research on therapy dogs in schools

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Front Vet Sci

Therapy Dogs in Educational Settings: Guidelines and Recommendations for Implementation

Associated data.

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Therapy dogs in educational settings have gained increase traction in recent years. Despite its potential benefits and popularity, there remain concerns of perceived risks such as sanitation, allergies, and safety issues, as well as a lack of guidelines, regulations and support resources available to school staff. Research is further lacking into the implementation process of therapy dog programs in educational settings. To construct a set of recommendations for school staff to achieve successful implementation of a therapy dog program, the present study investigated the perceived facilitative and impeding factors when implementing a therapy dog program. A total of 13 school staff and 2 coordinators from therapy dog organisations took part in an open-ended online survey and/or a semi-structured interview over the phone, with the aim of gathering their perspectives of implementing a therapy dog program in schools. The thematic analysis of the data indicated facilitative factors such as program flexibility, whole-school support, the need for communication and training for all staff, as well as dog welfare. Successful implementation of therapy dogs in an education setting appear to revolve around (1) flexibility of the dog therapy program to target school's needs, (2) qualities of program instigator, (3) whole-school support, (4) communication, training and education, (5) considerations for dog's welfare. Key barriers identified included a high workload, lack of guidelines on processes, lack of support from the school community, as well as the need for better understanding of the role of a therapy dog. The results highlighted the importance of a whole-school effort when implementing a therapy dog program, as well as the need for guidelines for assessing school readiness, key factors for consideration, and strategies to overcome challenges associated with program implementation.

Introduction

Therapy dogs and therapy dog organisations.

Therapy dogs in educational settings have gained traction in recent times. Increasingly, dogs have provided therapeutic support in early education settings, primary and secondary schools, as well as university settings to support students' well-being, promote a sense of belonging in school, reduce stress and anxiety, and even facilitate learning ( 1 – 3 ). Across the globe, the incorporation of a therapy dog as part of a school programs and activities such as dog-assisted reading programs, has increased exponentially in prevalence. For example, therapy dog organisations in Australia which conduct dog-assisted reading programs now include Story Dogs which originated in New South Wales, Delta Classroom Canines™ from Victoria, and Special Human Animal Relationships in Education (S.H.A.R.E. Reading Dogs program) from Gold Coast. Story Dogs, for example, presently partners with 247 schools across Australia and works with over 2,100 children each week ( 1 , 4 ).

Several terms describe how dogs provide therapeutic benefit. A therapy dog refers to a dog trained to provide therapeutic benefit mainly through Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI), or Animal-Assisted Education (AAE) ( 2 ). AAI, Animal Assisted Interventions, is an umbrella term that encompasses AAT, AAE, Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) and Animal Assisted Counselling (AAC) ( 5 ). The dog themselves do not provide therapy, but rather how they are engaged and connected with in the program is what may be therapeutic. The authors use the term “therapy dog” to attempt to differentiate between trained dogs for a purpose vs. dogs that have not undertaken training or are not accredited dogs. Therapy dogs are not therapists. Work with a dog may be therapeutic or it may be an activity such coaching or assisted reading where the dog's role is to be present but not necessarily actively engaged.

Therapy dogs are first selected for their temperament and subsequently trained together with their handler, usually by therapy dog organisations, to be calm and obedient such that there are able to provide emotional support, comfort, and companionship to different individuals in various educational, health care, and community settings ( 2 ). In AAT, the therapy dog forms part of a professional therapeutic treatment with a professional to deliver a specialised expertise and practise based on the professional's profession ( 2 ). For example, assisting a psychologist to provide regular, structured, and tailored intervention for a client with mental health concerns. In AAA, the relationship is more casual and typically designed to achieve broader goals and handled by volunteers who may not have specific professional training to provide interventions ( 6 , 7 ). An example of a therapy dog being involved in AAI is providing general comfort and companionship to patients at a hospital or to students at a university before an examination. Lastly in AAE, the therapy dog is in an educational setting to facilitate in the learning and education of students, for example, through dog-assisted reading programs. Therapy dogs are distinctively different from service or guide dogs, with the latter trained for the purpose of meeting the specific needs of one individual in the long term. For example, a service dog assisting a child with epilepsy is specifically trained to identify signs of a seizure, or a guide dog supporting an individual who is visually impaired to be independent in daily functioning.

Impact of Therapy Dogs on Children's Well-Being and Learning

There is preliminary evidence which suggests that therapy dogs can enhance children's well-being in a variety of settings from schools, hospitals, airports, and courtrooms. Therapy dogs have been found to reduce physiological symptoms of stress through lowering cortisol levels ( 8 ), increasing positive emotions ( 1 , 9 – 13 ), promoting engagement in learning activities and positive attitudes toward learning ( 6 , 11 , 14 , 15 ), reducing negative behaviours like task avoidance and aggression in the classroom ( 16 – 19 ), as well as encouraging prosocial behaviours and acting as a “social catalyst” to facilitate social interactions with others ( 16 – 18 , 20 , 21 ).

In addition, there is evidence indicating an association between well-being and learning outcomes ( 22 – 25 ). Children with higher levels of well-being learn more effectively, have lower levels of absenteeism at school, better academic engagement, and also have more satisfying and successful peer relationships ( 24 , 25 ). There is also an association between children's well-being and reading outcomes ( 22 , 23 ). Research on therapy dogs involved in facilitating well-being and learning outcomes such as reading through dog-assisted reading programs have found some promising results, although there are methodological limitations in some studies. For example, challenges in associating improvements to the therapy dog vs. other factors such as the program or person implementing the program. Despite these limitations, a systematic literature review by Hall et al. ( 26 ) found that dog-assisted reading programs generally show promising results such as gains in reading skills (e.g., reading accuracy, oral reading fluency, comprehension), as well as more positive attitudes and improved behaviours toward reading. While further research is warranted, researchers have proposed that participation in a therapy dog program like dog-assisted programs can lead to improvements in emotional and behavioural processes (e.g., reduced anxiety, increased self-esteem, enhanced motivation and hence, overall well-being), which in turn can facilitate learning and contribute to gains in learning outcomes like reading ( 26 ).

Concerns, Risks, and Objections

Despite the potential benefits of a therapy dog program, there are several concerns and challenges which might arise from successfully introducing a therapy dog into a school context. Primary concerns by schools include legal implications and liability, allergy concerns, hygiene and sanitation concerns, safety concerns, cultural differences, fear of dogs, animal welfare, funding associated with animal maintenance and program implementation, as well as a lack of administrative support ( 2 , 27 – 32 ).

The most common objection for introducing a therapy dog into a school setting is sanitation concerns. There is a common perception that dogs can be potential carriers of diseases and infections which can then be transmitted to human beings ( 30 ). Allergies due to animal dander, the most common source of allergic reactions, as well as safety concerns around dog bites in children and perceptions of dogs being fierce, aggressive, or protective in nature, are also major deterrents to approving the incorporation of a therapy dog in schools ( 28 , 30 ). Some cultures also regard dogs as unsanitary ( 28 , 30 ). In addition, there are ethical issues surrounding animal welfare such as ensuring that the therapy dog's needs are met in the school setting, is safe, and is not overworked ( 33 ).

Another barrier to implementing therapy dogs and programs into schools is funding as well as a lack of administrative and staff support. There are substantial costs involving a therapy dog. In addition to the usual costs associated with owning a dog, the costs associated with annual veterinary check-ups, vaccinations, as well as therapy dog training can be quite substantial ( 32 ). Most therapy dog work is voluntary ( 32 ). In school settings, it is usually the school counsellor, psychologist, teacher or principal who acts as both the owner and handler of the school's therapy dog ( 32 ). The handler usually takes on additional duties associated with the therapy dog on top of their usual duties. It has been found that a high staff workload is a negative factor of therapy dog program implementation across multiple settings ( 34 , 35 ). Often, the handler is responsible to feed, water, walk, groom, and care for the dog, in addition to planning and running all aspects of the therapy dog program independently ( 36 ). A lack of knowledge as well as resistance amongst other staff due to various reasons during the phases of therapy dog planning and implementation is also another challenge which handlers need to navigate. Overall, staff burnout, staffing and workload concerns, as well as staff attitudes toward a therapy dog program are key factors which require consideration before implementing a therapy dog program as they can have a significant negative effect on the uptake of therapy dog programs into multiple facilities ( 34 , 37 ). The preceding objections and concerns thus need to be addressed in future research and recognised as barriers to implementing programs in schools, in an effort for children to reap the potential benefits therapy dogs have to offer.

Implementation Science in Educational Settings

Implementation science promotes research findings in healthcare, community and policy contexts ( 38 ). It seeks to bridge the gap between research findings and applying those findings in real-world settings in a way that optimises positive outcomes ( 38 ). Implementation is not a single event but a process. To understand how successful a given implementation process is working, several factors including the acceptability of the program, appropriateness, adoption, feasibility, fidelity, implementation cost, coverage and sustainability need to be considered ( 39 , 40 ).

A scoping review of program implementation in the education setting identified several key factors for consideration when implementing a program ( 39 ). They found that implementation fidelity—the degree to which the intervention has been implemented as intended by its developers—was the most acknowledged and measured outcome for successful implementation of programs in education settings. Training and ongoing support for all stakeholders and participants through the provision of single or multiple days of workshop activities, as well as the provision of additional resources (e.g., support from experts, virtual technology) was also seen as a dominant strategy ( 39 ).

In addition, support for front-line staff was paramount for implementation success as educators often struggle when trying to apply the new practises in the classroom ( 39 ). Support provided through continuous feedback, supervision, coaching, and practise observation is critical in achieving successful implementation ( 41 – 47 ). Past research has also indicated the importance of leadership for the successful uptake of interventions into multiple settings ( 48 – 50 ). Aarons et al. ( 48 ) highlighted qualities such as creating a vision for the uptake of evidence-based interventions in the school or educational system, engaging faculty and other staff in this vision and its realisation, as well as being a role model in realising the vision. Displaying these leadership qualities have been found to provide front-line staff with clear expectations ( 39 ).

Guidelines and Regulations for Program Implementation

Given the concerns and challenges associated with implementing a therapy dog program in schools, as well as the various factors for consideration when implementing any new practise, it is critical that schools have guidelines on key considerations and processes to help them navigate this implementation process. There are currently few resources available for accessing guidelines, procedures and standards for implementing a therapy dog program into various settings and populations ( 51 – 54 ). For example, Fine ( 52 ) created guidelines and best practises for using dogs as therapeutic companions with multiple populations, including children, in therapeutic settings. He also included animal selection criteria, animal welfare, training and certification procedures, as well as ways to introduce a therapy dog to clients ( 52 ). The Delta Society's Pet Partner Program and Delta Society's ( 51 ) Standards of Practise for Animal- Assisted Activities and Therapy also provides guidance in administrative structure, standards of practise, personnel credentials, vocational profiles, treatment plan development, documentation, sample forms, and a bibliography ( 53 ). In addition, there are a number of guidelines in other settings such as healthcare facilities ( 15 , 54 – 57 ). Despite the wealth of information provided in the above guidelines, there are however no specific and evidence based guidelines on implementing a therapy dog program into a school setting (to the best of the authors knowledge). In addition, guides created by Departments of Education tend to focus on animals for teaching (e.g., science lessons), or assistance animals (e.g., guide dogs), or visiting animals with brief information emphasising the importance of animal welfare, safety, hygiene, and sanitation procedures when interacting with animals in other contexts (e.g., school excursions, classroom pets) rather than extensive guidelines and recommendations for therapy dog program implementation.

The Present Study

While therapy dog programs have increasingly been incorporated in many school settings, research exploring the specific concerns and challenges associated with implementation in schools are needed. Moreover, guidelines, policies and existing research into therapy dog programs is lacking. The current study examined the following three research questions:

What are the facilitative factors associated with implementing a therapy dog program in schools?
What are the perceived challenges and barriers with implementing a therapy dog program in schools?
What support is required when implementing a therapy dog program in schools?

The results of the study informed a set of research-informed recommendations and guidelines outlining key factors for consideration when implementing a therapy dog program in school settings.

Research Design

A qualitative research design was employed using open-ended questionnaires in form of an online survey and/or semi-structured interviews completed over the phone.

Participants

Data was drawn from two participant groups: (i) schools with an existing therapy dog program, (ii) schools considering implementing a therapy dog program, and (iii) therapy dog organisations. All participants were recruited via email and snowballing. Recruitment for this study began with schools which approached the principal researchers to express their interest in implementing a therapy dog program in their school. Further snowball sampling and comprehensive investigation online were conducted to identify participants in all three groups who were emailed to seek their interest in taking part in the study.

Qualitative Interviews

Rapport building techniques were used, and a natural conversational tone was maintained by showing empathy, and using active listening skills (Irwin and Johnson, 2005). Probing questions gave school staff the opportunity to elaborate more than others depending on how much information they wished to share. For example, in one interview a participant stated they felt they were “flying-solo,” and the researcher followed with “What do you mean by flying-solo? Can you give me some more information on that experience?” The questionnaire questions (see Appendices A, D ) were used as a basis for the semi-structured interviews. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed with the participants' consent. Participants were labelled by an assigned number (for the purpose of differentiating between participants and to have a chronological record of data collection) as well as their participation method (interview or survey) to maintain confidentiality.

Participants group 1 and 2 consisted of educational staff working in a school setting which included teachers, assistant principals, principals, junior heads of schools, coordinators of early learning centres, school psychologists as heads of well-being and specialist student empowerment teams. Participants were from primary schools, combined primary and secondary schools, and early learning centres in Australia. In total, thirteen school staff across three states in Australia (Victoria, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory) took part in the study. Participant group 1 consisted of schools with an existing therapy dog program ( N = 9, 1 male and 8 females) and participant group 2 consisted of schools considering the implementation of a therapy dog program ( N = 4, 1 male and 3 females).

Therapy Dog Organisations

Participant group 3 consisted of staff from two therapy dog organisations, Story Dogs and Delta Therapy Dogs – both non-profit organisations which implement dog-assisted reading programs in schools across Australia. Participants were staff in managerial and coordinator roles ( N = 2, 2 females). The Story Dogs program is implemented mainly individually where a child reads one-on-one to a dog and handler team for ~20 min every week over at least two school terms. Dog and handlers may also be involved at whole of school assemblies on special occasions such as book week one or twice annually ( 1 ). Similarly, for Delta Therapy Dogs, the dog-assisted reading program takes place mainly individually or in small groups where the child or group of children read to a dog and handler team.

The demographic information of all participants is outlined in Table 1 .

Summary of demographic information for participants.

A mix of online surveys and semi-structured interviews were conducted with school participants (participant groups 1 and 2). Participants from therapy dog organisations (participant group 3) only completed the online survey. Both methods of data collection—the online survey and semi-structured interviews—involved similar questions. Three separate online surveys were constructed for (i) participants from schools considering a therapy dog program, (ii) participants from schools with an existing therapy dog program, and (iii) participants from therapy dog organisations. The Hexagon Tool developed by the National Implementation Research Network ( 58 ) was used to guide the construction of the open-ended surveys. The Hexagon Tool is designed for communities and organisations in any field to evaluate new and existing programs and practises to determine a program's fit within a given context ( 58 ). A sample question from the questionnaire for participant group 1 is “Are there any negative outcomes associated with having a therapy dog program in the school? If yes, what are they?” A sample question from the questionnaire for participant group 2 is “What are your main concerns and/or challenges about implementing a therapy dog program in your school?” A sample question from the questionnaire for participant group 3 is “How are concerns/challenges raised by schools addressed?”

Ethics was approved for the present study by the relevant University Human Research Ethics Committee as well as the Department of Education and Training. Participants who agreed to participate in the study via signed consent forms completed the online survey and/or indicated their interest to participate in a semi-structured interview. The online survey took around 15–30 min, while the semi-structured interviews conducted over the phone varied between 20 and 90 min.

