Investigation of physiological and psychological effects of robotic cat and betta fish therapies in hemodialysis patients: A randomized controlled study

Aims: This randomized controlled study was conducted to investigate the physiological and psychological effects of pet therapy in hemodialysis patients. Background: Pet therapy has both physiological and psychological effects on individuals with chronic diseases. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have examined the physiological and psychological effects of pet treatment in hemodialysis patients worldwide. Design: A randomized controlled study. Methods: The study was completed with 18 robotic cats, 18 Betta fish, and 18 control group patients. The data were collected at XXX State Hospital between May and September 2021 using data collection tools. Robotic pet treatment was applied to the robotic cat group for 20 min a week for two months during hemodialysis. The Betta fish group was allowed to keep Betta fish at home for two months, and they were followed for another two months. The data were evaluated in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences 23.0 package program. The study was registered on Clinical Trials (NCT05339711). Results: During robotic cat therapy, patients' loneliness and dialysis symptoms decreased, and happiness and treatment adherence to the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) increased; In the post-test follow-up, in the first measurement, the treatment adherence to the ESRD decreased, the loneliness and dialysis symptoms increased, the happiness did not change; In the second measurement of the post-test, happiness, and treatment adherence to ESRD decreased, loneliness and dialysis symptoms increased. During Betta fish therapy, patients' body mass index, happiness, and treatment adherence to ESRD increased, loneliness and dialysis symptoms decreased; in the first measurement, and loneliness, dialysis symptoms, body mass index, and treatment adherence to the ESRD increased; In the second measurement, loneliness, dialysis symptoms increased, body mass index and happiness decreased. Conclusions: The study revealed that Robotic cat and Betta fish therapies had positive physiological and psychological effects in hemodialysis patients, and these effects were different from each other.