A study released by VCU’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction suggests that exposi
A study released by VCU’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction suggests that exposing stressed out students to pets in need of attention during finals week can improve test performance, or at least make students feel better between test sessions.
“Bringing therapy dogs onto campus is a low-cost intervention that doesn’t have any side effects,” said first author Sandra Barker, Ph.D., CHAI director and professor of psychiatry at the VCU School of Medicine. “This study should serve as encouragement for other universities to consider activities with therapy dogs as a way to help address stress before final exams.”
I’m not sure what the school-funded alternative (IE, high-cost intervention) would be unless it’s like free pickle-back shots between tests, but I’m guessing that’s not the case.
The actual study involved pairing up students with therapy dogs in one-on-on 15 min sessions. Prior to the session, students filled out a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), a stress visual analog scale (SVAS), and provided saliva for measuring nerve growth factor (sNGF) and alpha amylase (sAA). Saliva samples and SVAS were again collected after each condition.
There was also a group of students who took these tests and weren’t offered time with dogs (the control group) who must have been real bummed to have spit in a cup and not gotten any cuddles.
The tests were completed, with each student getting that 1/4 hour of animal time around finals season, and sadly didn’t find much change in the psychological stress levels (cup-spit science showed no change in nerve growth, etc.) but it did show improvement in perceived stress levels which works considering the short term nature of finals.
“Perceived stress is an important indicator of stress,” Barker said in a statement. “In previous studies, elevated exam stress has been associated with increased tension and depression, poorer academic performance and lower student expectations of their grades. Exam stress has also been negatively associated with immune function.”
Our intrepid intern/contributor/VCU student Taylor Knight said she’s seen the dog-cuddle programs advertised in email blasts but she admits she hasn’t actually attended them. But after hearing about the results of this tests she said she might keep a better eye out for the next available cuddle time.
“I figure it couldn’t hurt to snuggle with a dog on campus between finals,” she said.
We agree, but we never really turn down snuggles.
