Bente Berget and Bjarne Braastad of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (OTCBB:LFSC) in As, Norway, conducted a randomized controlled study of 90 patients -- 59 women and 31 men -- with schizophrenia, affective disorders, anxiety and personality disorders. The study subjects completed self-assessment questionnaires on quality of life, coping ability and self-efficacy -- self-judgment of goal meeting capabilities -- before a 12-week period spending three hours twice a week working with the farm animals.

"During the six months follow-up period self-efficacy was significantly better in the treatment group, but not in the control group," the researchers said in a statement.

The use of farms in promoting human mental and physical health in cooperation with health authorities is increasing in Europe and the United States, the study authors said.

The findings were published in the journal Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health.