Trial reportJournal of public health (Oxford, England)2026
The impact of a dog-facilitated mobile physical activity intervention on children's social-emotional development: a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in Journal of public health (Oxford, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDog ownership has been suggested to be positively associated with children's physical, social, and emotional development. This study investigated the effect of a mobile health dog-facilitated physical activity intervention on young children's social-emotional development and attachment to the family dog.
methods150 five- to ten-year-olds with a family dog(s) participated in the PLAYCE ('PLAY Spaces and Environments for Children's Physical Activity')-PAWS study, a three-armed randomized controlled trial. Children were randomized into either the SMS-only, SMS + pedometer, or control group for four-weeks. Parents reported children's social-emotional development (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), empathy (Young Children's Empathy Measure), self-regulation (Fast Track Project Child Behavior Questionnaire), and attachment to the dog (Dogs and Physical Activity Tool). Linear mixed effects models examined intervention effects at one- and three-month follow-up.
resultsThere were no significant differences observed between intervention and control groups at one- or three-month follow-up for social-emotional development, empathy, self-regulation, or attachment to the dog (all P-values > 0.05).
conclusionsLarger interventions encouraging children to be physically active with their dog are required to confirm these findings and the impact of dog-facilitated physical activity interventions on child and family health and development outcomes. Longer intervention and follow-up periods are also needed.
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