Multiple studies have been conducted and have concluded that dogs do have a positive impact on both physical and mental health. When it comes to mental health, researchers have found that dog-interaction has decreased stress levels. Stress levels have a negative relationship with self-efficacy levels (Khashbat, 2017). Research that has been conducted has shown both benefits, such as lower stress levels, and drawbacks, such as allergies, to incorporating dogs into places like colleges and the workplace. Can dog ownership create more productive and successful workers and students? The purpose of my research is to see if dog ownership has a positive relationship with self-efficacy and productivity levels. Self-efficacy and productivity are important because a student or employee who has high levels of these characteristics will generally stop at nothing to complete a task. The mediating factor between dog ownership and self-efficacy levels is stress levels. To test my hypothesis, I prepared an online survey that first asks for consent for both the survey and Cohen Stress Scale, and then questions for demographics, dog ownership questions, and self-reported self-efficacy ratings (GPA and determination-level). Then, participants had a choice of whether they would like to participate in an online Cohen Stress Scale, which they filled out and sent back through email. After data collection, I searched for relationship in dog owners’ stress levels and self-efficacy levels. Results showed that dog ownership and self-efficacy levels have a positive relationship, and in dog owners, there is a negative relationship between stress levels and levels of self-efficacy
