of life, health and psychosocial functioning, collectively referred to as well-being, detected benefits accruing to dog therapy participants compared with human-only therapy that approached significance (p = .056) with a large effect size (partial eta squared 16.6%). A different measure of mood and apathy showed similar improvement for participants of both therapy types trialed with analyses of a smaller dataset (n = 36) revealing an overall highly significant result (p=.008) and large effect size (partial eta squared = 25.6%) for all participants. To explore the perceptions of care staff to the dog therapy intervention, a self-complete semi-structured questionnaire was completed by a sample of 21 from two of the study facilities. Content analysis revealed that staff overwhelmingly supported dog therapy with a total of 84 comments about benefits and 22 about risks. Responses were categorised and then linked into emergent themes: a temporal dimension, sense of self and increased opportunities for self expression. The opportunity provided by the therapy dog for accessible caring physical contact for participants was identified as important. General recreational therapy goals such as improved mood, reminiscence and increased levels of conversation were reported by staff to continue beyond interventions. The observed risks were: confusion over dog ownership, subsequent worry about losing the dog after sessions, jealousy over the therapy dog and one participant did not enjoy the small group format. Participants described their experiences of contact with the therapy dog as “like” above “attached”. Personal preference explanations are therefore supported, rather than “attachment”, to explain outcomes for participants. This suggests the psychosocial approach has greater relevance here than human-animal bond explanations. Effects of previous dog attachment on outcomes were inconclusive but there was some evidence that participants’ relationship with the therapy dog(s) influenced outcomes, though the nature of that relationship has not been clarified. Recommendations from the study findings are that dog therapy be conducted for people with mild to moderate levels of dementia in groups of 3-11 for a duration of around 10 weeks with sessions for 30 minutes held once or twice weekly and according to a standard format. Opportunities for participants to touch, hug and interact directly with the therapy dog should be maximised without compromising dog welfare. The findings suggest that respect for the personhood of participants is important to the success of the therapy types trialled, which further supports psychosocial therapies involving contact with people or live animals for use with people with dementia over those that minimise or exclude it.

Rapid increases in population ageing and the associated rise in the prevalence of dementia have created many challenges for the care of older people with dementia. As the majority of people now living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) now have dementia, the need to maximise the quality of life for this group is increasingly recognised. While such issues have attracted research and policy attention in recent years, the evidence base for practice in dementia care is still underdeveloped. The need for more effective therapeutic interventions to improve the quality of life for older people with dementia is recognised, particularly those living in RACFs. The use of pets is one example of recent attempts to help create a more home-like environment and dog therapy is available in many facilities. Well designed research to demonstrate whether it actually has a positive impact on residents’ quality of life is lacking. This study is the first reported randomised controlled trial investigating dog therapy for people with dementia. Fifty-five older people with mild to moderate dementia living in three residential aged care facilities in the Greater Brisbane area participated in this study. The goal was to identify whether dog therapy accrued any benefits to residents’ well being and compare the benefits, if any, with human-only therapy intervention. The main hypothesis was that dog contact delivered in a small group recreational therapy format would have a beneficial effect on the well being of participants. It was additionally hypothesised that prior and current positive relationships with dogs would be related to improved outcomes of dog therapy and support a human-animal bond explanation of relationship development with the therapy dog(s). Participants were randomly assigned into two groups within each facility: The dog therapy group and a human-only therapy group. Session plans were structured according to a recreational therapy format. Three therapy dogs were used (a miniature Poodle, a Staffordshire Terrier and a German Shepherd Dog) with one dog present at any dog therapy session A before-and-after design was used with concealment of participants at allocation. Mixed methods were used including a panel of seven validated psychometric instruments, an observational measure and a series of four novel questionnaires, dogs for older groups with Alzheimer’s (DOGA), developed de novo specifically to investigate the effects of dog therapy on participants within this study. Measures of mood, quality of life, health and psychosocial functioning, collectively referred to as well-being, detected benefits accruing to dog therapy participants compared with human-only therapy that approached significance (p = .056) with a large effect size (partial eta squared 16.6%). A different measure of mood and apathy showed similar improvement for participants of both therapy types trialed with analyses of a smaller dataset (n = 36) revealing an overall highly significant result (p=.008) and large effect size (partial eta squared = 25.6%) for all participants. To explore the perceptions of care staff to the dog therapy intervention, a self-complete semi-structured questionnaire was completed by a sample of 21 from two of the study facilities. Content analysis revealed that staff overwhelmingly supported dog therapy with a total of 84 comments about benefits and 22 about risks. Responses were categorised and then linked into emergent themes: a temporal dimension, sense of self and increased opportunities for self expression. The opportunity provided by the therapy dog for accessible caring physical contact for participants was identified as important. General recreational therapy goals such as improved mood, reminiscence and increased levels of conversation were reported by staff to continue beyond interventions. The observed risks were: confusion over dog ownership, subsequent worry about losing the dog after sessions, jealousy over the therapy dog and one participant did not enjoy the small group format. Participants described their experiences of contact with the therapy dog as “like” above “attached”. Personal preference explanations are therefore supported, rather than “attachment”, to explain outcomes for participants. This suggests the psychosocial approach has greater relevance here than human-animal bond explanations. Effects of previous dog attachment on outcomes were inconclusive but there was some evidence that participants’ relationship with the therapy dog(s) influenced outcomes, though the nature of that relationship has not been clarified. Recommendations from the study findings are that dog therapy be conducted for people with mild to moderate levels of dementia in groups of 3-11 for a duration of around 10 weeks with sessions for 30 minutes held once or twice weekly and according to a standard format. Opportunities for participants to touch, hug and interact directly with the therapy dog should be maximised without compromising dog welfare. The findings suggest that respect for the personhood of participants is important to the success of the therapy types trialled, which further supports psychosocial therapies involving contact with people or live animals for use with people with dementia over those that minimise or exclude it.

