The Role of Therapy Dogs in Speed and Accuracy to Complete Motor Skills Tasks for Preschool Children

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the presence of a therapy dog would affect the performance of a set of gross motor skills tasks for a mixed group of language-impaired and typical preschool children. The 14 children in the group were between four and six years old (four female and ten male); the two dogs were Miniature Poodles. The design was a two-way mixed model factorial, where a series of 10 gross motor skills tasks (e.g., long jump, high jump—labeled Type of Task) performed by the children served as one variable, and the presence or absence of the therapy dog (labeled Dog Presence) served as the other variable. In the dog-present conditions, the dog either performed the task immediately prior to, or at the same time as, the child. Time to complete each task and the accuracy of task performance as determined by a rating scale were determined from a review of experiment videotapes. The main effect of Dog Presence was significant (F_(1,36) = 7.471, p < 0.05, R² = 0.17). As predicted, the children completed the tasks faster when the dog was present (M = 10.88 s,SD = 9.84) than when the dog was absent (M = 13.86 s,SD = 12.64), but this effect was not present in the ratings data. This indicates that the presence of a therapy dog served as an effective motivator for the children, who performed faster, but without compromising accuracy, in all tasks but one. The interaction between dog presence and type of task was also significant (F_(9,71) = 3.67, p < 0.05, R² = 0.32) in the ratings data, indicating that the presence of the dog increased performance accuracy in some types of tasks, while decreasing it in others. Based on these results and the strong connection between motor skills and language development, the authors recommend a role for therapy dogs in speech and language development programs for preschool children.     

Moms at Work and Dads at Home: Children's Evaluations of Parental Roles

Children's evaluations of two parental roles, working outside the home, and staying home to take care of children, were assessed in second (M = 7.13 years, SD = .39) and fifth grade (M = 10.42, SD = .57) students (N = 121). Children viewed it as acceptable for both mothers and fathers to work full-time, and used personal choice and social conventional reasons as justifications. In contrast, children found it less acceptable for fathers to stay at home than for mothers to stay at home, and they used gender stereotypes about domestic roles as justifications. With age, children were more flexible in their reasoning and used fewer stereotypes in their evaluations; children from traditional family structures used more stereotypic expectations than did children from non-traditional ones. Overall, children's interpretations of competence in a caretaker role was highly contingent on the gender of the parent.     

The Effects of an Animal-Assisted Intervention on Salivary Alpha-Amylase,Salivary Immunoglobulin A,and Heart Rate during Forensic Interviews in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

Animal-assisted invention (AAI) in gaining attention as a therapeutic modality; however, the effect of it has not been well studied in the child welfare system. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of AAI on stress indicators (as measured by salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and heart rate) in children undergoing forensic interviews for alleged sexual abuse. A repeated measures design was used in this study. Upon receiving signed, informed consents and assents, children were enrolled in the study. Children (n = 42), whose ages ranged from 5 to 14 years (M = 8.91, SD = 2.33), were assigned to either the intervention condition (n = 19; AAI during forensic interview) or the control condition (n = 23; standard practice forensic interview). Each child's parent/guardian completed a demographic form, and saliva samples and heart rate measures were obtained from each child before and after the forensic interview. Mixed linear models were tested, with the level of significance set at p ≤ 0.05. There was an interactive effect regarding the duration of the interview and the presence of the dog on sAA after the forensic interview (p = 0.047). There also was a significant interaction between age and length of interview (p = 0.01). Salivary immunoglobulin A tended to be lower (p = 0.055) when the therapy dog was present during the forensic interview. Results further indicated that the drop in heart rate was greater in longer interviews and with older children (p = 0.02) when the dog was present. Individuals working in child welfare systems can use the results of this study to advocate for the use of therapy dogs as a therapeutic intervention. More research is needed to further examine the relationships among AAI, salivary biomarkers, and stress responses in children to improve child welfare.     

