Title
Do dogs enhance psychological well-being in college students? Results of a 6-week controlled trial of pet therapy
Department, Center, or Institute
Psychology
Presentation Format
Department Organized Oral Session
Presentation Type
On-campus research
Description
Although the presence of dogs and pet therapy programs on college campuses is increasing, evidence of their effectiveness for reducing stress and improving well-being among students is lacking from rigorous, well-designed studies. We recruited first year and sophomore students and randomly assigned them to either watch a brief video about dogs or interact with a live dog for 30 minutes a week for 6 weeks. Before and after the 6-week trial period, we assessed a host of constructs related to psychological well-being via online survey. The live dog group did not significantly differ from the video group on any of the measures. Implications of these findings for pet therapy programs on college campuses will be discussed.
Department Organized Oral Session Title
Psychology Department Research Talks
Moderator/Professor
Kerstin Blomquist, Psychology
Session Number
2
Start Date and Time
4-9-2019 11:15 AM
Location
Johns Hall 105
Recommended Citation
Li, Tianjiao; Lippert, Catherine; and Parker, Donovan, "Do dogs enhance psychological well-being in college students? Results of a 6-week controlled trial of pet therapy" (2019). Furman Engaged!. 442.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/furmanengaged/2019/all/442
Do dogs enhance psychological well-being in college students? Results of a 6-week controlled trial of pet therapy
Johns Hall 105
Although the presence of dogs and pet therapy programs on college campuses is increasing, evidence of their effectiveness for reducing stress and improving well-being among students is lacking from rigorous, well-designed studies. We recruited first year and sophomore students and randomly assigned them to either watch a brief video about dogs or interact with a live dog for 30 minutes a week for 6 weeks. Before and after the 6-week trial period, we assessed a host of constructs related to psychological well-being via online survey. The live dog group did not significantly differ from the video group on any of the measures. Implications of these findings for pet therapy programs on college campuses will be discussed.