Perceptions of Carroll College Students on the Idea of Therapy Dogs on Campus
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Authors
Tibbetts, Jennifer
Date of Issue
2022
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Subject Keywords
Other Titles
Abstract
Since the 1960s, researchers have studied how therapy dogs have benefited humans (Therapy dogs for depression & anxiety 2019), focusing on factors such as demographics, pet ownership, and other conditions. This research was conducted through a series of questionnaires using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS)(Grajfoner et al. 2017). Results showed that a "significant" amount of the participants showed improved anxiety and mood levels (Grajfoner et al. 2017). Despite all the research, there is a gap in our understanding of public perceptions of therapy dogs. The study involved 100 students from Carroll College in a descriptive statistical analysis and phenomenological survey. The lack of knowledge on therapy dogs shown is concerning. Over 50% of students provided a description or example of what they believed was a therapy dog.