Animal-Assisted Therapy in the Treatment of Substance Dependence

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) on the therapeutic alliance with an adult, residential, substance abuse population in group therapy. We used randomized samples and controlled conditions to establish the effects of chosen variables that influence outcome. A total of 231 people took part in the study (control group [without therapy dog]: n = 96; experimental group [with therapy dog]: n = 135) in which there were 26 group sessions. The results of the study indicate that, overall, the therapeutic alliance is enhanced with the addition of a therapy dog: the AAT group had a more positive opinion of the therapeutic alliance, as measured using the Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ-II), than the control group (ANOVA: F_(1,229) = 25.44, p < 0.001). Clients seeking treatment for a dual diagnosis, clients with state social service involvement, and clients seeking treatment for alcohol addiction had similar opinions of the therapeutic alliance, whether in the experimental group or the control group. Males, females, pet owners, court ordered clients, and clients seeking treatment for polysubstance, cannabis, and methamphetamine dependence all were more positive about the therapeutic alliance if they were in the experimental group than if they were in the control. This study demonstrates that addiction professionals could increase treatment success by adding this complementary, evidence-based practice.     

Preschoolers Categorize Animate Objects Better in the Presence of a Dog

ABSTRACT

The current study was designed to examine whether preschool children categorize picture stimuli differentially in the presence of a real dog compared with a stuffed dog or a human. Seventeen preschool children (age in months; M = 51.67, SD = 8.06), both Typical and those with a developmental delay (“Identified”), were asked to categorize Animate and Inanimate objects into two environments (Farm and Ocean) in each of three Collaborator conditions (Real Dog, Stuffed Dog, and Human). As predicted, there was a main effect of animation: the children more accurately categorized Animate (e.g., cow) exemplars than Inanimate ones (e.g., tractor). Additionally, the Animation variable interacted with Collaborator, such that in the presence of the real dog the impact of animation was significant, but this effect was not significant in the presence of the stuffed dog or human. This result indicates that the presence of the real dog served as a highly salient stimulus which encouraged the children to focus more of their attention on other animate objects in the list. This result provides additional evidence that the presence of a dog helps preschool children to restrict their attention to the demands of the task. This is a new and interesting finding that indicates that the presence of a real dog does have an impact on cognitive task performance.     

Applied Ethics in Animal Research: Philosophy,Regulations, and Laboratory Applications Edited by John P. Gluck,Tony DiPasquale,and F. Barbara Orlans

ABSTRACT

The goal of this study was to test if dolphin-assisted therapy could be an effective therapeutic intervention for children with significant social and communication disabilities. Furthermore, it was crucial to determine the relative importance of the dolphin and the parent consultation factors implicit in the therapy. The method employed was a before-and-after comparison of three control groups and one experimental group. In the experimental group, all three aspects of the therapeutic intervention—interaction with dolphins, parent counseling and a curative, relaxed environment—were included. Control group 1 (outpatient therapy group) was limited to just interaction with dolphins. In control group 2 (farm animal group), the parents were counseled after the children interacted with farm animals (which replaced dolphins). Control group 3 received no treatment. The post-treatment parent questionnaire results revealed therapeutic success in the areas of both productive and receptive language, processing of non-verbal cues, social skills, and self-confidence. Observations of parent–child interaction indicated that after treatment in the experimental group, interactions of children could be interpreted more accurately, on a long-term basis. The discovered therapeutic effects occurred regardless of whether the children were in the water during therapy or not.     

Diurnal Rhythms in Performance Tests of School Children with and Without Language Disorders

Time-of-day related changes on four tests used by speech therapists and four other performance tests, in addition to oral temperature, were documented in 16 school children (7-9 years of age). Six of them had language disorders and were receiving speech therapy. Children were synchronized with diurnal activity from around 0730 to around 2100 and nocturnal rest. For each child, at each test time point (e.g. 0900, 1100, 1530 and 1930) tests were performed three times, with two different speech therapists, in a random order, with only one session per day. Conventional methods (r-tested mean differences; AINOVA; correlation tests) were used for statistical analyses. Among 29 parameters (items) which were analyzed, only nine exhibited time-of-day related changes, mainly in speed to-perform measures. In most detected rhythms best performance occurred either at 1100 or at 1530 with no difference in subgroups except for the fastest performance of the sentence repetition test. With regard to the daily mean M, controls performed better than children with language disorders for the word (syllabic) repetition test (P < 0.0004) but this was reversed for both computing and colouring skill tests (P < 0.04 and < 0.002). A difference related to sex (but not to language disorders) was observed in the Ms of speed in sign reproduction (P < 0.0000) and sorting cards (P < 0.01), with boys being faster than girls. In children, as in adults, time-of-day effects should be considered when the quantification of performance is desired.     

