Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) - a review of current scientific research

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is an adjunctive therapeutic method that uses purposeful human-animal interaction in the treatment process. Systematic literature reviews and randomized controlled trials from the last few years (2015-2025) demonstrate that AAT has significant effects in reducing anxiety, depression, pain, and improving the quality of life of patients with various diseases. This paper analyzes the biological mechanisms of animal-assisted therapy (AAT), its clinical applications, and research limitations, pointing to the need for standardized research methods and greater interest in this form of intervention in healthcare systems.