The effect of animal-assisted intervention on undergraduate students' perception of momentary stress

Student mental wellness is a priority in higher education. Animal Assisted Interventions (AAIs') are gaining momentum in universities across North America (Dell et al., 2015). This study explored the relationships between AAIs', demographic variables, and perceived momentary stress among u...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in psychology 2023, Vol.14, p.1253104-1253104
Main Authors: Chute, Andrea, Vihos, Jill, Johnston, Sharon, Buro, Karen, Velupillai, Nirudika
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
animal assisted interventions
demographic characteristics
mental health
student stress
university students
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Student mental wellness is a priority in higher education. Animal Assisted Interventions (AAIs') are gaining momentum in universities across North America (Dell et al., 2015). This study explored the relationships between AAIs', demographic variables, and perceived momentary stress among university students. Using a descriptive correlational design, students completed a Perceived Momentary Stress questionnaire that included the Stress Numerical Rating Scale-11 (Stress NRS-11) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to measure perceived stress before and after AAIs'. Data were analyzed using R (4.1.2) (R Core Team, Vienna, Austria) to identify relationships between students' perceptions of momentary stress, AAIs' and sociodemographic and demographic variables. First-year students, female students, and students identifying as sexual minorities were found to benefit the most from AAIs'. Results from this study reflect relationships between exposure to animal-assisted interventions and student demographic variables.
ISSN:1664-1078
1664-1078
DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1253104