New Therapy For Troubled Teens

Researchers at Washington State University are studying a novel medication for helping teenagers who are in drug and alcohol treatment programs. With no apparent harmful side effects, the therapy improves the youngsters’ mood, personal energy and attitude.

The therapy: Time spent with dogs from a nearby animal shelter.

On Friday afternoons, researchers bring four dogs from the Spokane Humane Society to the Excelsior Youth Center for a meet-up with teenage boys who brush, feed and play with the dogs.

“We found one of the most robust effects of interacting with the dogs was increased joviality,” says researcher Lindsay Ellsworth. “Some of the words the boys used to describe their moods after working with the dogs were ‘excited,’ ‘energetic’ and ‘happy.’”

The relationship between dogs and humans enjoys a long history, but Ellsworth is studying how dog-interaction activities improve mood among teenagers living in residential treatment centers.

“I was surprised, during the trial period, how calm the boys were around the dogs and at how outbursts and hyperactivity diminished,” she says. “It was something you could observe like night and day.”

When Ellsworth asked the boys what they like most about working with the dogs, some of their written responses included, “giving dogs treats and showing a lot of love to the dogs” and “I like to have time with the dogs because (it) lets me get my mind off things” and “I loved playing with Junior.”

Before the activity, participants identify 60 mood descriptors on a scale of one to five on what is known as the PANAS-X, a self-reporting method organizational psychologists use to scale and study emotion. After the activity, the participants fill out the same scale.

Those who spent time with the dogs not only showed an increase in joviality, but also positive affect (in psychology, the experience of feeling or emotion), attentiveness and serenity. Meanwhile, overall sadness decreased, Ellsworth said. Many participants are also being treated for ADHD, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.