Leaving a Mark—an Animal-Assisted Treatment for Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: A Controlled Comparison Study

Purpose Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) can seriously harm children’s health and development. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Leaving a Mark animal-assisted treatment program in ameliorating the clinical symptoms of children exposed to IPV. Methods The sample comprised 95 children ( M age = 10.32 years, SD = 2.56; 55.9% boys), all of whom were residing in Spain and had been exposed to IPV in the home. Participants were distributed across two groups: an experimental group ( n = 51) that received the Leaving a Mark program integrated with treatment as usual, and a control group ( n = 44) that only received treatment as usual. Results Both groups showed significant improvement over time, with reductions in internalizing and externalizing symptoms, as well as in traumatic stress and dysregulation profiles. Although there were no statistically significant differences between the groups at post-test, the experimental group did display a more pronounced reduction in externalizing symptoms at 6-month follow up. Also in the experimental group, ratings of the therapeutic alliance showed an early and sustained improvement during treatment, coupled with a progressive decrease in intrapersonal distress. Conclusion These findings suggest that integrating animal-assisted components within trauma-focused treatments may support therapeutic engagement and emotional regulation in children exposed to IPV. The Leaving a Mark program represents a promising adjunctive approach for promoting behavioral and emotional well-being in this population.