The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is facing criticism in its approach to use guide of service dogs to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The agency is now conducting a study to measure the program's efficacy in helping veterans suffering from PTSD.
According to ABC News, the VA has been providing veterinary fund to veterans with guide or service dogs since 2002. However, the efficacy of the approach had never been scientifically or empirically proved. Some even argue that the dog companion is actually preventing vets from healing.
To show the efficacy of the use of dogs for veterans with PTSD, the agency has been carrying out a $12 million study. Unfortunately, after four years doing the study, the research has been faced with challenges and problems keeping it to reach its goal.
During the research, it's been revealed that the program's protocol itself might be flawed, as noted by Salon. Critics argued that the dogs were being trained to do things that could reinforce fears. Others are concerned that animals could become a substitute for the hard work comes with therapy. Furthermore, it's reported that only about 50 dogs have been placed with veterans.
The research process itself has been facing some problems. At first, the permit from the U.S. Congress to study the therapeutic use of animals as an alternative treatment for PTSD was released in 2010. The study began in Florida in 2001, involving 200 service dogs provided for veterans. The methodology specifies that the veterans who receive dogs would be compared to a control group that did not receive dogs.
Unfortunately, following biting incidents involving the veterans' children, the VA had to cut off two of the three vendors that provide the dogs, as reported by Phys.org. In August 2012, the final contract was terminated amid allegations of veterinary care and placement of dogs "with known aggressive behavior". After that, the study protocol was shifted that it would exclude veterans with children under the age of 10, as well as changing the condition of the control group from not receiving a dog to receive less-specialized dogs.
Critics have argued that the approach to use dogs to help PTSD has been keeping the PTSD sufferers from healing as it actually reinforces the fear and other cognitive distortions. The VA has been carrying out a study to show the efficacy of the approach, but the study itself has been facing problems in its process.
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