A New Dental Approach for Reducing Food Intake

Objective: A behavioral recommendation for weight loss is reduction of size of bites of food. This “proof of concept” study tested the efficacy of a new, patented, dental approach, the DDS System, for reducing food intake. This removable tool is inserted into the upper palate of the mouth, reducing the size of the oral cavity, thereby potentially reducing bite size. Research Methods and Procedures: Thirty‐two adults (18 to 65 years) with BMI between 27 and 40 were randomly assigned to the control or experimental conditions. Participants ate all meals and stayed between meals at a research center. Day 1 served as baseline for both groups. On Day 2, experimental participants utilized the tool during meals. Changes in subjective ratings of hunger and satiety were measured using visual analog scales before and after each meal. Results: Food intake difference scores were calculated for each participant (Day 2 ? Day 1). Analysis of covariance on difference scores, using baseline as a covariate, showed that the experimental group ate significantly less (p < 0.05) on the second day (M = ?659.2 kcal/d) compared with the control group (M = ?125.9 kcal/d). Analysis of covariance, with ratings on Day 1 as a covariate, revealed that the experimental and control group did not differ on visual analog scale difference scores (premeal ? postmeal) from Day 1 to Day 2. Discussion: These findings suggest that use of this tool during meals significantly reduced food intake. This reduction of food intake was not associated with changes in ratings of hunger or satiety.     

Effectiveness of Short-Term Dolphin-Assisted Therapy for Children with Severe Disabilities

ABSTRACT

The effectiveness of two week dolphin-assisted therapy was compared to the effectiveness of six month conventional physical and speech-language therapy. Data were analyzed using a multiple baseline single subject across settings design, for 47 children with severe disabilities (20 females, 27 males), of multiple etiologies. Children were placed in a physical therapy group (n = 17, mean age = 6 years, 8 months) and a speech language group (n = 30, mean age = 6 years 5 months). Standardized charting procedures were used to measure acquisition of independent motor and speech-language skills. Use of t tests for nonindependent samples indicates that relative to conventional long-term therapy, dolphin-assisted therapy, as practiced by Dolphin Human Therapy, achieves positive results more quickly and is also more cost effective.     

The Effect of an Animal-Assisted Intervention on Anxiety and Pain in Hospitalized Children

ABSTRACT

Forty children between the ages of 8 and 18 years, who were admitted to a hospital pediatric unit, were randomly assigned to an animal-assisted intervention (AAI) or an active control condition (working on an age-appropriate jigsaw puzzle). Ratings of pain and anxiety were taken both pre- and post-condition. The attachment Questionnaire and Family Life Space Diagram (FLSD) also were administered, and information on medications taken was recorded. A significant post-condition difference was found between groups for anxiety, with the aaI group having lower anxiety scores. However, no significant within- or between-group pre-post changes in either pain or anxiety were detected. Nearly two-thirds of the children (64%) reporting pain at baseline were receiving some type of analgesic, which may have influenced outcomes. Findings demonstrate some support that attachment may be a moderating variable: children with a secure attachment style reported lower pain and anxiety at baseline, with large effect sizes for differences in both anxiety (g = 1.34) and pain (g = 1.23). Although the aaI did not significantly reduce anxiety and pain in these hospitalized children, further investigation of the influence of analgesic use and the moderating effect of attachment style is indicated.     

The mediating role of classroom quality on peer effects and language gain in pre-kindergarten ECSE classrooms

The current study was designed to determine whether classroom quality (i.e., the quality of teacher–child interactions) served as a mediator of peer effects with respect to preschool children’s gain in language skills over an academic year. Participants were 670 preschool-age children (64.6% boys; M?=?4 years, 4 months, SD?=?7 months) enrolled in 83 inclusive early childhood special education (ECSE) classrooms in multiple school districts in a single Midwestern state. Measures included an index of classroom quality, average level of classmates’ language skills, and fall and spring language assessments for each child. Results showed that both classroom quality and peer effects contributed to children’s language gain over an academic year, showing that both instructional quality and peers are influential to language development. Results did not support a mediating role for classroom quality: that is, classroom quality did not mediate the effects of peers on children’s language gain.     

