The Influence of Service Dogs on Families of Veterans With PTSD: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Family members of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be severely affected by the veteran’s symptoms. Psychiatric service dogs may benefit these families directly by living alongside them, and indirectly by improving veterans’ psychological functioning. To date, studies investigating service dog effectiveness have predominantly focused on the veterans. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to synthesize existing literature on the effects of PTSD service dogs on veterans’ families. Databases Scopus Search, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar were accessed. Studies were included if they were written in English and investigated the effects of PTSD service dogs on family members of veterans. Both peer-reviewed articles and doctoral dissertations were considered. Two researchers independently screened and evaluated all articles. A total of 19 studies matched all inclusion criteria. The total number of participants was 1,026, including 555 veterans, 470 partners of veterans, and one parent of a veteran. Eleven studies were cross-sectional, six were case–control, and two were longitudinal. Articles were synthesized based on the following themes: (1) family cohesion; (2) the couple’s relationship; (3) the veteran’s partner; (4) parenting; (5) child development. Overall, positive effects were reported for the first four themes, including improvements in family cohesion, affection, communication, and parenting. Nevertheless, challenges were also identified, including jealousy among partner and children, unwanted public attention, financial strain, and concerns about the relatively short lifespan of the service dog. Evidence for the effects of PTSD service dogs on veterans’ children was very limited. Despite generally positive treatment outcomes, the number of eligible studies was limited. Future research should investigate the effects of service dogs on veterans’ families using larger sample sizes, control groups, long-term follow-up measurements, and both qualitative and quantitative methods.