ArticleBMC medical research methodology2026
Reporting of dog-assisted intervention trials: extension of the SPIRIT 2025 and CONSORT 2025 statement.
Article in BMC medical research methodology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Preparing Therapy Dogs for Animal-Assisted Services: Governance, Welfare-Centred Preparation, and a Lifecycle Research Agenda Across Selected European and United States Frameworks.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Review
- Reporting Quality of Randomized Controlled Trials Published inIntegrative cancer therapiesArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundTransparent reporting of dog-assisted intervention (DAI) research is important to support critical appraisal and interpretation of study designs and results. DAIs, in which a dog plays a role in the delivery of therapeutic intervention to enhance the wellbeing and support of individuals, have specific methodological considerations. However, reporting of DAI trial designs and results are suboptimal, preventing the development of a robust evidence base to guide research and practice in this area.
aimTo develop consensus-based extensions to the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) 2025 and Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2025 Statement for DAI research.
methodsUsing the Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) methodological framework a four-phase, consensus-based approach was used, including: 1) a systematic review of DAI Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs); 2) a three-round Delphi survey (n = 83; n = 74; n = 71 respectively); 3) consensus workshops with experts in DAI research and/or clinical trial design and reporting (n = 7), and 4) checklist piloting and finalisation.
resultsThe systematic review (phase 1) identified 85 shortcomings in reporting DAI (44 applied to SPIRIT and 41 to CONSORT) to include in the extension development. These shortcomings formed the basis of the items on the three-round DELPHI survey that followed. In the end, 96 extension items reached consensus for consideration (phase 2). The concepts were further refined and translated into specific extension item wording through a comprehensive review process led by the core team in collaboration with leading DAI experts (phase 3). This resulted in 71 extensions for DAI research reporting (36 applied to SPIRIT and 35 applied to CONSORT). The items were piloted (phase 4), and appropriate examples sought for a future explanation and elaboration document (not reported here).
conclusionThe new SPIRIT and CONSORT extensions are hoped to enhance the reporting, as well as conduct, understanding and interpretation of DAI trials.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.