Living with Wild Dogs: Personality Dimensions in Captive Dingoes (Canis dingo) and Implications for Ownership

Despite the commonly held belief that wild canines do not make “good” household companions, many people choose to live with them. The aim of the present study was to investigate owner-rated personality in a population of dingoes living as companion animals. Owners recruited from a registered dingo organization assessed the personality of 40 dingoes using the Monash Canine Personality Questionnaire- Revised (MCPQ-R). The dingoes (22 female; 18 male) ranged in age from 6 months to 11 years (M = 3.6 years, SD = 2.4); weighed an average of 19.07 kg (SD = 3.41); were mostly entire (i.e., not de-sexed or spayed or neutered; 62.5%) and lived in multiple dingo households (72.5%). Results show that dingoes were rated significantly higher than domestic dogs (n = 455; various breeds from a previous Australian study) for the dimension Motivation/Self-Assuredness (p < 0.001), and significantly lower than dogs for Training Focus (p < 0.001). Many of the personality traits of dingoes reside outside what is considered “ideal” characteristics important for a successful and rewarding dog–owner relationship. It is possible that dingo personality rests within the realms of what is “acceptable” pet canine behavior, at least for some owners, and that they may have adjusted their perception and attitudes to meet their expectations of the species. Motivations for dingo ownership and the applicability of using a domestic dog personality questionnaire on wild canids are discussed.     

Focus: Rare Disease: Psychosocial Functioning in Siblings of Children With Rare Disorders Compared to Controls

Siblings of children with chronic disorders are at increased risk of psychosocial problems. The risk may be exacerbated when the chronic disorder is rare and limited medical knowledge is available, due to more uncertainty and feelings of isolation. We examined mental health, parent-child communication, child-parent relationship quality, and social support among 100 children aged 8 to 16 years (M age 11.5 years, SD = 2.2; 50.0% boys, 50.0% girls). Fifty-six were siblings of children with rare disorders, and 44 were controls. The siblings of children with rare disorders (herein, siblings) were recruited from a resource centre for rare disorders and comprised siblings of children with a range of rare disorders including neuromuscular disorders and rare chromosomal disorders with intellectual disability. Controls were recruited from schools. Self-reported child mental health was significantly poorer for siblings compared to controls (effect size difference d = 0.75). Parent-reported child mental health was not significantly different between the groups (d = -0.06 to 0.16). Most child-parent relationships (anxiety/avoidance; mothers/fathers) were significantly poorer for siblings compared to controls (d = 0.47 to 0.91). There was no difference between groups in anxious relation with mother. Parent-child communication was significantly poorer for siblings compared to controls (d = -0.87 to -0.75). Social support was significantly poorer for siblings compared to controls (d = 0.61). We conclude that siblings of children with rare disorders display more psychosocial problems than controls. Interventions are indicated to prevent further maladjustment for siblings.     

运动疗法联合作业疗法用于脑瘫患儿的疗效及对肢体运动功能作用

摘要 目的：探讨运动疗法联合作业疗法用于脑瘫患儿的疗效对肢体运动功能的作用。方法：选择2020年3月~2022年6月我院康复科收治的80例脑瘫患儿作为研究对象,采用随机数字表法分为两组各40例,对照组予以运动疗法干预,包括Bobath技术和核心稳定性训练,试验组在对照组基础上进行作业疗法干预,包括手功能、手眼协调能力、进食、如厕、更衣及游戏训练。干预前后采用粗大运动功能测量（GMFM）、精细运动功能评估表（FMFM）及Gesell发育量表对患儿进行评估,评价临床疗效,并采用SF-36健康调查简表（SF-36）对患者进行评估。结果：两组患儿干预后的GMFM评分、FMFM评分均明显提高,而试验组明显高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组患儿干预后的DQ评分均明显提高,而试验组明显高于对照组,试验组DQ评分增幅明显大于对照组（P<0.05）。试验组的总有效率（95.0%）明显高于对照组（77.5%）（P<0.05）。两组患儿干预后SF-36评分均明显提高,试验组在活力、社会功能和精神健康维度明显高于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：运动疗法联合作业疗法可有效促进脑瘫患儿的上肢与下肢运动功能改善,提高康复效果,改善患儿生存质量,应充分重视脑瘫的综合康复疗法。     

Sex-specific mercury levels in skin samples of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Isla 25 de Mayo (King George Island), Antarctic Peninsula

