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Our research objective was to determine if animal-assisted activities (AAA) reduce the physiological and psychological stress levels of first-year female undergraduates. In study I, 27 first-year college women and 9 privately owned registered therapy dogs were recruited. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and psychological stress and arousal level were measured and analyzed. In study II, we recruited 61 first-year female students (34 experimental and 28 control) who interacted with 7 registered pet therapy dogs. Salivary cortisol level and psychological stress and arousal level were measured and analyzed for a dog-therapy group and a control group. Animal-assisted activities were associated with a significant decrease in psychological stress and increase in psychological arousal in both studies. There were no significant effects of AAA on diastolic BP, HR, or salivary cortisol level. Our findings indicated that AAA could provide an inexpensive approach to alleviating psychological stress in students and, potentially, other populations of young adults.
Animals, especially pets, are a source of support and comfort for many people (Cirulli, Borgi, Berry, Francia, & Alleva et al., 2011). A variety of medical organizations are interested in researching the psychological and physiological health benefits of the human-pet bond through animal-assisted programs (Palley, O'Rourke & Niemi, 2012). These programs are applied to a range of populations, including elderly persons with dementia, autistic children, and drug addicts, and in a range of settings such as hospitals, schools, and prisons (Cirulli et al., 2011; Palley et al., 2012). Psychological and physiological benefits of animalassisted interventions include improvement in depression, loneliness, blood pressure (BP), and stress (Krause-Parello, Tychowski, Gonzalez, & Boyd, 2012; Walsh, 2009). Animals, through emotional attachment and physical contact, are capable of stimulating the release of neurotransmitters (e.g., oxytocin, endorphins) that promote relaxation, inner-peace, self-esteem, nurturing, and overall well-being (Nagasawa et al., 2015; Pugliese, Famulari & Britti, 2010). Interventions using dogs, cats, and other social animals have proven to be useful with children. For example, the incorporation of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in treatment plans that had specific intervention or education goals contributed to positive psychosocial development and emotional stability of children. Therapy animals are thought to be perceived as non-judgmental participants by children and to provide unique avenues of support during the treatment process (Friesen, 2010). Based on positive results...