PAWSing Student Stress

What did the researcher do?

The researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, University of Regina, and McMaster University examined the effects that the St. John Ambulance Dog Program has on students from those three institutions. 726 students in total attended dog visit sessions with 403 of them completing the required questionnaire at the end of the session. Questionnaires included questions, such as “what was your reason for coming to the therapy dog event?”, “are you glad that you came to the event, and why?”, “what words would you use to describe your experience with the therapy dogs?” and “would you recommend the event to other students, and why?”. They also included questions that asked respondents to identify, on a 5-point scale, how the program influences outcomes, such as stress and anxiety. Dog handlers and observers at the event answered similar questions.

The researchers then contacted 187 students three months after the sessions to examine the long-terms effects of the Therapy Dog program to collected information on what the students remembered about the event, how the event affected the way they currently handle stress, and the overall value of the event.

What did the researcher find?

• Therapy dogs unequivocally offered love and support to students. Nearly all the students who attended the Therapy Dog event reported that they felt loved/comforted by the dogs. In addition, almost all of the students reported that the therapy dogs helped them to de-stress, feel calm and relaxed after spending time with the dogs, and not feel more anxious.
• A higher proportion of females than males attended these events to reduce their stress. This finding, coupled with recent literature, raises particular concerns about the increased levels of stress female students may be experiencing.
• The dog handler was also identified as a source of support for students at these events.

How can this research be used?

This research is useful to universities for many reasons. Universities can also use the results of this research to make decisions on whether they should offer a Therapy Dog program or whether they should continue their existing program. Schools can also consider how they can include the Therapy Dog program in their existing mental health services on campus. This can help schools provide students with a caring and supportive environment during stressful periods, such as during the exam season.