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Additional psychological benefits of therapy dog programs in educational settings are that they can provide comfort, companionship, a diversion to unpleasant thoughts or situations, can lessen resistance and expedite the development of a relationship in the therapy process, and can help people feel more comfortable in a new situation. [1]
Psychological Benefits in School Setting
The University of Connecticut uses therapy dogs in their program Paws to Relax, available during finals week to help students deal with increased anxiety. The school uses them in other stressful situations, including suicides and deadly automobile accidents. [2] Since 2011, Yale Law School has used therapy dogs to aid students experiencing stress. [3]
Stressful Situations in Educational Settings
On December 14, 2012, therapy dogs were brought to the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut following the shooting and deaths of 26 people, providing comfort to children and parents. Previously used therapy dogs to offer comfort to faculty, staff and students following the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting in Blacksburg, Virginia when 32 people were killed. [4]
Researchers have identified further cognitive benefits of therapy dogs which include an increase in mental stimulation and assistance in the recall of memories as well as help in sequencing temporal events in patients with head injuries or chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. [5]
Physical Benefits
Interaction with therapy dogs improves cardiovascular health and as a result, can decrease the amount of medications some people need. As stress lessens in those feeling anxious, breathing slows down. Further, humans petting animals promoted the release of hormones that can elevate moods specifically serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin.[6]
Social Benefits
Promotes greater self-esteem in students and encouraged positive interactions with peers and their teachers. [7] Additionally, children with autism demonstrated increased verbal abilities as well as social interaction with their therapy sessions when animals were present compared to traditional therapy sessions without them. [8]
- ^ “Animal-Assisted Therapy Research Findings”, https://www.uclahealth.org/pac/animal-assisted-therapy
- ^ “10 Colleges with Successful Pet Therapy Programs”, https://deafdogsrock.com/10-colleges-with-successful-pet-therapy-programs
- ^ “The Benefits of Therapy Dogs in Classrooms and on College Campuses”, https://www.therapydogs.com/therapy-dogs-classrooms-campuses/
- ^ “The Benefits of Therapy Dogs in Classrooms and on College Campuses”, https://www.therapydogs.com/therapy-dogs-classrooms-campuses/
- ^ “Animal-Assisted Therapy Research Findings”, https://www.uclahealth.org/pac/animal-assisted-therapy
- ^ “Animal-Assisted Therapy Research Findings”, https://www.uclahealth.org/pac/animal-assisted-therapy
- ^ “The Benefits of Therapy Dogs in Classrooms and on College Campuses”, https://www.therapydogs.com/therapy-dogs-classrooms-campuses/
- ^ “Animal-Assisted Therapy Research Findings”, https://www.uclahealth.org/pac/animal-assisted-therapy