In several American universities, a “therapy dog” welcomes students for a moment of petting to help fight against stress.
- Students who spend even ten minutes petting a cat or dog have seen their levels of cortisol – the stress hormone – drop significantly.
- Students reported feeling less stressed around exams thanks to the therapy dogs.
- The positive effect of these sessions seems to be shared by the dogs as well.
The dog is man’s best friend and it is good for his health. Recently, researchers have shown that stroking your dog improves well-being. A discovery that has not escaped several American universities which rely on cuddly therapy to fight against student stress. The Conversation takes the example of two of them, a private one in the northeast of the country and another public in the Midwest, where a therapy dog awaits the students for a session of tenderness and caress.
Lower cortisol levels
In the second American college, students are conducting research on the effects of cuddle therapy on other students. “It was really a comfort to be able to pet this animal, especially when I started to miss my family and my own dog.”, recounted a student who enjoyed a canine moment. Another student who benefited from the program explained that the time spent with the dog helped him during exams. “I felt like it allowed me to relax before stressful deadlines”, he related.
This type of program, increasingly common on American campuses, is called dog-assisted interventions. Early experiments show that it helps students strengthen their sense of belonging, better deal with homesickness and loneliness, while reducing anxiety and stress. A study published on June 12, 2019 conducted by theAmerican Educational Research Association found that students who spent even ten minutes petting a cat or dog saw their levels of cortisol – the stress hormone – drop significantly.
Positive sessions also for dogs
Universities choose different ways to organize these animal encounters. Some opt for multiple visits from a dog and handler over the course of a semester, allowing students to meet the dog one at a time or in small groups. In other cases, things are more structured: a number of students are sponsored by a therapy dog and his handler, and there are times to meet them. In the majority of cases, the programs are coordinated by teachers or by staff from different departments such as psychologists or student services coordinators.
The positive effect of these sessions seems to be shared by the dogs as well. Many masters would have told students that their companions were excited when the date of the visit to the university came around, and even happier when they arrived close to campus.
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