AASI Members and 2026 AASI International Conference presenters, Whitney Romine & Lindsey Wallace, contributed to a recent narrative review published in Advances in Integrative Medicine.  Their review offers a detailed examination of the efficacy of animal assisted services in adolescent and pediatric inpatient psychiatric patients.

Wallace et al. (2026) Animal assisted services in adolescent and pediatric inpatient psychiatric patients: A narrative review

Abstract:

Objectives

To determine the efficacy of animal-assisted treatment (AATx), animal-assisted support programs (AASP), and animal-assisted play therapy (AAPT), types and subtypes of animal assisted services (AAS), in adolescent and pediatric inpatient psychiatric patients.

Patients and methods

For this narrative review, six articles were identified and collectively studied 478 adolescent and pediatric inpatient psychiatric patients. Settings included four inpatient psychiatric facilities and two inpatient behavioral health units.

Results

All six studies focused on AAS and used different outcome measures focusing on mood, anxiety, stress, social behaviors, or human-animal bonding. Study findings noted immediate improvements in these various measured areas, but sustained (long term) effects were not measured in any of the six studies. None of the articles reviewed specifically mentioned AAPT.

Conclusion

There is a paucity of evidence for the inclusion of AASP, AATx, or AAPT in the adolescent and pediatric inpatient psychiatric population. Additional research is needed to address the literature gap regarding the efficacy of AAS in the inpatient adolescent and pediatric psychiatric patient population.

Explore the full narrative review by visiting: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212958826000418?dgcid=coauthor