We all knew that it was true: now there’s science to back it up.
A study conducted at Virginia Commonwealth University has found that interacting with stress dogs significantly reduces perceived stress of college students during exam week. This study is part of a growing body of evidence that supports the health benefits of companion animals.
The study focuses on seventy-eight students the week before final exams in the fall semester. The students spent fifteen minutes with a therapy dog and fifteen minutes in a control condition, without a dog. According to the study, whether or not the student in question spent time with the dog first or in the control condition first, the stress reduction was significant.
Heightened exam stress in college students has been associated with poorer academic performance, depression, high levels of anxiety, and low student expectations for their grades. Providing students with access to a therapy dog is a low-cost way to combat dangerous levels of stress that requires few professional resources.
More information on this study can be found here!