PAWSing Student Stress: A Pilot Evaluation Study of the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program on Three University Campuses in Canada

Authors

  • Colleen Anne Dell University of Saskatchewan
  • Darlene Chalmers
  • James Gillett
  • Betty Rohr
  • Chelsea Nickel
  • Lori Campbell
  • Rita Hanoski
  • Josh Haguerud
  • Alicia Husband
  • Coby Stephenson
  • Madison Brydges

Keywords:

applied practice

Abstract

Student mental health is a concern on university campuses, and animal-assisted interventions are one response. This article presents the immediate and three-month follow-up outcomes of a pilot evaluation study of the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog program at three Canadian universities. Analyzing a sample of 403 students and 16 handlers/observers at the events and 87 students at follow-up, we found that the therapy dogs offer love and support. Love is understood as having reciprocal love for the dogs and gaining positive feelings from visiting with them. Support is understood as destressing and relaxing by interacting with the dogs. Implications for mental health supports for university students are suggested.

Author Biographies

Colleen Anne Dell, University of Saskatchewan

Professor & Research Chair in Substance Abuse

Darlene Chalmers

Assistant Professor

James Gillett

Associate Professor

Betty Rohr

Researcher

Chelsea Nickel

Student

Lori Campbell

Associate Dean

Rita Hanoski

Nurse

Josh Haguerud

St. John Ambulance Pet Therapy Program Manager

Alicia Husband

Research assistant

Coby Stephenson

Student administration

Madison Brydges

Student

Downloads

Published

2015-10-02

How to Cite

Dell, C. A., Chalmers, D., Gillett, J., Rohr, B., Nickel, C., Campbell, L., Hanoski, R., Haguerud, J., Husband, A., Stephenson, C., & Brydges, M. (2015). PAWSing Student Stress: A Pilot Evaluation Study of the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program on Three University Campuses in Canada. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 49(4). Retrieved from https://dev.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/rcc/article/view/61079

Issue

Section

Articles/ Articles