Effect of Animal-Assisted Intervention on Graduate Students’ Perceptions of Well-being: Insights from Occupational Therapy

Problem Statement: There is a growing concern regarding college student well-being that requires a need for implementation of cost-effective interventions addressing the increasing number of students experiencing negative mental health symptoms. Studies from medical and educational settings suggested positive mental health benefits from animal assisted intervention (AAI). Researchers studying college students exposed to animals during periods of high academic stress demonstrated successful reductions in stress and anxiety; however, researchers have not examined a specific area of dosage, including the influence of recurring AAI (more than one session) in the graduatestudent population. Furthermore, researchers have failed to include each element of dosage in their studies. Purpose: This study investigated the effects of AAI on well-being, including QOL, stress, anxiety, occupational performance, and adjustment with graduate college students. Methodology: A quantitative, experimental, within and between subjects, pre-post randomized control trial was implemented. Procedures:Recruitment included 104 participants. Participants in the experimental group engaged in a recurring weekly 35-minute AAI intervention for six weeks. Participants in the control were told they are on a waitlist and were given the opportunity to engage in the intervention following posttest data collection. Data Analyses: A one-way ANCOVA analyzed between subjects data and paired t-tests analyzed within subjects data. Graduate college students experienced a statistically significant effect in three areas of well-being, including increased QOL, decreased stress and anxiety. Students did not experience significant effects in the areas of occupational performance and adjustment to the graduatestudent role

Should Dogs Have a Seat in the Classroom? The Effects of Canine Assisted Education on College Student Mental Health

Students continue to face an increase in mental health concerns related to their role of being college students, including increased academic expectations; organizational and time management demands; and, often, a transition to an independent living situation. Mental health symptoms, such as stress and anxiety, have negatively affected students’ academic performance more than any other factors in college students’ lives, and nontraditional inexpensive interventions that can reach a large number of students, such as animal assisted intervention, continue to be explored. Thus, the researchers in this study investigated the effects of canine assisted education (CAE) on students’ stress and anxiety, distractibility, and participation in the natural environment of a college classroom. A quantitative quasi-experimental, one-group pre-test/post-test design was implemented in which participants completed a pre-test survey, experienced 5 weeks of CAE, and then completed a post-test survey. Wilcoxon signed-rank analysis revealed a significant effect for stress and anxiety (p = .033) and participation (p =.009). Findings add to the body of literature attesting to the efficacy of CAE in support student well-being and optimizing learning conditions for students

Retrospective Study of Healthcare Resources Developed for Patients by Interprofessional Teams

Wayne State University (WSU) emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary education by having students participate in an Interprofessional Team Visit (IPTV) program. A 60-minute virtual visit is conducted to assess adults aged over 50 years within the Detroit Metropolitan Area (Metro Detroit) community. This project was designed to prepare healthcare students in evaluating the mental, physical, and social health aspects of assigned patients based on specific disciplinary assessments. Upon completion of assessments, the interdisciplinary team provided the patient with resources based on the team and the patient\u27s agreed-upon area of concern. Twenty-eight IPTV teams, consisting of a medical and occupational therapy student and a healthcare professional student from another discipline studying at WSU, were randomly created. The IPTV resource guides created by each team were reviewed and sorted into two categories based on the health or social need of the individual patient. The data identified three main areas of interest, which included medication management, diet and exercise plans, and the use of technology to stay connected to medical professionals, friends, and family. The purpose of this report is to assess the IPTV program’s findings and analyze patients’ concerns based on health or social needs and the resources presented to them

Defining Terms Used for Animals Working in Support Roles for People with Support Needs.

The nomenclature used to describe animals working in roles supporting people can be confusing. The same term may be used to describe different roles, or two terms may mean the same thing. This confusion is evident among researchers, practitioners, and end users. Because certain animal roles are provided with legal protections and/or government-funding support in some jurisdictions, it is necessary to clearly define the existing terms to avoid confusion. The aim of this paper is to provide operationalized definitions for nine terms, which would be useful in many world regions: "assistance animal", "companion animal", "educational/school support animal", "emotional support animal", "facility animal", "service animal", "skilled companion animal", "therapy animal", and "visiting/visitation animal". At the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) conferences in 2018 and 2020, over 100 delegates participated in workshops to define these terms, many of whom co-authored this paper. Through an iterative process, we have defined the nine terms and explained how they differ from each other. We recommend phasing out two terms (i.e., "skilled companion animal" and "service animal") due to overlap with other terms that could potentially exacerbate confusion. The implications for several regions of the world are discussed

Defining Terms Used for Animals Working in Support Roles for People with Support Needs

The nomenclature used to describe animals working in roles supporting people can be confusing. The same term may be used to describe different roles, or two terms may mean the same thing. This confusion is evident among researchers, practitioners, and end users. Because certain animal roles are provided with legal protections and/or government-funding support in some jurisdictions, it is necessary to clearly define the existing terms to avoid confusion. The aim of this paper is to provide operationalized definitions for nine terms, which would be useful in many world regions: “assistance animal”, “companion animal”, “educational/school support animal”, “emotional support animal”, “facility animal”, “service animal”, “skilled companion animal”, “therapy animal”, and “visiting/visitation animal”. At the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) conferences in 2018 and 2020, over 100 delegates participated in workshops to define these terms, many of whom co-authored this paper. Through an iterative process, we have defined the nine terms and explained how they differ from each other. We recommend phasing out two terms (i.e., “skilled companion animal” and “service animal”) due to overlap with other terms that could potentially exacerbate confusion. The implications for several regions of the world are discussed