Qualitative Methodology

The online surveys and semi-structured interviews identified participants views of therapy dog program implementation, perceived facilitative factors as well as barriers in school based setting. Thematic analysis was used to analyse all qualitative data using the framework by Clarke and Braun ( 59 ), as summarised in Table 2 . Overarching themes were identified in response to the three research questions. Inter-rater reliability was established through discussions with another researcher in the research team where sections of the transcribed interviews and surveys were analysed. Both researchers discussed and reviewed the transcripts and themes together whereby 2 themes that were not in agreement and omitted as the suggested themes did not represent the quotes. The researchers drew similar conclusions to the data on all other themes and identified similar themes for the sections of transcripts and surveys. Please see Table 3 which provides an overview of the common concerns and challenges of therapy dogs in educational settings and also strategies to manage and address them.

Braun and Clarke's ( 60 ) six-phase framework for thematic analysis.

Common concerns/challenges and strategies to manage/address them.

Facilitative Factors

Results gathered from participant groups 1 and 3 indicated that the perceived facilitative factors to successful implementation of a therapy dog program in schools were: (1) flexibility of program to meet school's needs, (2) qualities of program instigator, (3) whole-school support, (4) communication, training and education, (5) considerations for dog's welfare.

Flexibility of Program to Meet School's Needs

Schools found that having the therapy dog program evolve flexibly and organically according to the school's needs to be beneficial to staff and students, as well as fostered a sense of belonging. The dogs had the liberty and flexibility to roam free around classrooms at school and this allowed the dog's role to be adaptable to the needs of the students whenever it was required. The therapy dogs were also said to build trust with students, which formed meaningful relationships and fostered a sense of belonging to the school for students. For example interviewee 5 suggested “ I wanted him [the dog, Scruff] to grow up with the kids at the school and I think that's what made it even more special is the kids, like they feel Scruff [the dog] is theirs. We noticed over the five years that kids who struggled to transition to the next year got better because they had a dog at school, they wanted to come to school . They [the students] sort of built up their confidence and realised that Scruff is safe and he's not going to hurt them.” While participant 5 in the survey said: “ The [dog-assisted reading program] is run slightly differently at every school. We are able to adapt to most needs of the school. Such adaptations might be the time of visits.”

Qualities of Program Instigator or Coordinator

The qualities of the school staff who introduced and lead the therapy dog program was identified as critical in facilitating successful program implementation. This included being emotionally aware and considerate of the school community and its diversity, such as cultural sensitivities, differing perceptions of dogs, as well as taking into account the needs of those with allergies. Being cognizant of these differences (e.g., observing children's body language, when interacting with the dog, actively seeking views and feedback), taking into account their different needs (e.g., choosing a dog breed that is hypoallergenic to meet the needs of those who have allergies to dogs), and flexibly adapting the program (e.g., not allowing the dog to roam free for certain classes).

The willingness of the program instigator to take on responsibility and be invested in the program (e.g., committing additional time and attention to set up suitable environments, multitasking classroom duties and being a dog handler), being goal-orientated (e.g., researching on the impact of therapy dogs, having a clear purpose and direction on what outcomes they would like to achieve from the program), as well as being adequately prepared (e.g., ensuring the dog is adequately trained and prepared to enter the school environment) were also factors that were highlighted. Interviewee 7: “ I did research and made sure I read some articles, and made sure we had the right blurp on the website…about the benefits of having a dog, and we made we got the right breed and called a couple of primary schools that had already implemented the therapy dog program. We made sure we had him prepared for school and for children from the beginni ng.”

Whole-School Support

Participants expressed that the program was able to progress and develop with the help of parents and staff cooperation and from the backing of school staff, principal, and school council. The acceptance of the whole school community (e.g., being accepting and enthusiastic during the implementation process) facilitated the introduction of the dog to the school, as well as allowed the program instigator to be more confident in implementing the program. Interviewee 1: “ It's really that sense of community that helps . The parents are on board with the program . I think it would be very tricky to do it if the staff isn't in agreement with it . Being really supported by the school I think is absolutely necessary.” Interviewee 3: “ The whole community has really got around it. The school council was definitely a support…having this you know it just affirms that I had the right idea for the community.”

Communication, Education, and Training

Sharing and discussing key information on the role of a therapy dog, its possible outcomes and benefits, the training both handler and dog undergo, roles and responsibilities of school staff, risk management, as well as building students' knowledge about dogs prior to program implementation helped facilitate acceptance amongst children, parents, and school staff. Therapy dog organisations that conduct dog-assisted reading programs with schools also assign a coordinator to support the school and handlers, provide information packs and an orientation meeting to discuss key information, as well as are in regular contact with schools and handlers to obtain feedback. Interviewee 3: “I've been very specific with the staff on this is what you need to do, this is how you need to approach so I'm constantly trying to refine that interaction and training as I go.” Survey 5: “(We) provide adequate information on our risk minimisation strategies, current insurance held, and emergency procedures… We have a coordinator assigned to support our volunteers. This coordinator organises a school orientation meeting to set up the program in a new school with a new volunteer. This meeting includes the handler and the dog, the coordinator, any teachers involved and the key liaison person for the school. The meeting works out a day, time, and place for the reading sessions. It also introduces the handler and dog to the school.”

Consideration for Dog's Welfare

Ensuring that the therapy dog's needs and welfare are well-met and considered enabled them to thrive in the school setting. This included planning dog-specific and dog-friendly areas in the school, as well as scheduling down time and breaks for the dog. Interviewee 1: “ We are lucky we've got bog green ground. So instead of sitting in a classroom and talking to a child about whatever is going on, we tend to grab the dogs and take them with us for a walk around the oval.”

Challenges and Support Required

The following challenges and concerns were identified (1) flying solo: the workload of the instigator and handler, (2) winging it: lack of regulations, guidelines or research on implementing in schools, (3) community acceptance and buy-in, and (4) laying down foundations and acquiring therapy dog education.

Flying Solo: The Workload of the Instigator and Handler

Most participants were both the therapy dog handlers and instigators of the program. Difficulties faced include time constraints and added workload in addition to being a classroom staff. Participants expressed that while they were dedicated and invested in the program, they struggled with managing the responsibilities alone in the implementation process. Some participants stated that they would have appreciated other staff to be extension handlers or to take on a leadership role to share the workload of program implementation. Interviewee 5: “ I would've liked to do more but being a fulltime teacher, I just was restricted for time…and as it went on, I just got less and less support from staff involved…and the momentum stopped .”

Winging It: Lack of Regulations, Guidelines or Research

Some participants stated that they had trouble finding regulations or guidelines that could facilitate implementation of their program, as well as finding little research or literature on implementing therapy dog programs into educational settings. The lack of regulations and guidelines as resources for school staff attempting to implement a program was one of the main challenges and impeding factors associated with stunted development in the implementation process. School staff expressed that without having any existing policies or guidelines to follow they had to figure out implementation on their own without any support in how to implement a therapy dog program. Interviewee 3: “ It's a bit tricky on the policy side of things because of not having anything already existing for schools, I'm sort of working a little bit from scratch…it's just even trying to understand what it should be.” Survey 2: “ No research to share with community ideas on how to introduce the dog to the community in a positive way.”

Community Acceptance and Buy-In

All participants expressed the need for the whole school community to be open and accepting of the therapy dog program. They stated that without staff support, the process would be extremely difficult. Participants expressed that school staff's and students' resistance and reservations toward the program would be a key barrier. This included barriers like managing personal views about dogs as well as risk management (e.g., allergies). Survey 1: “ The challenges would be people that maybe aren't dog people.” Interviewee 6: “ Staff have said to me, ‘I wouldn't be happy with having a dog at the school… I don't think I would go ahead with a therapy dog unless I had a majority of buy-in from the staff.” Survey 5: “ Increase in occurrence of a student in the school being anaphylactic to dogs, thus the program cannot start.” Managing the rest of the students' expectations was also identified as a challenge. Survey 5: “ Every student wants to read to the dog and the majority of students in school will not get this opportunity.”

Laying Down Foundations and Acquiring Therapy Dog Education

A few participants identified the need for foundational knowledge about the role of the dog in the school as well as how best to involve the dog therapeutically and effectively in school. Interviewee 6: “ I think we would need skills on how to use the dog effectively…so some sort of PD for staff of what the role and function of a therapy dog is, and probably educating staff before even looking at getting a dog, so laying a foundation.”

Recommendation for Therapy Dog Program Implementation

What are some factors for consideration before implementing a therapy dog program.

Based on the qualitative analysis above of both the survey and interview data, as well as the literature the following factors are for consideration before implementing a therapy dog program:

Handler/Therapy Dog Factors

It is critical that the dogs receive appropriate certified training where they are rigorously trained and evaluated to be reliably non-aggressive to both people and other dogs regardless of circumstances, are highly adaptable, and can interact easily with people. During the training, handlers are also trained to meet welfare, safety and hygiene requirements for both the dog and students, and how to connect and engage with the dog therapeutically.

Handlers should be prepared to:

Be personally and financially responsible for the dog's welfare and maintenance including safety, feeding, grooming, cleaning, and vaccination. In the event where the dog is involved in school programs regularly or in the long term, it is recommended for the handler to request financial support from school since the dog is part of an intervention employed for meeting the students' needs ( 27 ). In such cases, it is important to put the financial plans into a written budget outlining a list of all expenses required in order to deliver the program and share them with all responsible parties ( 29 ).
Be vigilant in identifying signs and triggers of injury, distress, or exhaustion for their dogs and be able to respond accordingly. Regular breaks should be given to the dog. Suspension of the program may be required if the dog shows a negative behavioural change, fearful behaviour during interactions, or has medical concerns.
Trouble-shoot when an incident occurs (e.g., when a student has a negative response to a dog), and adopt appropriate measures when needed (e.g., removal of the dog, medical care, debrief with student).

To facilitate successful implementation of therapy dog programs in schools, handlers should also have a good understanding of the impact of therapy dogs and how they may participate in various educational settings. Establishing a clear goal/purpose of the inclusion of a therapy dog in different school activities is essential – e.g., desired outcomes, who might benefit, and how ( 27 , 31 ) (Freeman et al., 2016). This facilitates planning of activities (e.g., frequency and duration of activities, how the dog may be incorporated safely and appropriately, anticipated risks and concerns) as well as the evaluation of outcomes. Handlers are also encouraged to be proactive in researching on the current evidence base about therapy dogs and communicating with others who have had experience implementing such a program ( 29 ).

School Factors

Leadership and whole-school support is essential in successful implementation of a therapy dog program ( 31 ). The following factors on the fit and capacity of the school to undertake a therapy dog program should be considered and discussed prior to implementation:

° Briefly explain the idea of involving a therapy dog in school and goals
° To obtain initial support
° Learn of any dog-related allergies or phobias
° Discuss and address any other concerns.
It is recommended that a comprehensive handbook be constructed to clearly identify and explain the policies and procedures of how the dog will be included in the classroom and school activities ( 27 ).
Stakeholders are likely to have varied concerns. Buy-in from can be facilitated by preparing information ahead of time (e.g., benefits of therapy dogs, their inclusion in schools), providing opportunities to ask questions, and preparing to respond to any potential concerns ( 56 ). Obtaining buy-in from school leaders ahead of time and presenting collaboratively to school staff is recommended ( 27 )
Presence of 1 or 2 other school staff who can be involved in the therapy dog program to ensure that the handler is not the sole person managing the program. This is to ensure that the work load of undertaking a therapy dog program is balanced vis-à-vis other responsibilities the handler is fronting, collaborative planning and problem-solving of programs, and implementation of effective emergency protocols if more than one person is required (e.g., handler managing the dog, other school staff who may need to contact parents or debrief with a student).
Logistical considerations such as appropriate indoor and outdoor areas for the dog and scheduling of activities and breaks for the dog
School-wide protocols to address any sanitation or safety concerns, which would require training school staff and students on appropriate ways to interact with the dog and the training of emergency protocols (e.g., in the event of dog scratch or bite, students' adverse reactions).
Communication plans for engaging parents and students about the program, addressing concerns (e.g., cultural differences, fear of dogs, allergies or medical concerns), as well as obtaining consent and assent.
Possible funding (e.g., grooming and vaccination expenses, materials required)
Adequate planning and preparation for introducing the therapy dog to school staff so that they are educated on appropriate animal care and behavioural expectations, and are able to step in when necessary in times of emergencies (e.g., negative dog reactions in students, emergency protocols).

Student Factors

Assessing the needs and suitability of students whom the dog might be working with is critical in ensuring that the therapy dog program goals are met, and student welfare is considered. This includes:

Determining which students/classes are to participate in the therapy dog program – e.g., which students would benefit the most from this program? how should the program be structured to meet their needs best (e.g., whole-class, in groups, or individually)? How does a therapy dog program value-add to existing programs in meeting the needs of these students?
Making suitable alternatives for children who are unable to participate (e.g., for cultural or religious reasons, allergies, fear of dogs) ( 29 )
Deciding how expansive the program will become as it is unsurprising for many other children or families who might wish to participate after learning about the program ( 29 )
Adequate planning and preparation for introducing the therapy dog to students so that they are educated on appropriate animal care and behavioural expectations.

Parent Factors

As with engaging school staff, early engagement of parents is also essential once there is clear direction that a therapy dog program may be introduced in school. Common concerns parents have include safety, hygiene, and allergic concerns ( 29 ), how the dog will be incorporated in learning activities ( 27 ), as well as cultural differences ( 28 ). Parents must be informed of procedures and processes, be given the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns, and provide written consent signifying they understand and support the dog's inclusion ( 27 ).

Schools are advised to ensure that there is ample time to engage parents before the commencement of a therapy dog program. This includes parents who have provided consent to their child's participation and providing further information about the program and addressing concerns, parents who do not consent and need further information on how their children will be engaged in alternative ways, as well as parents of children who are not selected to participate in the program but wish to do so ( 29 ).

The findings from this study highlight insights into implementing a therapy dog program in school settings, particularly a whole-school effort in optimising the program to meet unique school needs, garnering support, as well as overcoming systemic barriers. This includes ensuring the flexibility of the therapy dog program to meet varying student needs, dedication and commitment of therapy dog program coordinators/handlers, acceptance and training of all of the school staff, support from school leadership, as well as adopting a team-based rather than individual-effort in program planning and implementation.

The findings on the importance of a whole-school approach are congruent with past research. Programs are more likely to excel when they are aimed to involve the whole-school community. Research indicates that positive program outcomes are facilitated when interventions are integrated into daily practise, the school culture and encourage collaborative efforts to include staff, families, teachers, and children ( 61 , 62 ). With students, this manifested as a sense of trust and connexion between the therapy dog and the school community. School staff placed importance on building foundations of trust and connexion with the students at the initial phases of implementation, as they first introduced the dog and their program to the school. With these foundations in place, the programs ran successfully and with ease, students reaped the most benefits when they formed a relationship with the dog and thus helped them connect more to the school community and have a stronger sense of belonging. A sense of belonging is also a strong indicator of a successful therapy dog program to promote well-being, which is congruent with the literature ( 63 – 65 ).

Another important feature is the support from leaders and a team-based approach in program implementation. Findings from this study indicated that it was mostly a single individual or program instigator/coordinator, often the dog handler and also school staff, who was solely responsible for the various stages of the program implementation, which contributed to heavy workload and potentially negative implications on the sustainability of the program. One of the key facilitative factors reported was for program instigators or coordinators to be willing to take on the diverse roles and responsibilities for successful program implementation, including acting as a promoter ( 66 ), as well as being emotionally aware and showing strong interpersonal skills as leaders of the program ( 67 ). All of which have been found to contribute to program success ( 39 , 40 ). However, it appears that this has also been reported as a barrier in this study due to the high workload of these staff. Instead, taking a team-based approach and understanding that there will be a need for “multiple actors” in the implementation process is critical ( 39 , 40 ).