Rapid increases in population ageing and the associated rise in the prevalence of dementia have created many challenges for the care of older people with dementia. As the majority of people now living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) now have dementia, the need to maximise the quality of life for this group is increasingly recognised. While such issues have attracted research and policy attention in recent years, the evidence base for practice in dementia care is still underdeveloped. The need for more effective therapeutic interventions to improve the quality of life for older people with dementia is recognised, particularly those living in RACFs. The use of pets is one example of recent attempts to help create a more home-like environment and dog therapy is available in many facilities. Well designed research to demonstrate whether it actually has a positive impact on residents’ quality of life is lacking. This study is the first reported randomised controlled trial investigating dog therapy for people with dementia. Fifty-five older people with mild to moderate dementia living in three residential aged care facilities in the Greater Brisbane area participated in this study. The goal was to identify whether dog therapy accrued any benefits to residents’ well being and compare the benefits, if any, with human-only therapy intervention. The main hypothesis was that dog contact delivered in a small group recreational therapy format would have a beneficial effect on the well being of participants. It was additionally hypothesised that prior and current positive relationships with dogs would be related to improved outcomes of dog therapy and support a human-animal bond explanation of relationship development with the therapy dog(s). Participants were randomly assigned into two groups within each facility: The dog therapy group and a human-only therapy group. Session plans were structured according to a recreational therapy format. Three therapy dogs were used (a miniature Poodle, a Staffordshire Terrier and a German Shepherd Dog) with one dog present at any dog therapy session A before-and-after design was used with concealment of participants at allocation. Mixed methods were used including a panel of seven validated psychometric instruments, an observational measure and a series of four novel questionnaires, dogs for older groups with Alzheimer’s (DOGA), developed de novo specifically to investigate the effects of dog therapy on participants within this study. Measures of mood, quality of life, health and psychosocial functioning, collectively referred to as well-being, detected benefits accruing to dog therapy participants compared with human-only therapy that approached significance (p = .056) with a large effect size (partial eta squared 16.6%). A different measure of mood and apathy showed similar improvement for participants of both therapy types trialed with analyses of a smaller dataset (n = 36) revealing an overall highly significant result (p=.008) and large effect size (partial eta squared = 25.6%) for all participants. To explore the perceptions of care staff to the dog therapy intervention, a self-complete semi-structured questionnaire was completed by a sample of 21 from two of the study facilities. Content analysis revealed that staff overwhelmingly supported dog therapy with a total of 84 comments about benefits and 22 about risks. Responses were categorised and then linked into emergent themes: a temporal dimension, sense of self and increased opportunities for self expression. The opportunity provided by the therapy dog for accessible caring physical contact for participants was identified as important. General recreational therapy goals such as improved mood, reminiscence and increased levels of conversation were reported by staff to continue beyond interventions. The observed risks were: confusion over dog ownership, subsequent worry about losing the dog after sessions, jealousy over the therapy dog and one participant did not enjoy the small group format. Participants described their experiences of contact with the therapy dog as “like” above “attached”. Personal preference explanations are therefore supported, rather than “attachment”, to explain outcomes for participants. This suggests the psychosocial approach has greater relevance here than human-animal bond explanations. Effects of previous dog attachment on outcomes were inconclusive but there was some evidence that participants’ relationship with the therapy dog(s) influenced outcomes, though the nature of that relationship has not been clarified. Recommendations from the study findings are that dog therapy be conducted for people with mild to moderate levels of dementia in groups of 3-11 for a duration of around 10 weeks with sessions for 30 minutes held once or twice weekly and according to a standard format. Opportunities for participants to touch, hug and interact directly with the therapy dog should be maximised without compromising dog welfare. The findings suggest that respect for the personhood of participants is important to the success of the therapy types trialled, which further supports psychosocial therapies involving contact with people or live animals for use with people with dementia over those that minimise or exclude it.