A recent study published in Pets has revealed promising evidence that therapy dog programs can significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and depression among university students in their first year of study. The findings underscore the potential benefits of regular access to therapy animals as a way to support students adjusting to the pressures of university life.
The Rising Mental Health Crisis Among University Students
Across the globe, university students face increasing levels of stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. The transition to university life, particularly during the first semester, can be particularly overwhelming, with many students grappling with the emotional and psychological toll of adjusting to new surroundings and academic pressures. Research has shown that emotional well-being often declines during this period.
First-year students who leave their pets behind when moving to campus may be especially vulnerable, as approximately 25% of them experience significant separation anxiety in the weeks after their arrival.
Given that 70% of American households own pets and four in five pet owners consider their pets to be part of the family, the loss of this emotional support system can compound the stress of university life. This combination of factors can negatively affect academic performance, increase the likelihood of dropping out, and heighten the risk of developing mental health disorders.
While many universities offer animal visitation programs (AVPs) to provide short-term interactions with animals—typically during finals week—there is growing interest in drop-in programs that allow students to regularly access therapy animals when needed.
Study Design and Methodology
To investigate the impact of therapy dog programs on students’ mental health, researchers used an experimental design to assess the effects of a two-hour drop-in AVP session every two weeks throughout the semester. The sessions allowed students to engage in unstructured interactions with trained therapy dogs.
Students were recruited in the summer before their first semester at university. To be eligible, participants had to be at least 18 years old, have a pet at home, complete a questionnaire assessing their attachment to their pet, and disclose any prior mental health challenges.
Of the students who were invited to participate, 209 consented to join the study, and 105 were randomly assigned to the experimental group, while the remainder were placed on a waitlist as a control group. The waitlisted students were given access to the therapy dog program after the semester ended.
Nearly 90% of participants in the experimental group owned dogs, while about half had cats. The majority of participants (85%) were women, and 86% identified as Caucasian. Nearly half of the students reported experiencing mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, self-harm, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Key Findings
The study focused on students who reported high levels of separation anxiety at the start of the semester and completed at least one subsequent mental health assessment. These assessments tracked symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, worry, emotional regulation, and self-compassion throughout the semester.
The results showed that students who had access to the AVP program maintained stable levels of depressive symptoms, unlike the waitlisted students, whose depression levels increased significantly over time. Additionally, students who attended more AVP sessions experienced a marked reduction in stress, with anxiety levels decreasing over the course of the semester for both experimental and control groups.
However, the study revealed that students in the experimental group had a slightly greater decrease in worry levels compared to those on the waitlist. Moreover, while emotional regulation showed little change for both groups, students who participated in the therapy dog sessions experienced a significant increase in self-compassion, while those in the control group saw a decline in this area.
Conclusion
The study’s findings suggest that regular access to therapy dogs can provide significant mental health benefits to first-year students, especially those dealing with separation anxiety. Therapy dog programs not only helped stabilize levels of stress, anxiety, and depression but also improved self-compassion among students, promoting better overall well-being.
As university students navigate the stresses of their first year, the evidence points to the importance of animal-assisted therapy programs in supporting their emotional resilience and helping them adjust to their new academic environment. These programs offer a valuable resource for students seeking to cope with the challenges of university life, particularly for those who experience the emotional strain of leaving their pets behind.
The results of the study suggest that universities should consider expanding drop-in therapy dog programs to provide more consistent and accessible support for students facing the stresses of transitioning to higher education.
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