Keywords

PTSD; Service Dogs; Veterans' Mental Health; Therapeutic Intervention; Combat Veterans; Emotional Management

Abstract

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presents a significant mental health challenge for many veterans, prompting interest in innovative interventions such as the use of service dogs. Despite this, there remains a gap in understanding the specific impact of service dogs on the mental well-being of veterans who served in combat zones.

Aim: This integrative review aims to explore the associations between service dog exposure and the mental health of veterans following deployment to combat zones, focused on those with PTSD. Through a systematic literature search, review, and synthesis, the study seeks to identify gaps in knowledge to inform future research efforts and interventions.

Design: Adopting an integrative review design, the review explores existing literature to uncover insights into the associations between service dog exposure and veterans' mental well-being. The study ensures a comprehensive examination of relevant research articles by employing a systematic literature search methodology and rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Methods: Inclusion criteria involve selecting research articles published in peer-reviewed journals focusing on veterans' participation with service dogs or canine exposure and their subsequent mental health outcomes. Exclusion criteria are non-U.S. research, abstracts without full-text articles, grey literature, and non-research articles. This rigorous approach aims to assemble reliable evidence to enhance understanding and inform future research and interventions supporting veterans' mental well-being.

Results: This study examines the demographics, characteristics, challenges, and benefits associated with veterans with PTSD and their service dogs. Veterans in the studies ranged from 36.8 to 50.9 years old, were predominantly male, and mostly white, with significant portions being honorably discharged and married. The service dogs were mostly male, mixed-breed, or Labrador Retrievers sourced from shelters. Veterans faced challenges obtaining and training their dogs, such as demanding training processes and adjusting to public attention. Despite these challenges, service dogs provided substantial benefits, including reduced PTSD symptoms, improved sleep, increased physical activity, and emotional reconnection. Studies showed a reduction in PTSD severity, improved quality of life, and enhanced social participation for veterans with service dogs. However, veterans also experienced drawbacks like increased public attention and misconceptions about service dogs. The bond between veterans and their dogs was associated with lower anxiety and higher positive affect, highlighting the overall positive impact of service dogs on veterans' mental health and daily life.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the substantial benefits of service dogs for veterans with PTSD, including reductions in stress, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms and improvements in depression management, safety, and quality of life. Unexpected challenges with nonobedience issues arose, but they did not diminish the overall positive impact. Future research should explore the cost-effectiveness of service dog programs, their effects on different veteran demographics, and standardized training protocols. The findings emphasize the need for continued support and refinement of service dog programs to optimize their benefits and improve the well-being of veterans with PTSD.

Thesis Completion Year

2024

Thesis Completion Semester

Summer

Thesis Chair

Davis, Jean

College

College of Nursing

Department

Nursing

Thesis Discipline

Nursing

Language

English

Access Status

Campus Access

Length of Campus Access

5 years

Campus Location

UCF Online

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Available for download on Thursday, July 24, 2025

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Rights Statement

In Copyright