UNION – The Center for Nursing Research at Kean University has been awarded a grant from the TriService Nursing Research Program for a research initiative, titled Working Dogs for Wounded Warriors: Effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The study will be led by Dr. Cheryl Krause-Parello, director of the CNR, and Col. Mona Pearl, director for the Pentagon’s Office of Air Force Reserve Medical Directorate in Washington, D.C.

“Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom have increased combat operations and increased signature wounds such as post-traumatic stress disorder and combat-related traumatic brain injury in warriors returning from deployment,” said Krause-Parello, a civilian married to a former U.S. Marine. “Despite the high risks, there have been no interdisciplinary studies to investigate the therapeutic effects of animal-assisted therapy on stress indicators in this population.”

The two-year study, which began on March 1, will address whether the use of animal-assisted therapy can lead to an improved stress indicator response in wounded warriors. Participants will primarily be in-patient wounded warriors from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

“This study will explore potential resolutions for PTSD and its consequences in wounded warriors by investigating an innovative method to improving well-being – the introduction of animal-assisted therapy as part of the rehabilitation process,” added Krause-Parello.

Working Dogs for Wounded Warriors will seek to use AAT to improve stress-indicator responses by measuring stress biomarkers such as salivary cortisol, immunoglobulin A (IgA), blood pressure and pulse, before and after interaction with an AAT dog, as compared with routine care. In addition, the study will investigate the hypothesis that, when an AAT dog is present, a reduction of stress response will be evident in the subjects, and could empirically support incorporating AAT as a therapeutic modality in clinical practice.

“This knowledge will provide scientific evidence that the use of dogs and other animals in therapy causes a chemical change in the body and supports our wounded warriors in coping with both their visible and invisible injuries,” said Pearl.

The long-term aims of this research project are to mitigate stress responses through the use of AAT in combat survivors of war. It also seeks to increase awareness and understanding of an alternate therapeutic intervention that can help wounded warriors improve stress indicator responses in the acute-care setting.

“The results from this project promise to affect the current state of military nursing and science and have potential implications for healthcare practice protocols,” added Krause-Parello. “The anticipated findings from this innovative research have strong potential to provide evidence-based support for the healing power of canines and to improve biological stress indicator responses in wounded warriors with PTSD and other at-risk military populations.”

For more information, contact Krause-Parello at (908) 737-3387 or ckrausep@kean.edu.