An interventional study of animal-assisted intervention and watching the countryside in Psychological Stress, sponsored by Medical University of Graz. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Austria. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-29.
Sponsored by Medical University of Graz · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
In this study, the effects of an animal-assisted intervention on people with increased stress levels are investigated. The data collected will be compared with those of participants with high stress levels but without animal-assisted intervention (participants only observe nature) and with a control group consisting of people without stress exposure.
The study will be performed in the following setting: Questionnaire examination on chronic stress, questionnaire on current well-being and heart rate variability (HRV) measurement before the horse-assisted intervention, one HRV measurement and one questionnaire examination (POMS) on current well-being after the horse-assisted intervention, one questionnaire (POMS) on current well-being 5 days after the horse-assisted intervention.
The early recognition of chronic stressors, which are often neglected by those affected until physical symptoms appear, is of essential importance. In addition to psychopharmacological therapy modalities, complementary methods such as animal-assisted intervention should also be considered in order to expand the therapeutic spectrum and thus prevent stress-associated consequential harms as early as possible.
Stress has gained importance in recent years not only in the medical context, but also due to its economic relevance. Chronic stress in particular leads to numerous medically relevant secondary diseases and to increased sick leaves and even permanent incapacity to work. One possible intervention to reduce stress could be animal-assisted intervention.
Primary hypothesis: The use of animal-assisted intervention in people diagnosed with chronic stressful situations will lead to measurable increases in heart rate variability.
Secondary hypothesis: The use of animal-assisted intervention in people diagnosed with chronic stressful situations leads to improved well-being (target parameter: POMS questionnaire)
783 studies on the registry are indexed under Stress, Psychological; 128 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 123 is above the median of 85 across 632 interventional studies indexed under Stress, Psychological.
Browse Stress, Psychological studies →Medical University of Graz is the lead sponsor of 459 studies on the registry; 98 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion criteria:
The 20-minute horse-assisted intervention takes place in compliance with basic safety precautions (safety bar between horse and participant) and after safety instruction in handling the therapy horse. The horse can be touched or stroked more or less intensively, depending on the needs and current state of mind of the study participant.
Behavioral: animal-assisted intervention
Study participants only observe the natural environment.
Behavioral: watching the countryside
The 20-minute horse-assisted intervention takes place in compliance with basic safety precautions (safety bar between horse and participant) and after safety instruction in handling the therapy horse. The horse can be touched or stroked more or less intensively, depending on the needs and current state of mind of the study participant.
Behavioral: animal-assisted intervention
horse-assisted intervention
just watching the countryside
Change in heart rate variability
Change in heart rate variability immediately after animal-assisted intervention when compared with baseline heart rate variability before the animal assisted intervention.
Time frame: Time point 1: Baseline heart rate variability before the animal assisted intervention, Time point 2: heart rate variability immediately after the animal-assisted intervention
Change in state of mood states (Profile of Mood States Questionnaire)
Change in state of mood states immediately after animal-assisted intervention when compared with baseline state of mood states before the animal assisted intervention (Profile of Mood States Questionnaire: minimum value= -24, maximum value = 177, lower scores indicative of people with more stable mood profiles).
Time frame: Time point 1: Baseline state of mood states before the animal assisted intervention, Time point 2: state of mood states immediately after the animal-assisted intervention
Plan to share: No
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This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Sep 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Medical University of Graz