The Antidote to College Problems May Be a Therapy Dog
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iStock/Thinkstock(ATLANTA) — Therapy dogs are not just for the physically disabled or the elderly anymore. In an effort to relieve the loneliness and other emotional problems felt by many students, three colleges partnered to learn if therapy dogs could also be of help on campuses.
The results, as reported by Georgia State University, Idaho State University and Savannah College of Art and Design, were that symptoms of loneliness and anxiety fell by 60 percent when students interacted with a therapy dog.
During the experiment, students showed up twice a month at a college counseling center to do whatever activity they liked with the dog for up to two hours under the supervision of a licensed mental health practitioner.
Ultimately, most said their time with the pet was the most significant part of the counseling session.
Researcher Franco Dispenza agreed that therapy animals can prove invaluable given the pressures and stress of college life these days, which can be exacerbated by problems students may have already had before entering a school.
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