A team-based approach to program implementation includes the support from school leaders as well as acceptance and buy-in of other school staff. Strong leadership was indicated as a strong focus for successful therapy dog program implementation, and this is also shown to be a measure of general program implementation success. Findings implied school staff needed to be prepared and goal-orientated for their program to be successful and for student reap the most benefits to their well-being. Moreover, school staff had to maintain throughout implementation a vision and a purpose, engage the whole community and constantly meeting their aims and outcomes of the program. This is congruent with the literature detailing the importance of these leadership qualities to be a role model for other staff and will provide these front-line staff with clear expectations for the program ( 39 , 48 – 50 ).

Another key feature for successful implementation is having a strong support network from the school community, including staff, parents, principal, school council and students. School staff expressed that having the community's support and alignment of goals and purposes made introducing the program to their school easier and with fewer complications. This is congruent with the research on implementation programs requiring empowerment, participation and education of the community, and lastly, multiple actors in implementation process (obtain broad-based support of school staff) ( 39 , 40 ).

A major factor that caused difficulties for school staff who had experienced implementation of a program was a lack of guidelines and regulations available for schools. The findings imply that for future practise, there needs to be further research in regulations and guidelines into therapy dog programs for schools and government support to provide policies and guidelines for schools to follow. This highlights the gap in the literature surrounding guidelines on implementation and regulations of having a therapy dog at a school. Moreover, these finding align with research on necessary implementation strategies such as government support, policy documents ( 68 ), oversight and possible regulations ( 39 , 40 ).

Acknowledging the limitations of the findings of this evaluation is important. The study was small, and only the perspectives of selected school staff and therapy dog coordinators were gathered. As most of the school staff and coordinators interviewed were leaders and initiators of the therapy dog program, their feedback might be slightly biased as they had an invested interest in seeing their program be successful. As a qualitative project, the aim of data collection was not to achieve a statistically representative sample. Instead it is to attain what Glaser and Strauss call “saturation of themes” of data collection until no new themes are generated. Samples sizes have been chosen based on my extensive experience with qualitative projects of this kind ( 69 ).

Obtaining information from other school staff who may not be directly involved in the program, students, as well as parents would be beneficial to gather a more holistic understanding of having a therapy dog program in school. In addition, each school is likely to have implemented their therapy dog program in different ways (e.g., number of days the dog was in the school, how students interacted with the dog specifically); this information was not gathered in this study. Given different schools also ran their programs in different manners, potentially impacting program outcomes. It is unclear if the structure of the therapy dog program in each context could have also affected the findings. A potential limitation may be geographic/regional applicability of this study. Additional, survey participants may not have had an interactive, back-and-forth opportunity to clarify information as much as interviewees may have had in a semi-structured interview, it is unclear how this may have affected data collection. Nonetheless, this study albeit small and limited, has laid the groundwork for further research in this field.

The overall findings from this evaluation highlight the facilitative factors and challenges, as well as key considerations when implementing a therapy dog program in schools, particularly the need to adopt a whole-school approach and involving multiple relevant stakeholders (e.g., handler, school leaders, school staff, students, parents) in the process. Successful implementation of therapy dogs in an education setting appear to revolve around (1) flexibility of the dog therapy program to target school's needs, (2) qualities of program instigator, (3) whole-school support, (4) communication, training and education, (5) considerations for dog's welfare. The results have also underscored the need for guidelines for schools to assess their readiness/feasibility of such a program, key factors for consideration, roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, as well as strategies to manage challenges.

Data Availability Statement

Ethics statement.

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Monash University. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author Contributions

All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Funding. This research was funded by the Monash Education early years and inclusive education and educational psychology academic research community.

Supplementary Material

The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.655104/full#supplementary-material

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Original research article, therapy dogs in educational settings: guidelines and recommendations for implementation.

Faculty of Education, Monash University, Victoria, VIC, Australia

Introduction

Therapy dogs and therapy dog organisations.

Impact of Therapy Dogs on Children's Well-Being and Learning

Concerns, Risks, and Objections

Implementation Science in Educational Settings

Guidelines and Regulations for Program Implementation

The Present Study

1) What are the facilitative factors associated with implementing a therapy dog program in schools?

2) What are the perceived challenges and barriers with implementing a therapy dog program in schools?

3) What support is required when implementing a therapy dog program in schools?

The results of the study informed a set of research-informed recommendations and guidelines outlining key factors for consideration when implementing a therapy dog program in school settings.

Research Design

A qualitative research design was employed using open-ended questionnaires in form of an online survey and/or semi-structured interviews completed over the phone.

Participants

Qualitative Interviews

Therapy Dog Organisations

The demographic information of all participants is outlined in Table 1 .

Table 1 . Summary of demographic information for participants.

Qualitative Methodology

Table 2 . Braun and Clarke's ( 60 ) six-phase framework for thematic analysis.

Table 3 . Common concerns/challenges and strategies to manage/address them.

Facilitative Factors

Flexibility of Program to Meet School's Needs

Qualities of Program Instigator or Coordinator

Whole-School Support

Communication, Education, and Training

Consideration for Dog's Welfare

Challenges and Support Required

Flying Solo: The Workload of the Instigator and Handler

Winging It: Lack of Regulations, Guidelines or Research

Community Acceptance and Buy-In

Laying Down Foundations and Acquiring Therapy Dog Education

Recommendation for Therapy Dog Program Implementation

What are some factors for consideration before implementing a therapy dog program.

Based on the qualitative analysis above of both the survey and interview data, as well as the literature the following factors are for consideration before implementing a therapy dog program:

Handler/Therapy Dog Factors

Handlers should be prepared to:

• Be personally and financially responsible for the dog's welfare and maintenance including safety, feeding, grooming, cleaning, and vaccination. In the event where the dog is involved in school programs regularly or in the long term, it is recommended for the handler to request financial support from school since the dog is part of an intervention employed for meeting the students' needs ( 27 ). In such cases, it is important to put the financial plans into a written budget outlining a list of all expenses required in order to deliver the program and share them with all responsible parties ( 29 ).

• Be vigilant in identifying signs and triggers of injury, distress, or exhaustion for their dogs and be able to respond accordingly. Regular breaks should be given to the dog. Suspension of the program may be required if the dog shows a negative behavioural change, fearful behaviour during interactions, or has medical concerns.

• Trouble-shoot when an incident occurs (e.g., when a student has a negative response to a dog), and adopt appropriate measures when needed (e.g., removal of the dog, medical care, debrief with student).

School Factors

• School staff's overall acceptance of the therapy dog – Inviting a dog into a school should not be a unilateral decision. The thoughts, concerns, and ideas of all stakeholders should be informally solicited by conducting preliminary meetings with administrators, parents, teachers and paraprofessionals and students early on to:

° Briefly explain the idea of involving a therapy dog in school and goals

° To obtain initial support

° Learn of any dog-related allergies or phobias

° Discuss and address any other concerns.

It is recommended that a comprehensive handbook be constructed to clearly identify and explain the policies and procedures of how the dog will be included in the classroom and school activities ( 27 ).

• Stakeholders are likely to have varied concerns. Buy-in from can be facilitated by preparing information ahead of time (e.g., benefits of therapy dogs, their inclusion in schools), providing opportunities to ask questions, and preparing to respond to any potential concerns ( 56 ). Obtaining buy-in from school leaders ahead of time and presenting collaboratively to school staff is recommended ( 27 )

• Presence of 1 or 2 other school staff who can be involved in the therapy dog program to ensure that the handler is not the sole person managing the program. This is to ensure that the work load of undertaking a therapy dog program is balanced vis-à-vis other responsibilities the handler is fronting, collaborative planning and problem-solving of programs, and implementation of effective emergency protocols if more than one person is required (e.g., handler managing the dog, other school staff who may need to contact parents or debrief with a student).

• Logistical considerations such as appropriate indoor and outdoor areas for the dog and scheduling of activities and breaks for the dog

• School-wide protocols to address any sanitation or safety concerns, which would require training school staff and students on appropriate ways to interact with the dog and the training of emergency protocols (e.g., in the event of dog scratch or bite, students' adverse reactions).

• Communication plans for engaging parents and students about the program, addressing concerns (e.g., cultural differences, fear of dogs, allergies or medical concerns), as well as obtaining consent and assent.

• Possible funding (e.g., grooming and vaccination expenses, materials required)

• Adequate planning and preparation for introducing the therapy dog to school staff so that they are educated on appropriate animal care and behavioural expectations, and are able to step in when necessary in times of emergencies (e.g., negative dog reactions in students, emergency protocols).

Student Factors

• Determining which students/classes are to participate in the therapy dog program – e.g., which students would benefit the most from this program? how should the program be structured to meet their needs best (e.g., whole-class, in groups, or individually)? How does a therapy dog program value-add to existing programs in meeting the needs of these students?

• Making suitable alternatives for children who are unable to participate (e.g., for cultural or religious reasons, allergies, fear of dogs) ( 29 )

• Deciding how expansive the program will become as it is unsurprising for many other children or families who might wish to participate after learning about the program ( 29 )

• Adequate planning and preparation for introducing the therapy dog to students so that they are educated on appropriate animal care and behavioural expectations.

Parent Factors

Data Availability Statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Ethics Statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Monash University. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author Contributions

All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.

This research was funded by the Monash Education early years and inclusive education and educational psychology academic research community.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Supplementary Material

The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.655104/full#supplementary-material

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Keywords: therapy dogs, education, psychology, guidelines and recommendations, school community

Citation: Grové C, Henderson L, Lee F and Wardlaw P (2021) Therapy Dogs in Educational Settings: Guidelines and Recommendations for Implementation. Front. Vet. Sci. 8:655104. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.655104

Received: 19 January 2021; Accepted: 14 May 2021; Published: 08 June 2021.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2021 Grové, Henderson, Lee and Wardlaw. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Christine Grové, christine.grove@monash.edu

Gone to the Dogs? Schools Use Therapy Animals to Boost Mental Health, Academics

Sometimes students say few words to school counselor Kelli Baker as they walk into her office, making a beeline for Kalani, a golden retriever/poodle mix that has been trained to work as a school therapy dog.

Morris, Okla., elementary school students who are stressed, struggling to manage big emotions, or dealing with crises at home bury their faces in Kalani’s golden fur and slow their breathing to match her relaxed presence.

It’s not uncommon for schools to teach children breathing exercises and calm-down techniques. In Morris, having two therapy dogs causes some students to do those things intuitively, said Baker.

“They work through those emotions and say, ‘Hey, Ms. Baker, I’m ready to go back to class,’” she said.

For others, the dogs provide a sense of safety that helps them gather the courage to ask adults for help.

“Kids will come in closed-off and reserved,” Baker said. “I don’t ask anything. They are just on the floor playing with the dog and they start sharing with me.”

Facing a worsening youth mental heath crisis, more schools have brought therapy dogs on board to help students cope. Some integrate the animals into academic work, using them in interventions for students with disabilities or as part of classroom engagement strategies.

“Particularly if a student loves animals, we see some wonderful growth,” said Jennifer VonLintel, a school counselor at B.F. Kitchen Elementary School in Loveland, Colo.

It’s clear that the pandemic has contributed to a growing interest in bringing therapy dogs into schools. Districts in states including Colorado , Michigan , Oklahoma , and Virginia have even used portions of the $123 billion in K-12 relief funding provided through the American Rescue Plan to pay for specialized therapy dog training, which can cost thousands of dollars.

More than just classroom pets

Formal therapy dog work dates back to use in hospitals in the 1970s, but it has become more prevalent in recent decades, especially in educational settings. And as more academic research emerges on the benefits of the human-animal bond, schools are working with canine companions in more sophisticated ways.

School therapy dogs are not just classroom pets, said VonLintel. Rather, school social workers, counselors, physical therapists, behavior interventionists, and special education teachers integrate them into specific tasks with students, she said.

For example, students with developmental disabilities may learn improved communication skills by directing the animals to sit or stay. Some children practice behavioral management by studying the signs that a dog is feeling relaxed—like ears that hang loosely rather than laying flatly against the head.

Students read to Kalani in Sheri Suiter’s kindergarten class at Morris Elementary School in Morris, Okla., on Jan. 17, 2023.

“When people approach me and say that they want to bring a dog to school, my first question is, ‘What is your goal?’” said VonLintel, who has worked with researchers to publish papers on different approaches to school therapy dogs .

Therapy dogs are trained to provide support in a community environment. They differ from service dogs, which are trained to assist individuals with specific tasks related to physical disabilities.

When VonLintel and a golden retriever named Copper started her school’s therapy dog program 14 years ago, she couldn’t find specific training locally, so she worked with a Colorado trainer to adapt service dog training to fit the needs of a school environment.

The program grew from there. This year, six teams of volunteer handlers will bring dogs ranging from a chihuahua to a Bernese mountain dog into the Loveland district’s schools.

In addition to monitoring the dogs’ interactions with students, the handlers have learned a bit about academic skills, like reading, so they can ask follow-up questions to guide students’ comprehension as their dogs sit with small groups during read-aloud sessions.

“I’ll say, ‘I don’t think Toby understood what was going on on those last two pages,’” VonLintel said, referring to her current therapy dog, a small brown cavalier King Charles spaniel mix. “‘Can you tell him what was happening in the story?’”

Sit, stay, and study

A private Facebook page VonLintel started to share her experiences in founding the therapy dog program now has 9,000 members who trade tips on training, school board policies, insurance, and how to incorporate animals into therapy and instruction.

Interest in the Loveland district’s use of therapy dogs has grown to the point that it now offers an on-site, evening training program, where interested staff members can bring their own dogs to learn in a school environment.

The dogs practice everything from basic commands to remaining calm and quiet in the unpredictable situation of a classroom lockdown drill. They must pass an evaluation before they can work in a school, and they must be regularly reevaluated to continue that work in future years.

Training is also key for handlers, who must learn to recognize when a dog is tired or stressed and monitor its interactions with students, said Helen Holmquist-Johnson, director of Human-Animal Bond in Colorado, a research center at Colorado State University that helps train and screen volunteer handlers to work in 30 schools in the region. Researchers there also study the effects of animal-assisted interventions, and develop approaches for students with specific conditions like autism.

Holmquist-Johnson recommends vetted, well-developed training programs like those offered by Pet Partners, a nonprofit organization for volunteer handlers.

Launching a school therapy dog program with community support

Access to training was a big concern for Baker, the counselor in the Morris, Okla., district, where the therapy dog program is still in its infancy.

The rural school system had not had an elementary school counselor in over 20 years when Baker started there in 2021, her position funded by a state grant.

In her first few weeks on the job, she noticed that students were struggling with behavior and emotions after months of COVID disruptions—part of a national trend. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Surgeon General have sounded the alarm about a youth mental health crisis worsened by the pandemic.

In Morris, some children had lost family members—and some were just uncomfortable in the school environment. Those students seemed to be “frozen in time,” still in the place they were developmentally at the beginning of the pandemic, she said.

Morris Elementary School librarian Lisa Merrill walks Shadow to a classroom at the school in Morris, Okla., on Jan. 17, 2023.

Baker had experience working with therapy dogs in her previous role in the juvenile justice system and thought they might be a good fit for Morris.

She was early in her research when she got a call from a breeder about the dog she later named Kalani. She was the one puppy left in a litter of what are commonly known as goldendoodles—a mix of of golden retriever and a poodle bred with the intention of creating a lower-shedding coat. Unlike the other puppies, Kalani wasn’t born with a curly coat, and people were less interested in buying her.

The breeder offered to donate Kalani to the district for use as a therapy dog. Later, another breeder donated Shadow, a black goldendoodle who is handled by the elementary school’s librarian and occasionally works in the district’s high school.

Morris schools designated the dogs as property of the district, and not the employees who handle them at school and care for them at home. That allowed Baker, librarian Lisa Merrill, and Principal Becky Alexander to add the animals to the district’s insurance plan and to raise money that helped pay for training.

The $10,000 in private donations covered an intensive boarding program that allowed the dogs to learn on-site at a training facility for several two-week sessions, and additional handler training for Baker and Merrill that worked with their schedules.

That training prepared the dogs to remain calm and disciplined in unfamiliar environments. They went to Wal-Mart and Sams Club to get exposed to crowds and noises, like shopping carts and fork lifts, so that they’d be comfortable around mobility aids like wheelchairs and students with various visible disabilities.

