Weekly therapy dog interactions produced measurable social and emotional benefits for graduate students in health science programs. Twenty-five students met weekly for up to two hours over seven weeks to pet, play with, brush, hold, and walk therapy dogs, completing pre- and post-session surveys to gauge feelings and intervention effects. Animal interventions can mitigate homesickness for first-year students, reduce academic stress for nursing students, increase comfort and social connection during "dog office hours," and motivate physical activity via canine fitness courses. Graduate students face high anxiety and barriers to campus services, so targeted offerings can improve access and uptake.
Therapy dogs are often touted as a way to give students a reprieve from busy academic schedules or remind them of their own pets at home, but a recent study from Chatham University found that engagement with therapy dogs can instill a sense of social connection for students at all levels. An occupational therapy student at Chatham who researched how weekly therapy dog interactions could impact graduate students in health science programs found that the encounters produced benefits for students' social and emotional health.
The background: Past research shows animal interventions can mitigate homesickness for first-year students who miss their pets and academic stress for nursing students. Students who participate in "dog office hours" also experience increased social connection and comfort. Shelter dogs can also motivate students' physical well-being, as demonstrated by the University of South Carolina's canine fitness course.
Graduate students in health science programs, in particular, report high rates of anxiety, depression and stress, according to the study. Regardless of their program of study, graduate students also tend to be removed from general campus services and activities due to physical campus layouts, residing and working off campus, or a misalignment of schedules between resources and their responsibilities. Therefore, identifying services specifically for graduate students can improve their access and uptake.
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