Introduction: Final exams at colleges are stressful for students. An exploration of the effects of Animal Assisted Activities on exam anxiety through the comparison of blood pressure readings before and after interacting with therapy dogs is the basis of this paper. A quantitative comparison of the experimental and control group showed statistical significance for blood pressure reduction in the experimental group. Past/present pet ownership and participants’ age showed no significance but significance for gender was ascertained.
Methodology: A four-day event for animal-assisted activities during exam week, Spring, 2016 was scheduled on campus and solicitation occurred through a college-wide email. Eight-six students (58 Female, 24 Male, 4 Other) participated. Six therapy dogs participated. The control group after completing the consent form and the animal-assisted activity survey sat behind a screen for the 15-minute interval and blood pressure was examined before and after this interval. Students interacted with the therapy dogs by talking, petting and playing. The study participants followed the same protocol but interacted with the therapy dogs between blood pressure readings. Participants received a debriefing. The ages ranged from 18 to 39.
Main Findings: A paired t-test found a significant difference among the experimental group with lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure: systolic blood pressure (M=3.04, SD=10.56); t=2.44, p<.017 (two-tailed) and diastolic pressure in the experimental group the results were: (M=3.89, SD=10.77), t=3.04, p<.003 (two-tailed). Significance was not found in the control group. No significance in blood pressure in different age categories or present/past pet ownership found but was found between genders.
Conclusions and Implications for Field: The significance of these findings is beneficial to universities as they assess the need for lowering anxiety among students peri-exam periods. Method is cost effective and contributes to better mental health and academic outcomes. Future studies could provide generalizability/replicability to strengthen findings.