The community quickly recognized the benefits of the dogs, whose harnesses bear the logos of some businesses that helped covered training costs, Alexander said.

“So many schools are in the same boat as us,” she said. “They say, ‘I want to do it. We’ve got our team, but we don’t know the steps to do it,’” she said.

Answering logistical questions about school therapy dogs

VonLintel, the Loveland counselor, recommends coordinating with trained volunteer handlers who bring in their own dogs and manage things like training, certification, and insurance. Such a model is less expensive and challenging than building a program from scratch.

Schools can contact local volunteer handler groups or consult organizations like Pet Partners or the American Kennel Club to locate teams, she said.

Whatever model a school uses, dogs should be given plenty of days off and time to rest on-site so they don’t burn out in a high sensory environment, VonLintel said.

Kelli Baker, school counselor and the handler of therapy dog, Kalani, reads to students at Morris Elementary School in Morris, Okla., on Jan. 17, 2023.

Toby, who was rescued as part of an animal welfare investigation, comes to school one day a week. He spins in excited circles when he sees VonLintel pick up the backpack that contains the gear he needs to go to work. If he ever looked tired or hesitant, she would leave him at home.

Among other common logistical questions:

Insurance for on-site dogs—which covers the cost of liability in the event the animals injure a person—may come through a professional organization, like a school social workers organization, through the school’s existing insurance plan, through a handler’s homeowner’s insurance, or through a supplemental plan, depending on various state and local laws.
Schools with therapy dogs must send forms home to parents to identify students with allergies or aversions to dogs. They should do the same for staff, and handlers work to avoid classrooms or spaces where people may be uncomfortable.

As would-be handlers select dogs to train for therapy work, Holmquist-Johnson, of Colorado State University, said the individual animal’s personality matters far more than the breed. School handlers should look for an animal—whether a purebred puppy or a mixed-breed shelter dog—that is friendly and eager to engage, she said.

“Our number-one qualifier is that they have to love people,” she said.

Building on that foundation, well-trained dogs can serve a variety of purposes in schools, handlers said. Some may greet kindergartners anxious about leaving their parents on the first day of school. Some may play fetch with a student as a reward for improved behavior in the classroom. Some may sit and listen as two students talk through a conflict with their school counselor, serving as both a living mascot and a comforting bit of familiarity.

Sometimes, teachers even stop to center themselves with Shadow after a stressful day, Merrill said.

“Everybody is carrying a lot of extra weight these days,” she said. “Having them provides an outlet for everyone.”

Coverage of whole-child approaches to learning is supported in part by a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, at www.chanzuckerberg.com . Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage. A version of this article appeared in the February 08, 2023 edition of Education Week as Schools Use Therapy Dogs to Boost Mental Health, Academics

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Therapy dogs can help reduce student stress, anxiety and improve school attendance

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In the wake of the schools shootings in Florida , therapy dogs have been used as a way to provide comfort and support for students returning to school. Research has shown therapy dogs can reduce stress and provide a sense of connection in difficult situations.

Given the impact therapy dogs can have on student well-being, schools and universities are increasingly adopting therapy dog programs as an inexpensive way of providing social and emotional support for students.

Read more: Police in schools: helpful or harmful? It depends on the model

What are therapy dogs?

It’s important to note therapy dogs are not service dogs. A service dog is an assistance dog that focuses on its owner to the exclusion of all else. Service dogs are trained to provide specific support for individuals with disabilities such as visual or hearing difficulties, seizure disorders, mobility challenges, and/or diabetes.

The role of therapy dogs is to react and respond to people and their environment, under the guidance and direction of their owner. For example, an individual might be encouraged to gently pat or talk to a dog to teach sensitive touch and help them be calm.

Therapy dogs can also be used as part of animal assisted therapy . This aims to improve a person’s social, cognitive and emotional functioning. A health care professional who uses a therapy dog in treatment may be viewed as less threatening , potentially increasing the connection between the client and professional.

There are also animal-assisted activities , which is an umbrella term covering many different ways animals can be used to help humans. One example is to facilitate emotional or physical mental health and wellbeing through pet therapy or the presence of therapy dogs. These activities aren’t necessarily overseen by a professional, nor are they specific psychological interventions.

Read more: More children are starting school depressed and anxious – without help, it will only get worse

Research suggests using therapy dogs in response to traumatic events can help reduce symptoms of depression, post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.

So, what can happen psychologically for people using therapy dogs?

The human-animal bond

The human-animal bond can impact people and animals in positive ways. Research shows therapy dogs can reduce stress physiologically (cortisol levels) and increase attachment responses that trigger oxytocin – a hormone that increases trust in humans .

Dogs also react positively to animal-assisted activities. In response to the human-animal bond, dogs produce oxytocin and decrease their cortisol levels when connecting with their owner. Often dogs feel the same when engaging in animal assisted activities as if they were at home, depending on the environmental context.

Benefits of therapy dogs

Animal assisted therapy can:

teach empathy and appropriate interpersonal skills

help individuals develop social skills

be soothing and the presence of animals can more quickly build rapport between the professional and client , and

improve individual’s skills to pick up social cues imperative to human relationships. Professionals can process that information and use it to help clients see how their behaviour affects others .

More recently, therapy dogs are being used as a form of engagement with students at school and university.

Benefits of therapy dogs at school

A recent report highlighted children working with therapy dogs experienced increased motivation for learning, resulting in improved outcomes.

Therapy dogs are being used to support children with social and emotional learning needs, which in turn can assist with literacy development .

Research into the effects of therapy dogs in schools is showing a range of benefits including:

increase in school attendance

gains in confidence

decreases in learner anxiety behaviours resulting in improved learning outcomes, such as increases in reading and writing levels

positive changes towards learning and improved motivation , and

enhanced relationships with peers and teachers due to experiencing trust and unconditional love from a therapy dog. This in turn helps students learn how to express their feelings and enter into more trusting relationships.

Despite these known benefits, many schools choose not to have therapy dog programs due to perceived risks . These range from concerns about sanitation issues to the suitability of dog temperament when working with children. But therapy dogs and owners are carefully selected and put through a strict testing regime prior to acceptance into any program .

The main reason for the lack of take up has been linked to the limited research into the benefits of therapy dogs in schools.

Benefits of therapy dogs at university

Researchers have found university students reported significantly less stress and anxiety , and increased happiness and energy, immediately following spending time in a drop-in session with a dog present, when compared to a control group of students who didn’t spend any time with a therapy dog.

Read more: Hugs, drugs and choices: helping traumatised animals

Generally, therapy dog programs rely on volunteer organisations. One example is Story Dogs , who currently have 323 volunteer dog teams in 185 schools across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, SA, WA, and ACT. In total, they help 1,615 children each week.

Research into these programs is needed to help further understand the impacts of therapy dogs, especially on student learning and academic outcomes. Lack of funding is setting this research back. University partnerships are one solution to address this.

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Should Therapy Dogs Be Allowed in Schools?

Therapy dogs can positively impact schools by encouraging cognitive development, reducing stress, and enhancing students’ well-being.
Research shows that therapy animals can provide support, lead to reduced anxiety, and boost academic engagement in students.
Therapy dogs should undergo additional training to ensure they are the right fit for a school program.

Therapy dog work is an impressive field, and I admire those in animal-assisted therapy programs. My own kids have participated in the Read with Dogs program at the local library, which boosts young kids’ confidence as they learn how to read. I didn’t realize such a program existed until we encountered it one day.

I was impressed with how the dogs lay down while my kids read their favorite Elephant and Piggie books. The dogs weren’t there to judge or point out any mispronunciations; they were there to help them enjoy reading without worrying about comments from the other side.

While further research is needed to determine the long-term effects of therapy dogs in schools, plenty of research shows the significant impact of these special dogs.

Understanding Therapy Dogs

There’s a unique human-animal bond between a person and their dog. Research shows that owning a dog 1 1. Get healthy, get a dog: The health benefits of canine companionship. Harvard Health . https://www.health.harvard.edu/promotions/harvard-health-publications/get-healthy-get-a-dog-the-health-benefits-of-canine-companionship#:~:text=provide%20companionship,the%20lives%20of%20older%20individuals helps you be calmer, more present in life, and more mindful, regardless of whether you are an adult or a child.

We have a three-year-old dog; I call her our “unofficial therapy dog.” She has no special training, but when one of my kids is upset or sick, she walks over to them and lays down. I’ll see their tears drop on her fur as she licks their hands.

With the amount of studies behind it, there’s no question why bringing canine companions into a classroom is popular. A school counselor can better assess the individual needs of their school and make modifications as needed.

What are Therapy Dogs?

According to the American Kennel Club, therapy dogs aren’t service dogs 2 2. What Is a Therapy Dog?. American Kennel Club . https://www.akc.org/sports/title-recognition-program/therapy-dog-program/what-is-a-therapy-dog and instead go with their owners to volunteer in different settings, including schools, nursing homes, and hospitals.

The impact a dog in the classroom can have on students is impressive. For example, a University of California study found that students participating in a canine reading program experienced an increase in their reading fluency from 12% to 30% 3 3. UC Delivers. University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources . https://ucanr.edu/delivers/?impact=800 .

The definition of a therapy dog 4 4. Kropp, J. J., & Shupp, M. M.. Review of the Research: Are Therapy Dogs in Classrooms Beneficial?. ERIC Institute of Education Sciences . https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1173578.pdf is frequently confused, so here’s an overview of the differences between therapy, service, and emotional support dogs:

The Training and Certification of Therapy Dogs

Unlike service dogs, there are no qualification requirements for a therapy dog. However, therapy dogs should undergo basic training to ensure they have good manners and stay under their owner’s control.

In addition, there are therapy dog programs to help officially certify your pet for educational settings. For example, certified therapy dog teams, like the Alliance of Therapy Dogs 5 5. Alliance of therapy dogs. Alliance of Therapy Dogs Inc. . https://www.therapydogs.com , provide testing, certification, registration, support, and insurance for those who want to volunteer with therapy dogs.

The Benefits of a School Therapy Dog

A Labradoodle named Archie 6 6. Romero, M.. Therapy dog at Franklin High School in Portland. KGW8 . 2020. https://www.kgw.com/article/news/education/its-comforting-to-know-that-hes-there-archie-franklin-high-schools-therapy-dog-helps-soothe-students/283-de3a3e69-552d-4d31-9dee-2d0f6f1b773f made headlines as the therapy dog at a local Portland, Oregon, high school in 2020. The school’s principal introduced Archie to the school after wanting to start a class for students with anxiety.

Archie started working with special needs children but made his way around school, saying hello to teachers and students. School staff noticed a significant positive impact on the student’s overall mood after Archie became an “employee.”

School programs like Archie’s see many positive benefits from having a dog therapy program, not only because they bring smiles to the students’ faces.

Emotional and Psychological Benefits

One of therapy dogs’ most significant impacts is aiding a student’s social-emotional development, greatly influencing a child’s mental health. For example, a therapy dog may be a comforting, nonjudgemental presence 7 7. Gee, N. R., Rodriguez, K. E., Fine, A. H., & Trammell, J. P.. Dogs Supporting Human Health and Well-Being: A Biopsychosocial Approach. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, . 2021;8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.630465 and a positive tactile and sensory distraction.

Additional emotional and psychological benefits of therapy dogs in schools include:

Reduced stress and anxiety among students
Enhanced social skills and emotional empathy
Reduced negative behavior in children
Improved mental well-being in students
Sense of responsibility in students
Long-term success of emotional learning

Academic and Cognitive Benefits

In addition to emotional and psychological benefits, school therapy dogs benefit students academically and cognitively, creating an enhanced learning environment.

Academic and cognitive benefits of therapy dogs in the school environment include:

Improved reading skills and learning abilities
Memory and problem-solving skills
Enhanced concentration and motivation
Increase in a student’s motivation to participate in learning activities

You may discover therapy dogs work best in small groups where students interact equally and don’t compete for attention, especially if there’s a cognitive development delay .

Physical Health Benefits

Research suggests that people with dogs experience less cardiovascular reactivity 8 8. Having a dog can help your heart – literally. Harvard Health . 2015. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/having-a-dog-can-help-your-heart–literally#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20some%20research%20suggests,of%20stress%20on%20the%20body. during stress, meaning their heart rate and blood pressure go up less and return to normal quickly.

Additional physical health benefits of therapy dogs in school settings include:

Lowered blood pressure and heart rate
Sensory and motor development
Reduced level of the stress hormone cortisol in the body
Supports students’ mental health

As a dog owner, I appreciate the daily walks that benefit me and my pet. Creating a schedule where students take turns walking the dog ensures everyone gets daily physical activity.

Best Practices for Integrating Therapy Dogs in Schools

Before starting a therapy dog program at your school, there are several considerations to ensure positive special needs advocacy .

Service dog working with children in the preschool.

Temperament of Therapy Dogs

Most breeds vary in temperament, so it’s best to choose one with the right personality for being a therapy dog in a school setting. Therapy dogs should be friendly and calm and enjoy interacting with students and school staff.

Additional qualities of school therapy dogs include:

Love of human contact
Obedient
Gentle
Docile
Tolerant

In addition, it’s best to have a therapy dog that doesn’t jump on people or is afraid of unsteady or sudden movements. While students should treat the dog respectfully, some children forget to be calm around dogs.

Choosing the Right Breed

One of the most important considerations to remember is the breed of dog you choose. You’ll also want to consider the dog’s size when picking the right therapy dog, ensuring it’s appropriate for the school setting.

While there are no breed requirements for therapy dogs, according to US Service Animals, these are the top 14 best therapy dog breeds 9 9. The 14 Best Therapy Dog Breeds. US Service Animals Blog . https://usserviceanimals.org/blog/best-therapy-dog-breeds :

Labrador Retriever
Golden Retriever
Newfoundland
Border Collie
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Bichon Frise
Yorkshire Terrier

Policy and Planning

Before starting a therapy dog program, developing clear policies, including emergency protocols and behavior guidelines, is essential. For example, who will bring the dog outside to ensure its safety if there is a fire at school?

Additional considerations when planning for a school therapy dog include:

Training requirements
Establishing a code of conduct
Consent and notification to parents
Health and vaccination policies
Documentation and record-keeping
Monitoring the therapy dog’s impact
Regular review and adaption

Teacher and Student Preparation

It’s also best to prepare teachers and students for the arrival of a therapy dog, allowing you to see everyone’s comfort level.

When you actively involve teachers and students in the preparation process, you can create a positive and inclusive environment for introducing a therapy dog program.

Additional tips to help teachers and students prepare for a therapy dog:

Consider how to incorporate the dog into lesson plans.
Establish quiet areas for the therapy dog.
Set clear expectations regarding interactions between students and the dog.
Keep parents informed on the effectiveness of the therapy dog program.
Emphasize the importance of boundaries between students and the dog.
Understand how to integrate the therapy dog into counseling sessions to help address mental health concerns.
Encourage students to express their feelings and concerns about the program.

Challenges and Considerations

Bringing a therapy dog into a school community is fantastic but not perfect. You should consider several aspects before integrating a therapy dog into your school.

Allergies and Fears

When introducing a school therapy dog, it’s important to consider dog allergies and fears. Although cat allergies are twice as common as dogs, dog and cat allergies affect 10%-20% of the population 10 10. Chan, S. K., & Leung, D. Y.. Dog and Cat Allergies: Current State of Diagnostic Approaches and Challenges. Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research . 2018;10(2), 97–105. https://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2018.10.2.97 worldwide.

In addition, many children have a phobia of dogs, and it’s respectful to consider that. While having a therapy dog in the classroom may help alleviate some fears, it’s important to remember that some fears stem from unpleasant or infrequent encounters with dogs.

Logistics and Responsibilities

Another consideration to remember is the costs and responsibilities of handling and caring for therapy dogs. Therapy dogs aren’t classroom pets and need a responsible owner to always care for them and provide financial support.

