Date of Award
Spring 2023
Document Type
Distinction Paper
Degree Name
Psychology-BS
Department
Psychology
Advisor
Dr. Cynthia Laurie-Rose
First Committee Member
Dr. Michele Acker
Second Committee Member
Dr. Jim Bowling
Keywords
Therapy Dogs, Emotional Regulation, Grit, High School Classroom, Facility Dog, Mental Well-being
Subject Categories
Higher Education
Abstract
The purpose of this pilot study was to examine influences of interaction with a trained facility therapy dog on a sample of high school students. Much of the existing literature on animal assisted therapy interaction engages with populations of younger children, college-aged adults, the elderly. This small sample (n=8) of adolescents provides insight into a population that despite benefiting from the interventions, is not widely studied. Emotional regulation and grit inventories were used to compare scores before and after direct interactions with the therapy dog. Emotional regulation scores improved following direct exposure to the therapy dog over a one-week period, although grit scores did not. This exploratory study suggests two lines of research: the impact of a facility dog on adolescent populations in schools, and the possible role of emotional regulation as the mechanism that underlays the promotion of well-being with therapy dog interaction.
Licensing Permission
Copyright, all rights reserved. Fair Use
Acknowledgement 1
1
Acknowledgement 2
1
Recommended Citation
Downing, Carley E., "Dog Days: Does Interaction with a Therapy Dog Improve the Well-being in a High School Classroom?" (2023). Undergraduate Distinction Papers. 104.
https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/stu_dist/104