Common concerns surrounding therapy dogs in schools include:

Sanitation concerns
Ensuring the safe temperament of dogs
Legal and insurance issues
Cost and funding considerations
Allergy concerns
Necessary therapy dog training
Space restraints

A 2023 study by Baird et al. in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior found that the risks of therapy dogs 11 11. Baird, R., Berger, E., & Grové, C.. Therapy dogs and school wellbeing: A qualitative study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior . 2023;68, 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2023.08.005 negatively affecting a student’s school well-being are perpetuated by the absence of products for therapy dog handlers to respond to the safety challenges that arise during interactions between students and therapy dogs.

Distractions and Disruptions

It’s important to remember that introducing a therapy dog at school may lead to moments of distraction or excitement among students. It’s best to plan for potential disruptions and have strategies to refocus attention on learning activities.

In addition, some students may experience sensory overload from having a therapy dog in school, so it’s crucial to be aware of students’ struggles and react accordingly.

What are the legal implications of having therapy dogs in public schools?

The legal implications of having a therapy dog in school vary based on your jurisdiction and specific circumstances, so it’s essential to be aware of and adhere to local, state, and federal laws. In addition, it’s best to have liability insurance in case of potential incidents involving the therapy dog.

How do you measure the success or effectiveness of a school therapy dog program?

You can measure the success of a school therapy dog program by seeing its impact on students, including the following:

Student’s well-being
Academic performance
Behavioral changes
Attendance rates
Teacher and staff feedback
Social-emotional learning indicators
Regular program reviews

What are the daily maintenance and care requirements for a therapy dog in a school setting?

A therapy dog should receive daily care, including:

Food and water
Health checks
Scheduled breaks
Behavioral reinforcement
Bathroom breaks

How does the presence of a therapy dog in the classroom affect teachers’ stress levels and job satisfaction?

While it’s important to understand how the presence of a therapy dog will affect students, it’s also vital to consider the school staff. Understandably, adding a dog to the school can add stress, but it can also help a teacher with emotional support, increased job satisfaction, and an enhanced classroom atmosphere.

Get healthy, get a dog: The health benefits of canine companionship . Harvard Health . (n.d.). https://www.health.harvard.edu/promotions/harvard-health-publications/get-healthy-get-a-dog-the-health-benefits-of-canine-companionship#:~:text=provide%20companionship,the%20lives%20of%20older%20individuals
What Is a Therapy Dog? American Kennel Club . (n.d.). https://www.akc.org/sports/title-recognition-program/therapy-dog-program/what-is-a-therapy-dog
UC Delivers. University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources . (n.d.). https://ucanr.edu/delivers/?impact=800
Kropp, J. J., & Shupp, M. M. (n.d.). Review of the Research: Are Therapy Dogs in Classrooms Beneficial? ERIC Institute of Education Sciences . https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1173578.pdf
Alliance of therapy dogs. Alliance of Therapy Dogs Inc. (n.d.). https://www.therapydogs.com
Romero, M. (2020, February 21). Therapy dog at Franklin High School in Portland. KGW8 . https://www.kgw.com/article/news/education/its-comforting-to-know-that-hes-there-archie-franklin-high-schools-therapy-dog-helps-soothe-students/283-de3a3e69-552d-4d31-9dee-2d0f6f1b773f
Gee, N. R., Rodriguez, K. E., Fine, A. H., & Trammell, J. P. (2021). Dogs Supporting Human Health and Well-Being: A Biopsychosocial Approach. Frontiers in Veterinary Science , 8 . https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.630465
Having a dog can help your heart – literally. Harvard Health . (2015, September 1). https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/having-a-dog-can-help-your-heart–literally#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20some%20research%20suggests,of%20stress%20on%20the%20body.
The 14 Best Therapy Dog Breeds. US Service Animals Blog . (n.d.). https://usserviceanimals.org/blog/best-therapy-dog-breeds
Chan, S. K., & Leung, D. Y. (2018). Dog and Cat Allergies: Current State of Diagnostic Approaches and Challenges. Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research , 10 (2), 97–105. https://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2018.10.2.97
Baird, R., Berger, E., & Grové, C. (2023). Therapy dogs and school wellbeing: A qualitative study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior , 68 , 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2023.08.005

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Independent Education

2019 September IE

Growing research into animal-assisted therapies has seen an increase in the implementation of therapy animals, such as dogs, in the educational setting. Journalist Mykeala Campanini digs into the details.

Recent research has shown therapy dogs can reduce stress in physiological ways by reducing the stress chemical cortisol in the brain and triggering the release of oxytocin, which plays a positive role in social bonding.

The presence of a therapy dog in a school setting has also been linked to improvements in school attendance, student confidence levels and increased motivation to participate in learning activities.

Shalom College in Queensland is one of the first schools in the state to experience the benefits of having a therapy dog firsthand, after introducing their school dog Milo in late 2018.

Claire Stallard, a teacher at Shalom College and Milo’s owner, plays the role of his handler while he completes his duties around the school.

“Milo came into the position of school dog unintentionally after he accompanied me to work one day for a vet appointment and attended a physical education class,” Stallard said.

“It was during this class he inadvertently was put in a position where he calmed down a very distressed student, and it was from there we looked into the role he could play as a more permanent member of staff at Shalom College.”

Milo has now been the school therapy dog for over 10 months, with a range of day to day duties that involve both in-class and playground involvement with the students.

“Milo comes along to all of my lessons both in the classroom and practical physical education classes. He also attends playground duties, visits with students at break times, as well as meetings with staff and parents,” Stallard said.

“During the classroom lessons, Milo roams freely, sitting with different students at different times, having a snooze or giving a hug where it’s sometimes needed.

“During the more physical classes, Milo also finds a way to be useful, such as during tennis matches where he dutifully retrieves out-of-bounds balls for the students.”

One of Milo’s most important roles is that of providing emotional comfort to students; if there is a student upset at school Milo will provide company during a visit at the school’s Student Services building.

“Students who are having a tough day emotionally especially benefit from Milo’s presence and it provides that circuit breaker to their feelings at a particular moment that can change the day for the better or provide some relief from their stress,” said Stallard.

“He has the ability to bring even the quietest of kids out of their shell, as they want to talk about their own pets while giving Milo a pat and cuddle and it allows them to open up as they feel comfortable with him.”

All members of the school community have reported positive reactions to Milo’s presence and his inclusion in learning activities has resulted in more constructive behaviours from students, especially those who are more challenging from a behavioural point of view.

“The students interact very positively with Milo and this enhances moods and behaviour rather than detract from it; those students who can, at times, be a distraction are positively influenced by Milo to behave in a more appropriate manner,” Stallard said.

“Collectively all our students are on the same page about Milo; they look forward to seeing him, they look out for him and they all relish the attention when he singles them out for some attention.”

What are therapy dogs?

It is important to understand the difference in roles between a therapy dog and a service dog, both of which may be found in an educational environment.

A service dog’s main purpose is to provide equal access for someone with a disability; they are protected by law in regards to their presence in certain animal-restricted areas and are trained specifically for an individual and their disability such as visual or hearing impairments, seizures, mobility issues or diabetes.

Therapy dogs have a less defined role, generally they are used to provide emotional support through animal assisted therapy which can come in many forms.

They are not protected by the same laws, meaning they can be refused access to animal restricted areas and activities such as using public transport.

What does the research tell us?

Dr Christine Grove is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist from the Faculty of Education at Monash University, who has trained her own dog, Bronson, to be a therapy dog.

Bronson works in both educational and clinical settings to help children overcome their fears.

Dr Grove is also undertaking research with her colleague Dr Linda Henderson and a team of Master of Educational/Development Psychology research students at the university, in relation to how therapy dogs impact student wellbeing in educational settings.

“Our research is predominantly school focused, given our research team have educational backgrounds in educational psychology and teaching,” Dr Grove said.

“We are looking particularly at animal therapy interventions in the school setting and how therapy dogs can support school psychologists – and how they can be used as part of a therapeutic toolkit for coping and supporting students’ to self-regulate their emotions.”

Therapy dogs can play a significant role in the school setting as part of a wellbeing program, where the dog has a distinct purpose such as supporting students with anxiety and stress.

Their role in this scenario is to improve rapport between students and the handlers or psychologists; the presence of the therapy dog creates excitement for the student and, therefore, they have a positive connotation with the therapy session and are more inclined to attend and actively participate.

“As we know with adolescents in particular, sometimes asking for help is hard and so therapy dog intervention is a way to make this more appealing, as well as to teach pro-social skills,” Dr Grove said.

“You can also use therapy dogs for communication; kids can talk to them and the dog doesn’t react they just listen, so you can practice different ways of how to communicate around challenging topics.”

Research shows that the presence of a therapy dog can also promote students’ attendance at school, as students are more likely to attend class if they know they will see a therapy dog there.

“Therapy dogs can also be used more informally, such as welcoming students and creating a more friendly and interactive environment,” Dr Grove said.

“Most students can benefit from interacting with a therapy dog as they are supportive for people dealing with general stress, including students who may have challenges in the classroom.

“While therapy dogs in themselves do not directly improve students’ grades, they may have a secondary impact that improves academic outputs such as if students are more likely to come to school and some research suggests students are engaging more when therapy dogs are present.”

Introducing a new therapy dog

Even when therapy dogs are being used by schools in a more informal way, Dr Grove emphasises the importance of a two-way communication model between the school administration and the broader school community during the initial introduction of the dog to the school environment.

“It is essential to have clear communication with the school community and with parents and carers around the inclusion of the therapy dog, giving them an opportunity to provide commentary about the dog coming in, discussing the process and voicing any concerns.

“It is also important to have a wellbeing and inclusion policy that includes the therapy dog in it, stating what the dog’s purpose will be and why the therapy dog is coming to school and when.

“The policy should also have a risk assessment in place so that if something happens, the school has an outlined response, as well as a clear process for any issues or complaints.”

Therapy dogs may be introduced as long term participants in the school environment, such as attending regular classes or being used as part of the school’s wellbeing program, or they may be brought in for assistance in a short term crisis capacity.

“Therapy dogs can be effective when used during critical instances, such as if there is a fatality at a school, as well as in ongoing interventions and treatments in schools in the setting,” Dr Grove said.

“Our research is attempting to determine if it helps having a therapy dog as part of the student wellbeing team or not.

“It is a really exciting space and hopefully within the next year we will have some more research published in this fast-moving field, where research is catching up with practice.”

References https://www.deltasociety.com.au https://theconversation.com/therapy-dogs-can-help-reduce-student-stress-anxiety-and-improve-school-attendance-93073

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Therapy Dogs in Australian Schools: The Perspectives of Current Therapy Dog Handlers

Research output : Book/Report › Other Report › Research

Therapy Dogs
Mental health

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

T1 - Therapy Dogs in Australian Schools: The Perspectives of Current Therapy Dog Handlers

AU - Grove, Christine

AU - Henderson, Linda

AU - Midwood, Samantha

AU - Matheson, Kezia

PY - 2021/5

Y1 - 2021/5

N2 - The overall aim of the study was to investigate the use of therapy dogs in educational settings in Victorian schools, and to gain insight from the valuable and under-researched perspective of therapy dog handlers.The following report provides a summary of the key findings from the study. It reports on the strengths and challenges of using therapy dogs in educational settings. Semi-structure interviews were conducted with current therapy dog handlers working across a number of different educational settings. In total nine handlers were interviewed and interviews were of average 30 minutes in duration. Rationale for interviewing therapy dog handlers was to elicit data that could address the aims of the study: 1)to explore the impact of therapy dogs on the mental health and wellbeing of students receiving additional support at school, 2)to identify barriers to the ongoing operation of therapy dogs in educational settings, and ways to address these barriers, and3)to investigate handler’s perspectives of the potential impact of using therapy dogs for specific student support needs in schools.With increasing interest in the use of therapy dogs in school settings this study was addressing a key aspect of their use in educational settings. That being, the perspectives of therapy dog handlers. Within the existing empirical research on therapy dogs in school settings the focus has largely been on the experiences of students and the impact on learning and wellbeing outcomes. This study was addressing the perspectives of therapy dog handlers. Anecdotally, handlers have reported on the benefits as well as the challenges they have experienced in their role. This study presents empirical qualitative research on their perspectives and the benefits and challenges experienced. This study was a partnership between Monash University and the Department of Education, Student Support Services (SSS), Barwon South Western, Victoria, Australia

AB - The overall aim of the study was to investigate the use of therapy dogs in educational settings in Victorian schools, and to gain insight from the valuable and under-researched perspective of therapy dog handlers.The following report provides a summary of the key findings from the study. It reports on the strengths and challenges of using therapy dogs in educational settings. Semi-structure interviews were conducted with current therapy dog handlers working across a number of different educational settings. In total nine handlers were interviewed and interviews were of average 30 minutes in duration. Rationale for interviewing therapy dog handlers was to elicit data that could address the aims of the study: 1)to explore the impact of therapy dogs on the mental health and wellbeing of students receiving additional support at school, 2)to identify barriers to the ongoing operation of therapy dogs in educational settings, and ways to address these barriers, and3)to investigate handler’s perspectives of the potential impact of using therapy dogs for specific student support needs in schools.With increasing interest in the use of therapy dogs in school settings this study was addressing a key aspect of their use in educational settings. That being, the perspectives of therapy dog handlers. Within the existing empirical research on therapy dogs in school settings the focus has largely been on the experiences of students and the impact on learning and wellbeing outcomes. This study was addressing the perspectives of therapy dog handlers. Anecdotally, handlers have reported on the benefits as well as the challenges they have experienced in their role. This study presents empirical qualitative research on their perspectives and the benefits and challenges experienced. This study was a partnership between Monash University and the Department of Education, Student Support Services (SSS), Barwon South Western, Victoria, Australia

KW - Therapy Dogs

KW - Schools

KW - Wellbeing

KW - Mental health

M3 - Other Report

BT - Therapy Dogs in Australian Schools: The Perspectives of Current Therapy Dog Handlers

PB - Monash University

CY - Melbourne Vic Australia

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Therapy dogs help reduce stress for children in hospitals -- even if they’re robotic, stanford finds.

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A recent peer-reviewed study indicates that children who spend time with therapy dogs can lower their stress even more than relaxation exercises. That outcome becomes even more important when the child is in the hospital. But what happens when there are not enough therapy dogs?

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How to realize immense promise of gene editing.

Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna at Harvard Medical School.

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Nobel-winning CRISPR pioneer says approval of revolutionary sickle-cell therapy shows need for more efficient, less expensive process

The world stands on the edge of an era when gene editing can address many serious ills plaguing humankind, according to a pioneer of the revolutionary gene editing technique known as CRISPR-Cas9. But first, she said, there is a problem to solve.

Jennifer Doudna , whose work on CRISPR earned her the 2020 Nobel Prize in chemistry , applauded the recent approval of a CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy to help those struggling with sickle-cell disease. The therapy, developed by Boston-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, was approved by the FDA in 2023. Preapproval studies showed it was very effective at reducing the severe pain that accompanies the life-threatening blood disorder.

Doudna, who visited Harvard Medical School last week to deliver the century-old Dunham Lectures, said the advance shows how CRISPR-based therapies can address hard-to-treat ailments, but it also highlights the hurdles that still stand in the way of widespread use. The therapy, she said, uses a process similar to that of a bone-marrow transplant. Blood stem cells are extracted from a patient’s bone marrow, genetically engineered, and then reinfused into the marrow to produce blood cells that greatly reduce disease symptoms and dangerous complications.

That process, while groundbreaking, is physically challenging for patients, and expensive, with each treatment costing more than $1 million. Together, those factors explain why only 250 people have received the therapy so far, Doudna said, even though the condition afflicts 90,000 to 100,000 in the U.S. and millions worldwide.

“It’s exciting, but that’s quite a small number,” Doudna said.

Jennifer Doudna giving a lecture in the Joseph B Martin Conference Center.

Doudna delivered her talk, “Rewriting the Future of Health Care with Genome Editing,” on Thursday in a packed Joseph B. Martin Amphitheater on HMS’ Longwood Campus in Boston.

She said that if CRISPR is to match its promise to reduce human suffering, new delivery methods are essential. She described several efforts underway in her lab and those of colleagues to create nanoparticle delivery systems that could, if perfected, relatively simply and cheaply deliver the CRISPR-based gene editor to target cells in various tissues.

That would allow the gene-editing process to occur inside the patient’s body rather than in the lab, as occurs with the new sickle-cell treatment. That would avoid the expensive and arduous process of extracting cells from a patient’s body, engineering them to address a condition’s genetic causes, and then reinjecting them into the patient.

“How we can achieve in vivo genome editing, I increasingly think this is the bottleneck in this field,” Doudna said. “Broadly speaking, what we need to be addressing is how these editors are going to get into target cells in the body. It’s a really interesting, really big challenge, and there’s many people working on it.”

The discovery of CRISPR/Cas9 in 2012 stemmed from basic scientific research into how bacteria fight off viruses. Researchers realized that a portion of the bacterial immune system contains molecules that precisely snip DNA at specific locations, and developed that into the molecular scissors of CRISPR/Cas9 that allow the precise editing of human, plant, and animal DNA at specific locations.

The technique was immediately seen as a major advance and other scientists began using it in their own research.

“Her groundbreaking development of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, with collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier, earned the two of them the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2020 and forever changed the course of human, animal, and agricultural research,” said Stephen Blacklow , chair of the HMS Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , who introduced Doudna. He added that Doudna has an “unsurpassed capacity to engage and inspire the next generation.”

Doudna, who received her Ph.D. from HMS’ Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Department in 1989 under Nobel laureate Jack Szostak, expressed confidence that the problem of delivering gene-editing therapy directly to patients’ cells is a solvable one. Her talk dealt with strategies to tackle the problem including lentiviruses, lipid nanoparticles, and something called EDV — enveloped delivery vehicles.

“It makes me think that ultimately … we can come up with a strategy for a particle that will be both easy to make, easy to program, and be effective at delivering in vivo,” Doudna said.

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Published: 05 March 2022

Dogs at school: a quantitative analysis of parental perceptions of canine-assisted activities in schools mediated by child anxiety score and use case

Wendy Irene Fynn ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3752-783X 1 &
Jessica Runacres 1

International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy volume 16 , Article number: 4 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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Canine-assisted activities in schools can benefit students’ educational, emotional, and social needs. Furthermore, they could be an effective form of non-clinical mental health treatment for children and adolescents. In the United Kingdom, school dogs are growing in popularity, however, little is known about how parents perceive canine-assisted activities as a treatment option. This is important as parental perceptions can influence engagement, whilst lack of awareness can become a barrier to treatment. This study uses a cross-sectional design to quantitatively explore the acceptability of canine-assisted activities amongst UK-based parents ( n = 318) of children aged six to 16 ( M = 10.12, SD = 3.22). An online survey used a treatment evaluation to determine acceptability across three use-cases. These included a child reading to dogs to improve literacy skills, a child interacting one-to-one to foster greater self-esteem and social skills, and a classroom dog to improve student behaviour and motivation. Additionally, the scale for generalised anxiety disorder was used to rank child anxiety as high or low, where high was a score equal to or above the UK clinical borderline threshold. The results found canine-assisted activities were less acceptable for the behavioural than the reading and social use-cases. Furthermore, parents of children with high anxiety had higher acceptability scores than parents of children with low anxiety for the reading and social use-cases but not for the behavioural use case. These findings suggest that UK parents' acceptability of canine-assisted activities in schools is mediated by child anxiety score. Furthermore, that parents may be less aware of the benefits of classroom dogs than other types of school-based canine-assisted activities.

Introduction

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that 13% of children and adolescents aged ten to nineteen experience mental health issues (WHO 2021 ). The UK statistic is similar, with 12.8% of those aged five to nineteen diagnosed with a mental health disorder in 2017 (Sadler et al., 2018 ). Anxiety-related emotional disorders were the most prevalent amongst those diagnosed including generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), which is persistent anxiety unrelated to a specific circumstance (Sadler et al., 2018 ). The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline for managing anxiety amongst children and young people lists treatment options such as counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, and medication (NICE, 2014 ). However, accessing psychological therapy through Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has become increasingly difficult due to resourcing issues (Anderson et al., 2017 ; Sharpe et al., 2016 ; Sin et al., 2010 ) and growing demand (NHS, 2019a ; Thorley, 2016 ). This has only become more pronounced since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (Robinson, 2021 ).

Although slightly different in their overall approach, both animal-assisted activities (AAA) and animal-assisted therapies (AAT) have been found to be effective in managing anxiety and depression in both children and adults (Molnár et al., 2020 ; Murray et al., 2019 ; Waite et al., 2018 ; Wilson et al., 2017 ). As such, complementary therapies such as AAT could be viable for use alongside traditional pharmacological and talking treatments. Studies which use animals in psychotherapeutic settings have had positive outcomes when treating adolescents with anxiety and depression (Wilson et al., 2017 ). Furthermore, some studies have found that therapy involving animals is more acceptable than medication when treating children with externalising behaviour problems (Dravsnik et al., 2018 ; Rabbitt et al., 2014 ).

The fields of AAA and AAT are similar in their inclusion of an animal as a core component of the process. However, AAT involves a trained health professional working towards a measurable goal (Friesen, 2010 ; Maujean et al., 2015 ), whereas AAA is a more informal, less structured approach (Maujean et al., 2015 ). Both fall under the term animal-assisted interventions (AAI) (Pet Partners, n.d.). AAI and canine-assisted activities (CAA) have been found to be beneficial for treating mental health issues (Jones et al., 2019 ; Maber-Aleksandrowicz et al., 2016 ). This is especially pertinent in the UK given the challenges surrounding CAMHS access (Anderson et al., 2017 ; Thorley, 2016 ). One London-based organisation uses CAA to improve communication, social skills, and reduce anxiety amongst adolescents with special educational needs (SEN) (Waggy Tails Club, n.d.). Referrals can be made via CAMHS and the activities are run entirely by a team of volunteers and their dogs (Petley, 2019 ). Although no research has been conducted to assess the impact of this particular intervention, both AAI and CAA have been found to improve psychosocial outcomes amongst children and young people with intellectual disabilities (Maber-Aleksandrowicz et al., 2016 ) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (O’Haire, 2017 ).

CAA is particularly relevant given that contact with animals is an important and unavoidable aspect of our society (DeMello, 2012 ). Uses have burgeoned in recent years from support dogs on planes (Hauser, 2020 ) to CAA in hospitals (Hinic et al., 2019 ; Perez et al., 2019 ). This demand may have been influenced by the success of reading programmes such as the USA’s CARE to Read, and Pets as Therapy’s Read2Dogs in the UK. Both are backed by wide literature supporting the benefits of children reading aloud to dogs (Hall et al., 2016 ; Henderson et al., 2020 ; Kirnan et al., 2015 ; Noble & Holt, 2018 ; Rousseau & Tardif-Williams, 2019 ). This includes increased on-task behaviour (Bassette & Taber-Doughty, 2013 ) and improvement in measurable reading skills such as fluency, accuracy, and intonation (Barber & Proops, 2019 ). Dogs are said to elicit these outcomes by influencing behaviours which in turn impact reading, including improving confidence and reducing stress and anxiety (Hall et al., 2016 ; Henderson et al., 2020 ). As such, an emerging body of research is now exploring the wider mental health benefits of CAA for typically developing children and students (Brelsford et al., 2017 ; Harris & Binfet, 2021 ; Kropp & Shupp, 2017 ; Sin et al., 2010 ).

Classroom dogs appear frequently in CAA research. Here, a well-trained dog is present in the classroom during lessons, either confined to a bed/crate or allowed to roam during teaching (Anderson & Olson, 2006 ; Hergovich et al., 2002 ). Introducing a dog to the classroom during lessons has been found to improve pupil behaviour and socialisation (Kurt & Ortbauer, 2003 ), and foster a more positive learning environment (Beetz, 2013 ; Bradley & Maldonado, 2013 ; Brelsford et al . , 2017 ) provided any medical and cultural barriers are taken into consideration. A recent UK-based study used mixed-methods to explore the benefits of classroom dogs (Mercer, 2019 ). Interviews were conducted with one staff member from three schools, and a survey was completed by ten respondents. Identified themes related to emotional, behavioural, and educational benefits (Mercer, 2019 ). Educational benefits included already-established advantages of including dogs in reading activities (Kirnan et al., 2015 ; Le Roux et al., 2014 ), as well as during teaching and to motivate pupils. Furthermore, each of the interviewees cited an example of the dog calming a pupil as evidence of the emotional benefits of CAA (Mercer, 2019 ). Whilst the sample size is small, other qualitative studies have had similar findings (Daly & Suggs, 2010 ; Hergovich et al., 2002 ; Kortschal & Ortbauer, 2003; Noble & Holt, 2018 ).

Classroom dogs can also support students with SEN such as Emotional Behavioural Disorder (EBD) gain skills in responsibility, empathy, and respect (Anderson & Olson, 2006 ). In one ASD classroom, a pre–post study found that the presence of a dog significantly improved social functioning and enthusiasm for school attendance (O’Haire et al., 2014 ). Follow-up measures were not taken, therefore the extent to which the results were due to the novelty of the dog is unknown. In some multicultural classrooms dogs can contribute to better social integration by enabling emotional expression and fostering positive relationships between students and teachers (Correale et al., 2017 ). Whilst the literature to-date does suggest that dogs have benefits for the mental health of children and adolescents via human–animal interaction, further quantitative research using larger sample sizes is required.

There is growing support in the UK for the inclusion of CAA in mainstream schools. Sir Anthony Seldon and Education Secretary Damian Hinds have both publicly stated their support for bringing more dogs into classrooms (Coughlan, 2019 ). However, little is known about how parents perceive the intended benefits of this (O’Reilly et al., 2018 ). Whilst CAA has been shown to benefit mental health in schools, parental buy-in needs to be considered. Parental perceptions of treatment have been shown to influence motivation and engagement in the treatment or therapy itself (Hackworth et al., 2018 ; Mendez et al., 2009 ; Nock & Photos, 2006 ). Furthermore, low acceptability and lack of awareness of services are key barriers to treatment uptake (Anderson et al., 2017 ; Rabbitt et al., 2014 ).

A relationship between parental perceptions and treatment efficacy has been found in paediatric healthcare, where factors including attitude, perceived behaviour control, and perceived norm predicted behaviours related to both obesity monitoring (Andrews et al., 2010 ) and gluten-free diet (Marsden et al., 2019 ). In both cases, a positive parental attitude was found to significantly contribute towards behaviour, namely actively undertaking the health behaviour being studied. Therefore, higher acceptability of CAA might increase the likelihood of parents utilising such options for their child.

Two separate studies have found parental perceptions of CAA to be positive, ranking dog-assisted psychotherapy as preferable to medication (Dravsnik et al., 2018 ; Rabbitt et al., 2014 ). However, these studies did not examine CAA in schools, nor differentiate between various CAA uses. Similarly, two studies published in 2019 explored parental perceptions of CAA using qualitative methods (Harwood et al., 2019 ; Ward et al., 2019 ). Key findings from both studies included themes of companionship and emotional well-being (Harwood et al., 2019 ; Ward et al., 2019 ). However, they too did not examine CAA in schools or differentiate between uses. To the researchers’ knowledge, no studies quantitatively explore parental acceptability of CAA in schools specifically. This knowledge is an important contribution to the literature given how little is known about public views of animal-assisted interventions (Rabbitt et al., 2014 ).

The present study seeks to address this gap by exploring parental perceptions of CAA in schools. Acceptability of CAA is quantitatively explored alongside the current mental well-being of the participant’s child, as assessed by a score measuring GAD. The aim is to explore whether parents of children with high anxiety will have a more positive perception of CAA, given their child could potentially benefit from this therapy or activity. Furthermore, variations in acceptability will also be explored by presenting three common use-cases of CAA in schools, namely reading to dogs, classroom dogs, and one-to-one interaction with a dog. This study was guided by the following research questions:

Q1: Do perceptions of canine-assisted activities differ across use-cases?

Q2: Do parents whose children might benefit most perceive canine-assisted activities more positively?

The following hypotheses were tested:

H1: Acceptability will differ significantly across use-cases.

H10: There will be no significant differences in acceptability across use-cases.

H2: Parents of children with high anxiety will have a significantly higher acceptability.

H20: There will be no difference in acceptability across high and low anxiety groups.

This study adopted quantitative methods to explore parental acceptability of CAA. An online survey collected data on the demographics of participants. Three different examples of school-based CAA were presented as vignettes, namely reading to dogs, having a dog present in the classroom, and one-to-one interaction with a dog.

Participants

Participant requirements were: (1) parents or guardians aged 18 or over, (2) who reside in the UK, (3) with a child aged between 6 and 16 years. Exclusion criteria were those whose child has a mental age of less than 18 months (given via self-report). Prior to data collection, calculations on G*Power suggested a total sample size of 76 in order to have a power of 0.8 and effect size of 0.25.

Recruitment took place for 3 months via social media (Facebook and Whatsapp), a research recruitment website, and running paid ads on Facebook. The final sample consisted of 318 participants with 10 male, 307 female, and one other/non-binary. Corresponding child ages covered the full inclusion criteria of six to 16 ( M = 10.12, SD = 3.22) (see Appendix 1 for participant demographic data).

Qualtrics was used to host the survey. The survey included a scale to measure child anxiety via GAD score, a scale to measure the acceptability of three CAA vignettes, and demographic questions. The latter included attitude towards dogs, parent gender, single-parent status, pet ownership, and number of children in the household. Attitude towards dogs was measured separately for parent and child using two statements answered on a five-point Likert scale, “I am afraid of dogs” and “I avoid interacting with dogs for cultural, religious, or personal reasons”.

Two versions of the survey were created, one with the GAD scale before the vignettes (Child First), and one using the reverse order (Dog First). They were otherwise identical, and data collection occurred simultaneously for both by randomising which survey link participants received. Scales used included the RCADS-P (Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (Parental Version)) GAD sub-scale (Chorpita et al., 2000 ) and the TEI-SF (Treatment Evaluation Inventory (Short Form)) (Kelley et al., 1989 ). Permission to use both was obtained.

The TEI-SF was used to measure the acceptability of three vignettes, each presenting a form of CAA in schools (see Appendix 2 ). Each vignette included an explanation of the child’s problem behaviour, a description of the CAA used, and the intended outcome. Each vignette was based upon literature supporting the use of CAA for the given issue; however, they were not piloted with teachers or parents. The reading vignette is rooted in studies which have found that reading to dogs statistically significantly improves measurable reading outcomes (Barber & Proops, 2019 ; Kirnan et al., 2018 ; Le Roux et al., 2014 ; Rousseau & Tardif-Williams, 2019 ). The behaviour vignette drew upon literature which supports the potential for a classroom dog to reduce externalising behaviour amongst students and support social cohesion and learning (Beetz, 2013 ; Brelsford et al., 2017 ; Kortschal & Ortbauer, 2003). The social vignette drew from studies which suggest that one-to-one interaction with a therapy dog can reduce anxiety and stress and improve social skills in children (Beetz et al., 2012 ; Esteves & Stokes, 2008 ; Jones et al., 2019 ).

Ethical approval was obtained prior to commencing the study. An invitation to participate, which contained a link for each survey, was sent out on social media, shared with university groups, parent-related pages, and forums, using the researcher’s Facebook profile. The study was also listed on Callforparticipants.com.

The first survey page included information on the study’s aims alongside a photograph of the researcher and their therapy dog. The next pages explained the participant’s rights, provided data protection information, and gave a consent form. Participants were required to create an anonymous participant ID before proceeding. In both surveys, the first questions collected demographic data on the participant’s household. In one survey, instructions on how to complete the TEI-SF questions appeared before the three vignettes. The RCADS-P GAD sub-scale was then given before the final set of child demographic questions. In the other survey, the RCADS-P GAD sub-scale was presented directly after the household questions, followed by the child demographics, the TEI-SF instructions, and finally the vignettes. The ordering of the three vignettes was randomised in both surveys.

Debrief and final consent concluded both surveys. Participants could withdraw from the study up to 14 days after completing the survey. Parents were permitted to complete the study multiple times if they had more than one eligible child.

Before commencing the analysis, reliability was verified using Cronbach’s Alpha (RCADS-P GAD sub-scale = 0.901 and TEI-SF = 0.906). GAD total score was classed as either high or low using NHS clinical thresholds adjusted for age and gender differences (Wolpert, 2012 ). Scores that were borderline or above were classed as high for the purposes of the study. These thresholds are only appropriate for ages eight and above, hence analyses using the GAD score did not include data for participants whose children were aged six or seven.

Initial statistical analyses ensured that the ordering of the questions did not impact the survey results. Namely, that asking the child-related questions before or after the vignettes had no significant effect on either GAD or TEI-SF score.

In total, 549 people commenced the study and 347 completed it. However, 29 participants were located outside the UK and so were excluded. The final sample therefore consisted of 318 participants. An independent T-test checked the impact of question order (Dog First vs Child First) on GAD score. There were no statistically significant differences ( t (316) = 0.48, p = 0.64). A Mann–Whitney test checked the impact of question order on TEI-SF score across the three vignettes. Question order did not have a statistically significant impact on the vignettes, Reading ( U = 12,384, z = 0.28, p = 0.78), Behaviour ( U = 12,316, z = 0.19, p = 0.85), or Social ( U = 13,713.5, z = 1.94, p = 0.05).

The first hypothesis was that acceptability would differ significantly across intervention cases. Data from all participants were analysed ( n = 318). A total acceptability score for each vignette was used for every participant. The assumptions of normality were violated; therefore, the non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis H Test was used for the analysis. Results indicated that median acceptability scores were statistically significantly different between groups, x 2 (2) = 3.06, p < 0.001. Subsequently, pairwise comparisons were performed using Dunn's ( 1964 ) procedure with a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Adjusted p -values are presented. The post hoc analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in acceptability score for behaviour (Mdn = 33) and reading (Mdn = 35) ( p < 0.001), and behaviour and social (Mdn = 35.5) ( p < 0.001), but not for reading and social ( p = 0.53) (Table 1 ).

Finally, the participants were grouped into low, moderate, or high acceptability according to their mean item score for the TEI-SF for each vignette. This was performed using a similar method to a previous study (Rabbitt et al., 2014 ): a score of 3.00 was classed as moderate, anything between 1.00 and 2.99 as low and anything between 3.01 and 5.00 as high. Over 80% of participants had high acceptability for both reading and social, whereas only 70.75% of participants had high acceptability for behaviour (see Table 2 ).

The second hypothesis was that parents of children with high anxiety would have higher acceptability. Participants whose children were six or seven years old were excluded from this analysis, therefore this was a sub-set of the full dataset in which n = 230. A two-way mixed ANOVA was performed using acceptability as the DV, vignette (reading, social or behaviour) as the within-subjects variable and anxiety (high or low) as the between-subjects variable. A single outlier was found during boxplot inspection, in the High-Social condition. Acceptability was not normally distributed, as assessed by Shapiro–Wilk’s test ( p < 0.001) and with negative skewing in all six conditions. A LOG10 transformation was used, however the data were still skewed. The ANOVA was run regardless due to its robustness to Type 1 errors (Blanca et al., 2017 ).

Descriptive statistics for the transformed data indicated a mean difference for GAD-TS between high and low for all three vignettes, with Behaviour-Low combination showing the highest overall score ( M = 3.72). Greenhouse–Geisser correction was used to interpret the results (Maxwell & Delaney, 2004 ). There were significant main effects for within and between subjects, and the interaction between group and vignette, F (1.88, 427.43) = 5.32, p = 0.006, partial η 2 = 0.02, ε = 0.94 (Table 3 ).

Follow-up tests using estimated marginal means (Univariate) were conducted. There was a statistically significant difference between groups for reading ( F (1, 228) = 9.47, p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.04) and Social ( F (1, 228) = 5.00, p = 0.03, η p 2 = 0.02), however not for behaviour ( F (1, 228) = 0.16, p = 0.69, η p 2 = 0.001). Partial eta-squared showed effect sizes for these differences in the reading and social conditions to be small (Cohen, 1988 ). Pairwise comparisons showed acceptability to be significantly greater for the high group in the reading ( M = 0.46, SE = 0.15, p = 0.002) and social ( M = 0.28, SE = 0.13, p = 0.03) vignettes but not the behaviour vignette ( M = 0.06, SE = 0.14, p = 0.69).

Finally, a multiple regression was run to assess if participant demographics had a significant effect on acceptability. The assumptions were tested and met, including homoscedasticity, a Durbin–Watson statistic of 2.11, and collinearity. Three outliers with standardised residuals greater than + -3 were present, however only one case exhibited risky leverage (Huber, 1981 ). There were no Cook’s distance values above 1. The residuals were normally distributed and so the results of the regression were interpreted. Demographics included were pet ownership, education, employment, attitude towards dogs, and gender. The model was statistically significant, F (5, 312) = 20.82, p < 0.001, adj. R 2 = 0.24. However, only attitude added statistically significantly to the prediction (see Table 4 ). Namely, acceptability increased by 4.85 for every unit attitude increased with a medium-to-large effect size ( f 2 = 0.33) (Cohen, 1988 ).

Parental acceptability ( n = 318) of CAA was positive overall. Over 83% of participants rated CAA as acceptable for reading, 89.94% for social and 70.75% for behaviour. The first hypothesis was that acceptability would differ significantly across the three intervention cases. The results revealed that whilst parents perceive CAA to be acceptable for reading and social, CAA is viewed as significantly less acceptable for behaviour. The second hypothesis was that parents of children with high anxiety would have a significantly greater acceptability for CAA than those with low anxiety. This hypothesis was supported in the reading and social vignettes, however, not in the behaviour vignette. Finally, attitude towards companion animals positively influenced attitude towards CAA. This supports a study by Crossman and Kazdin ( 2018 ) which had a similar result.

The finding that CAA is perceived positively contributes to existing literature on parental perceptions of AAI (Boyd & Le Roux, 2017 ; Harwood, 2019 ; Malcolm et al., 2018 ; Rabbitt et al., 2014 ). This literature predominantly explores perceptions of equine interventions (Boyd & Le Roux, 2017 ; Malcolm et al., 2018 ; Tan & Simmonds, 2018 ), therefore the present study adds an underrepresented perspective on including dogs. Furthermore, this finding is valuable given the influence of parental perceptions on treatment efficacy (Andrews et al., 2010 ; Marsden et al., 2019 ).

The first null hypothesis was rejected as there were significant differences between CAA use. This has implications for the existing literature on CAA in schools. Namely, several studies conducted within both SEN and mainstream schools have found that including a dog in the classroom improves student behaviour, emotional expression, social inclusion, and desire to learn (Beetz, 2013 ; Brelsford et al., 2017 ; Kortschal & Ortbauer, 2003). However, the results of the present study imply that, despite this evidence, parents do not perceive classroom dogs to be as beneficial as dogs for reading or working one-to-one with a child.

The second null hypothesis was accepted for one of the three intervention cases. Namely, parents in the high anxiety group did not perceive the behaviour vignette more positively than those in the low group. Several studies have found classroom dogs to benefit students with SEN such as EBD including improving empathy (Anderson & Olson, 2006 ), social skills (O’Haire et al., 2014 ) and, crucially, emotional expression (Correale et al., 2017 ). This finding suggests that parents whose children might benefit the most from a classroom dog might not be aware of potential advantages.

A distinctive and overarching finding of this study is, therefore, the disjuncture between the established benefits of classroom dogs (Beetz, 2013 ; Bradley & Maldonado, 2013 ; Berlsford et al., 2017 ; Mercer, 2019 ) and UK parents’ acceptability. Bridging this gap should be a focus for schools advocating CAA given the role parental perceptions play in both accessing and engaging in treatment or therapy. This is particularly important in the UK where classroom dogs have been recommended by education leaders (Coughlan, 2019 ).

The results also suggest that schools and future interventions could work closely with parents whose children have SEN including anxiety disorders. Firstly, by having these parents act as advocates of CAA to parents of typically developing students due to their higher acceptability overall. Secondly, schools could work alongside parents whose children have SEN to make them more aware of the benefits of classroom dogs given the benefits of CAA for children with SEN.

The study has several limitations. Firstly, the results of the post hoc analysis showed that attitude to dogs had a significant effect on acceptability with a medium-to-large effect size (Cohen, 1988 ). This implies that the results of this study might be biased if the sample is predominantly made up of dog lovers. Secondly, using the RCADS-P meant excluding ages six and seven from the analysis due to clinical thresholds being unavailable. Other limiting aspects of the design could include the question ordering, the wording of the vignettes lacking detail, and the placement of a photograph of the researcher and her dog on the first page of the survey. The latter may have influenced which participants went on to complete the survey by appealing more to dog lovers. Parents with multiple children were allowed to complete the survey more than once which may have skewed the data.

The wording of the behaviour vignette may also have impacted the scores. Reading and social described one-to-one CAA while behaviour implied a longer-term group use of CAA, given studies involving classroom dogs are typically six to ten weeks long (Bassette & Taber-Doughty, 2013 ; Donaldson, 2016 ; Le Roux et al., 2014 ). Therefore, the wording might have impacted scores via participants interpreting it as simply bringing a dog into the classroom once-off rather than a sustained intervention.

There were also some limitations related to confounding variables and, as mentioned, participant bias. Firstly, participants predominantly had a positive perception of dogs which may limit generalisation. Secondly, almost half the sample had a pet dog ( n = 137). This figure is higher than the reported number of UK households which include a child and a dog (24%) (PFMA, 2019 ). It is therefore possible that participants with a positive attitude towards dogs were more likely to complete the survey. It would be interesting for future research to explore this by comparing the mean attitude towards dogs found in the present study ( m = 8.9) with a wider sample to ascertain whether it resembles general UK averages or a cohort of dog lovers.

The findings of this study present further opportunities for future study. Firstly, the exploration of parental perceptions towards CAA in schools using in-depth qualitative methods would be useful to help direct future interventions and, importantly, policies on including dogs in school environments. Secondly, future studies could investigate the acceptability CAA within specific demographic groups, for example within Muslim communities where dog ownership might be less common.

Finally, future studies using a similar design could randomise the order of the survey sections and use a different measurement of GAD so that all age groups could be included in the analysis. It would also be useful to present several variations of the behaviour vignette in order to explore the acceptability of classroom dogs in more depth and ascertain whether they are perceived as less acceptable or if the results are related to aspects of the present study’s design.

The present study explored parental acceptability of CAA in schools alongside the current mental well-being of the participant’s child. The study explored whether parents of children with high anxiety had a more positive perception of CAA than those with low anxiety. Finally, variations in acceptability were explored by presenting three use-cases of CAA in schools. The findings indicate that while parental perceptions of CAA in schools is positive, there is variation across CAA use. Specifically, CAA for reading or one-to-one interventions are viewed as more acceptable than classroom dogs. Furthermore, parents whose children have high levels of GAD have a more positive perception of CAA for reading and one-to-one interventions but not for classroom dogs.

These findings are particularly relevant in the UK where classroom dogs are increasing in popularity, and over 12% of children and young people are diagnosed with a mental health disorder. CAA has the potential to be an effective way of improving students’ emotional and educational needs, however, low acceptability could prevent parents from engaging with or supporting CAA in schools. Future research could be done to explore why parents perceive classroom dogs as less acceptable than other types of CAA, and to direct programmes and policies aimed at increasing awareness of the benefits of having dogs in the classroom.

Availability of data and materials

Materials available at https://bit.ly/2GSLjOU . The dataset analysed during the current study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This research was undertaken by WF as an MSc Psychology student at the University of Derby.

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WF carried out the research design, collection and analysis, as well as paper write-up. JR assisted with research design and write-up. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Appendix 1: Demographic details for study participants across the split sample

M represents mean, SD represents standard deviation and N represents number

Appendix 2: Animal therapy vignettes with TEI-SF Scale

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Fynn, W.I., Runacres, J. Dogs at school: a quantitative analysis of parental perceptions of canine-assisted activities in schools mediated by child anxiety score and use case. ICEP 16 , 4 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40723-022-00097-x

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Accepted : 07 February 2022

Published : 05 March 2022

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s40723-022-00097-x

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Scholars program advances research on individual and social challenges

17 Apr 2024

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Collage of the 2024-25 ISCE Scholar Principal Investigator Headshots

Elizabeth Nyboer wants to make life better for female fishers in Uganda.

An assistant professor of fish and wildlife conservation, Nyboer’s efforts will now be cast forward with the help of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment (ISCE) Scholars Program. The support will allow her team to explore how women’s fisheries organizations impact the ability to adapt to climate change within small scale fishery systems along the shores of Lake Victoria in Uganda.

“As a new assistant professor, this award will be instrumental in enabling me to grow and strengthen my research program and collaborative relationships at Virginia Tech and beyond,” Nyboer said. “This team has an abundance of skill, and our work together will lay the foundation for future research that will delve more deeply into the intersecting issues of gender equity, food security, and climate resilience in Uganda’s inland fisheries."

Nyboer’s team was one of five interdisciplinary teams spanning six university departments and four colleges named 2024-25 ISCE Scholars and awarded up to $30,000. The support will advance each groups’ initial research, which addresses critical individual and social concerns, and enable them to compete for additional funding from external agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

“The projects selected focused on comprehensive social science research, consistent with ISCE’s four thematic areas and the Virginia Tech Research Frontiers,” said Karen Roberto, University Distinguished Professor and the institute's executive director. “Participating in the scholars program provides both new and experienced faculty and teams with the support necessary to gather pilot data, test the feasibility of their approach, and strengthen collaborations and partnerships, all of which are necessary for developing competitive external grant applications.”

Within six months of completing the scholar’s program, each of the five research teams is expected to apply for external funding.

Another new scholar, Samantha Margherio will use the funding to establish a blueprint for expanding access to mental health care for underserved, rural youth. Her team will leverage the voices of adolescents, caregivers, and school personnel in the community to codesign a digital mental health resource bank consisting of mental health screeners, digital mental health interventions, and referral resources for youth in need of higher levels of care.

“My team and I are grateful for this funding that will support our community-engaged work,” said Margherio, assistant professor of psychology. “We will work with our community advisory boards to codevelop an online toolkit to expand access to mental health knowledge and services for adolescents and their families. Eventually, we hope to expand these digital resources to the broader rural youth population.”

The complete list of the 2024-25 ISCE Scholars, their research topics, as well as their future grant goals:

Developing A Novel Machine Learning Approach to Identify Changes in Mentalization During Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Chloe Hudson, principal investigator and assistant professor of psychology in the College of Science
Brooks Casas, professor with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and psychology
Naren Ramakrishnan, professor of computer science in the College of Engineering
Louis Hickman, assistant professor of psychology
Lee Cooper, clinical professor of psychology

The goal is to build the infrastructure and data preparation procedures necessary to develop machine learning and natural language processing techniques that will automate the assessment of mentalization during therapy. Once the initial study is complete, the team plans to submit their findings as part of a K23 application offered through the National Institute of Mental Health to further expand the research.

Leveraging Community-Centered Research to Expand Access to Youth Mental Health Knowledge and Services

Samantha Margherio, principal investigator and assistant professor of psychology
Rosanna Breaux, assistant professor of psychology
Heather Davis, assistant professor of psychology
Jody Russon, assistant professor of human development and family science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

The goal is to establish a plan to expand access to digital mental healthcare resources for underserved youth around rural Appalachia. In the future, the group hopes to apply for individual Early Career (K) awards and a collaborative R34 opportunity through the National Institutes of Health.

Building Resilience to Climate Change in Lake Victoria’s Fisheries: The Role of Women’s Fisheries Organizations in Uganda

Elizabeth Nyboer, principal investigator and assistant professor of fish and wildlife conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment
Winnie Nkalubo, director of the National Fisheries Research Institute of Uganda
Lovin Kobusingye, president of the Uganda National Women’s Fish Organization
Emma Rice, Ph.D. student, fish and wildlife conservation

This project aims to gather critical preliminary data on factors that have led to successful livelihood outcomes for women involved with women’s fisheries organizations in Uganda. The group plans to apply for National Science Foundation and Nature Conservancy grants once the preliminary research is completed.

Couples and Race-Related Stress

TeKisha Rice, principal investigator and assistant professor of human development and family science

The goal is to examine same-race and mixed-race Black couples’ discussions of race-related stressors including acute instances of police brutality and the connection between racial discrimination, the couple’s communication quality, and their overall well-being. Rice plans to apply for the National Science Foundation’s CAREER award once the exploratory research has concluded.

Fusing Disaster Equity into Community Resilience Assessment: Paving the Way for Equitable Resilience Planning

Lu Zhang, principal investigator and associate professor of building construction
Yang Zhang associate professor of urban affairs and planning in the School of Public and International Affairs

This project aims to advance the knowledge of the interrelationships between community resilience and disaster equity by formulating a new disaster resilience assessment model that systematically accounts for equity. Once the initial study is completed, the researchers plan to apply for the National Science Foundation’s Humans, Disasters, and the Built Environment program for further funding.

Lindsey Haugh

College of Engineering
College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
College of Natural Resources and Environment
College of Science
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Institute for Society, Culture and Environment
Research Frontiers
School of Public and International Affairs

University of Oklahoma Joins U.S. Space Command’s Academic Engagement Enterprise

NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma has been selected to join the U.S. Space Command's Academic Engagement Enterprise. This program fosters collaboration between the Space Command’s enterprise and academic institutions to cultivate space-focused research, innovation and education.

“By partnering with the U.S. Space Command, the University of Oklahoma continues to showcase our commitment to the defense and security of our nation,” said OU Vice President of Research and Partnerships Tomás Díaz de la Rubia. “This collaboration marks a significant milestone in OU’s dedication to advancing space and defense technologies and grants our programs access to an extensive network of resources, expertise and opportunities for the future of space security and innovation.”

OU’s Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Innovation Institute will lead the effort by leveraging its expertise in addressing aerospace, defense and global security challenges alongside OU’s Advanced Radar Research Center, Gallogly College of Engineering and Center for Intelligence and National Security.

By focusing on several key areas critical to the future of space exploration and defense, including space situational awareness, space access and resilience and space warfighting, this program will support OU’s research along the enterprise’s 38 stated academic research topics.

“As a member of the AEE, OU will have the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research, collaborate with industry leaders and government agencies, and prepare the next generation of space professionals,” said Gen (ret.) Robin Rand, executive director of OU’s Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Innovation Institute. "Through these partnerships and initiatives, OU students, faculty and researchers will gain invaluable experience and insights into the rapidly evolving field of space exploration and defense.”

Additional academic contributions include Price College of Business’s first-of-its-kind Graduate Certificate in Commercial Space Applications through its Executive MBA in Aerospace and Defense degree and the Data Science and Analytics Institute’s undergraduate and advanced degrees in data science. OU’s School of Meteorology and the OU-led NSF AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in Environmental Sciences further showcase the university’s national and global research expertise.

About the University of Oklahoma

Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. OU was named the state’s highest-ranking university in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent Best Colleges list . For more information about the university, visit ou.edu .

About the U.S. Space Command

U.S. Space Command, established to conduct space operations and ensure the security of the space domain, plays a pivotal role in safeguarding American interests in space. With a mission focused on deterring conflict, defending U.S. and allied interests, and delivering space combat power for the nation, U.S. Space Command is at the forefront of space-centric defense strategies. The U.S. Space Command's Academic Engagement Enterprise was established by the U.S. Space Command in 2022 to enrich strategic space dialogue and develop space-focused academic partnerships. As of April 2024, 55 academic institutions were members of the AEE.

Recent News

Ou researchers collaborate with nasa for next-gen aerospace solutions.

A team from the University of Oklahoma Gallogly College of Engineering has embarked on a pioneering partnership with scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, to advance research and technological development in advanced air mobility.

NIH Awards $1.9 Million Grant to University of Oklahoma for Gene Therapy Research

Sangpil Yoon, Ph.D., in the OU School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has received a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. His project focuses on creating protein-based nanostructures that can be activated by ultrasound.

Architecture Dean Receives Mayor’s Award From OKC Beautiful

Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans Butzer and his partner, Torrey A. Butzer, recently received the Mayor’s Award for Distinguished Service from OKC Beautiful, recognizing the Butzers’ visionary architectural designs that have influenced many of Oklahoma City’s buildings and landmarks.

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No GRE needed for E-OTD

Ahs graduate programs earn top ranks in u.s. news.

Emily Parenti-Lopez

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

The AHS doctoral programs in occupational therapy and physical therapy are among the best in the country, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools.

The Entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate shares the third place rank—the highest among all UIC graduate programs. The Doctor of Physical Therapy tied for 41st place.

“This recognition acknowledges our position as one of the elite occupational therapy programs in the country,” said OT department head Susan Magasi ’02 MS OT, ’06 PhD DS .

The rankings, released April 9, are based on program quality and statistical measures of faculty merits, research quality and postgraduate outcomes for students. More than 200 accredited doctoral and master’s degree programs were surveyed.

OT tied for third place with Washington University in St. Louis. PT tied with University of Central Florida and University of Wisconsin La Crosse.

In 2023, students in the E-OTD program had a 100% pass rate on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam within 12 months of graduation.

In the DPT program, 100% of 2023 graduates passed the national licensing exam within 12 months of graduation and all were employed within six months.

The new rankings “highlight our faculty’s reputation for innovative teaching, cutting-edge research and meaningful collaborations with community and clinical partners,” Magasi said.

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Research uncovers new reasons to target neutrophils for TB therapy

New research from School of Medicine, Trinity team at St James's Hospital improves our understanding of how tuberculosis infection causes lung damage and how we might prevent this.

The research has been published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Tuberculosis is the biggest infectious killer in the world, causing 1.2 million deaths every year. In common with other pneumonia types, tuberculosis can destroy the human lung as a result of excessive inflammation. One of the greatest drivers of this excessive inflammation is an immune cell called the neutrophil, which paradoxically plays an important protective role during early infection. However, like a double-edged sword, overactive neutrophils can cause lung tissue damage in established tuberculosis disease. Researchers wanted to know more about how tuberculosis infection drives this damage.

Using cell models of infection, the team examined the cross-talk between two lung immune cells: the macrophage and the neutrophil. These cells contrive to cause lung disease in the setting of tuberculosis. The group found that macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, could directly activate neutrophils, heighten their metabolism, and lead to the production of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (or NETs). NETs are known to drive type 1 interferons, the proteins that are harbingers of severe tuberculosis disease. These events also detain the damaging neutrophil cells in the lung where further insult can occur.

By dissecting out these pathways of human disease, the group has improved our understanding of how we might target inflammatory neutrophils in lung disease. Simple measures like administering steroids to tuberculosis patients might diminish destructive neutrophil activity, and spare the lung.

This work provides scientific plausibility for using anti-neutrophil directed therapies in tuberculosis treatment alongside antibiotics. As the rate of antibiotic resistant tuberculosis infections are constantly increasing, finding alternative ways to treat patients is now vitally important.

PhD student Dearbhla Murphy, lead author of the paper said:

“We're really excited about this work as it shows the importance of investigating how macrophages and neutrophils interact and the significance of this interaction during tuberculosis infection. Studying how neutrophils are influenced by other cells can help us identify druggable targets to help develop new therapies for tuberculosis. This is especially important as the number of antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis cases are rising every year and novel therapies are desperately needed to overcome this.”

Professor Joseph Keane, Clinical Medicine, Trinity College Dublin and St James’s Hospital, said:

“Targeting the neutrophil is one of the hottest topics in tuberculosis research. This mechanistic research encourages the development of therapies that will limit lung damage in this important infection.”

Read: you can view the complete paper Human Macrophages Activate Bystander Neutrophils’ Metabolism and Effector Functions When Challenged with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences here: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/5/2898

This research was funded by the Royal City of Dublin Hospital Trust and the Health Research Board.

IMAGES

Therapy dogs can help reduce student stress, anxiety and improve school
Therapy dogs help students de-stress from school
Therapy Dogs in Primary Schools
Therapy dogs help students cope with the stress of college life
The Role of Therapy Dogs in Schools
Hillside Middle School

COMMENTS

Therapy Dogs in Educational Settings: Guidelines and Recommendations
Research is further lacking into the implementation process of therapy dog programs in educational settings. To construct a set of recommendations for school staff to achieve successful implementation of a therapy dog program, the present study investigated the perceived facilitative and impeding factors when implementing a therapy dog program.
PDF Review of the Research: Are Therapy Dogs in Classrooms Beneficial?
having a therapy dog program in a school setting. Introduction: Research over the past 30 years indicates that therapy dogs may offer physiological, emotional, social, and physical support for children (Friesen, 2010). ... goals of therapy dog programs in schools, and steps in implementing a dog therapy program. Bassette, L 2013 The Effects of ...
Therapy dogs and school wellbeing: A qualitative study
The research on therapy dogs in K-12 settings has predominately focused on evaluating improvements in students' school wellbeing (Gee and Fine, 2019). There have been fewer investigations into the potential negative effects of therapy dogs on their school wellbeing (Jalongo et al., 2004; Baird et al., 2022).
Frontiers
Therapy dogs in educational settings have gained increase traction in recent years. Despite its potential benefits and popularity, there remain concerns of perceived risks such as sanitation, allergies, and safety issues, as well as a lack of guidelines, regulations and support resources available to school staff. Research is further lacking into the implementation process of therapy dog ...
Using Therapy Dogs in Schools: 8 Do's and Don'ts
Using Therapy Dogs in Schools: 8 Do's and Don'ts. Therapy dog Kalani watches students during a story time at Morris Elementary School in Morris, Okla., on Jan. 17. Therapy dogs aren't a new ...
Gone to the Dogs? Schools Use Therapy Animals to Boost Mental Health
Schools Use Therapy Animals to Boost Mental Health, Academics. Shadow, a therapy dog at Morris Elementary School in Morris, Okla., greets students after an assembly Jan. 17. Sometimes students say ...
The impact of therapy dogs on the social and emotional wellbeing of
The current research is characterised by methodological limitations and an over-reliance on the perceptions of students and teachers. To enhance the quality and reliability of the evidence, future researchers are encouraged to adopt more rigorous methodologies with larger sample sizes and control procedures. ... Therapy dog programs have been ...
Social and emotional therapy dog-assisted interventions in mainstream
Findings suggest that therapy dog-assisted interventions can have a positive impact on social behaviours and reducing stress in a school setting; however, there is a need for more rigorous and current research investigating therapy dog-assisted social and emotional wellbeing interventions in mainstream educational settings.
An evaluation of a dog-assisted social and emotional learning
A third outcome of engagement will also be investigated. Findings from this research will contribute to the discussion regarding the use of therapy dogs in schools and, if proven effective, will provide a way to incorporate a therapy dog into a school setting to support social competence and the wellbeing of students.
Therapy dogs can help reduce student stress, anxiety and improve school
Therapy dogs are being used to support children with social and emotional learning needs, which in turn can assist with literacy development. Research into the effects of therapy dogs in schools ...
Therapy Dogs and School Wellbeing: A Qualitative Study
Successful implementation of therapy dogs in an education setting appear to revolve around (1) flexibility of the dog therapy program to target school's needs, (2) qualities of program instigator ...
The Impact of Campus-Based Therapy Dogs on the Mood and Affect of
Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness of therapy dog interventions in human interactions that is quantifiable and embraces the elements of health promotion. This study aimed to investigate the impact of therapy dog interventions on students' moods across a multi-campus university during a 2-week final examination period ...
Review of the Research: Are Therapy Dogs in Classrooms Beneficial
Research findings on the presence of a therapy dog in the classroom are summarized. The authors reviewed 30 articles, book chapters, and other sources on the topic of the various uses of dogs in classrooms, published between 2001 and 2017. Ages studied ranged from 3 years to adolescence (high school). In our analysis, three categories of therapeutic benefit emerged: a) increased reading and ...
ERIC
Research findings on the presence of a therapy dog in the classroom are summarized. The authors reviewed 30 articles, book chapters, and other sources on the topic of the various uses of dogs in classrooms, published between 2001 and 2017. Ages studied ranged from 3 years to adolescence (high school). In our analysis, three categories of therapeutic benefit emerged: (a) increased reading and ...
Should Therapy Dogs Be Allowed in Schools?
Therapy dogs can positively impact schools by encouraging cognitive development, reducing stress, and enhancing students' well-being. Research shows that therapy animals can provide support, lead to reduced anxiety, and boost academic engagement in students. Therapy dogs should undergo additional training to ensure they are the right fit for ...
(PDF) Therapy Dogs in Educational Settings: Guidelines and
Successful implementation of therapy dogs in an education setting appear to revolve around (1) flexibility of the dog therapy program to target school's needs, (2) qualities of program instigator ...
The benefits of a therapy dog in the school setting
Recent research has shown therapy dogs can reduce stress in physiological ways by reducing the stress chemical cortisol in the brain and triggering the release of oxytocin, which plays a positive role in social bonding. The presence of a therapy dog in a school setting has also been linked to improvements in school attendance, student ...
Therapy Dogs in Australian Schools: The ...
Within the existing empirical research on therapy dogs in school settings the focus has largely been on the experiences of students and the impact on learning and wellbeing outcomes. This study was addressing the perspectives of therapy dog handlers. Anecdotally, handlers have reported on the benefits as well as the challenges they have ...
The science behind the connection between a human and a dog
CBS 8 is Working FUR Kidsto share the scientific evidence behind the impact therapy dogs have in hospitals. Witnessing the powerful connection between a child and a therapy dog in a hospital can ...
Therapy dogs help reduce stress for children in hospitals -- even if
The dogs are Stanford's way to curb the anxiety being felt by their young patients. The endeavor is a collaboration between the university's robotic students and the hospital's Chariot ...
Jennifer Doudna discusses immense promise of gene editing
Doudna, who visited Harvard Medical School last week to deliver the century-old Dunham Lectures, said the advance shows how CRISPR-based therapies can address hard-to-treat ailments, but it also highlights the hurdles that still stand in the way of widespread use. The therapy, she said, uses a process similar to that of a bone-marrow transplant.
Dogs at school: a quantitative analysis of parental perceptions of
In the United Kingdom, school dogs are growing in popularity, however, little is known about how parents perceive canine-assisted activities as a treatment option. This is important as parental perceptions can influence engagement, whilst lack of awareness can become a barrier to treatment. ... Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38(8), 835-855 ...
Scholars program advances research on individual and social challenges
The complete list of the 2024-25 ISCE Scholars, their research topics, as well as their future grant goals: Developing A Novel Machine Learning Approach to Identify Changes in Mentalization During Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The team. Chloe Hudson, principal investigator and assistant professor of psychology in the College of Science
University of Oklahoma Joins U.S. Space Command's Academic Engagement
NIH Awards $1.9 Million Grant to University of Oklahoma for Gene Therapy Research Sangpil Yoon, Ph.D., in the OU School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has received a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
AHS graduate programs earn top ranks in U.S. News
The AHS doctoral programs in occupational therapy and physical therapy are among the best in the country, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate Schools. The Entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate shares the third place rank—the highest among all UIC graduate programs. The Doctor of Physical Therapy tied for 41st ...
Research uncovers new reasons to target neutrophils for TB therapy
This mechanistic research encourages the development of therapies that will limit lung damage in this important infection." Read: you can view the complete paper Human Macrophages Activate Bystander Neutrophils' Metabolism and Effector Functions When Challenged with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the International Journal of Molecular ...