The southern elephant seal (SES; Mirounga leonina) has a circumpolar distribution, breeding mainly on sub-Antarctic islands and making long trips between breeding or molting and foraging areas. Most individuals from colonies in the South Shetland Islands (western Antarctic Peninsula; WAP) are distributed in Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA). Despite these protected habitats, pollutants can reach such remote areas far away from emission sources, affecting local fauna. To assess possible mercury (Hg) contamination in SES, we analyzed skin samples collected from free-ranging molting individuals using the remote biopsy PAXARMS system in Isla 25 de Mayo/King George Island (62°15′S, 58°39′W; ASPA 132). Hairless skin samples were analyzed to determine total-Hg (THg) concentrations, which ranged between 145 ng/g and 1,915 ng/g (M = 730, SD = 388 ng/g), showing significant differences between sexes, with adult-females having higher concentrations (range = 306–1,915, M = 859, SD = 427 ng/g dw) than subadult-males (range = 145–1,645, M = 629, SD = 329 ng/g dw). These differences may be explained mainly by feeding-niche partitioning between sexes. Females prefer mesopelagic prey or prey associated with sea-ice in the WAP, which are enriched in methylmercury. These results provide insight regarding Hg contamination in top Antarctic predators like SES, and the need to monitor for potential effects of Hg contamination in Antarctic marine mammals.     

Diel and lunar variation in diving behavior of rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) off Kauaʻi,Hawaiʻi

Observational studies describe rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) actively foraging during the day on epipelagic species. Using data from depth-transmitting satellite tags deployed on nine individuals off Kauaʻi, we investigated diving behavior and the effects of lunar phase and solar light levels on vertical movements. Overall, tagged rough-toothed dolphins primarily used near-surface waters, spending between 83.6% and 93.7% of their time in the top 30 m of the water column. When diving, grand mean, median, and maximum dive depths were 76.9 m, 67.5 m, and 399.5 m, although individuals were in water with depths from approximately 700–1,450 m. Dive rates varied by time of day, being lowest during the day and at dawn and highest at dusk and night. Dives were deepest (M = 133.7 m, SD = 52.6 m, median = 106.5 m) and longest (M = 4.0 min, SD = 0.4 min, median = 4.0 min) at dusk, suggesting dolphins were taking advantage of prey rising to the surface in response to reduced light levels. Lunar phase indirectly affected diving, with deeper and longer dives occurring with increasing illumination. The variations in dive behavior across solar and lunar cycles indicate diving patterns shift based on the distribution of prey.     

Dietary Restraint and Stress-Induced Snacking in Youth

Objective: To determine whether dietary restraint modifies stress-induced eating in youth. Research Methods and Procedures: Snacking was measured in boys (9.5 ± 0.3 years) and girls (9.0 ± 0.3 years), with and without dietary restraint, across a control day after reading children's magazines and/or coloring, and on a stress day after giving a videotaped speech, with order of conditions counterbalanced. Children were divided into four groups based on dietary restraint and changes in perceived stress: low-restraint/low-reactive (n = 9), low-restraint/high-reactive (n = 13), high-restraint/low-reactive (n = 10), and high-restraint/high-reactive (n = 8). Body composition was estimated by skinfolds. Results: Energy intake of snack foods was influenced differently by dietary restraint and stress reactivity in the stress and control conditions (p < 0.01). After being stressed, low-restraint/low-reactive children ate fewer snacks and high-restraint/high-reactive children ate more snacks compared with the control condition. After covarying for percentage of body fat, the interactions remained (p < 0.01). Girls ate less than boys (p < 0.001), but sex did not influence eating in control and stress conditions. Discussion: Dietary restraint occurs in children and may influence the effect of stress on eating. Interpersonal stress decreases snacking in low dietary restrained youth but increases snacking in high dietary restrained children, perhaps because of stress-induced disinhibition.     

Angiotensinogen and angiotensin-I converting enzyme gene polymorphisms and the risk of coronary artery disease in Chinese

The homozygous deletion allele (DD) of the angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) gene and the T235 homozygote of the angiotensinogen (AGT) gene have been reported to be correlated with an increased prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI). The importance of the DD genotype and T235 homozygote as genetic risk factors for CAD in Chinese remains uncertain. This study included 426 patients who underwent coronary angiography and 180 healthy subjects without clinical evidence of CAD. Coronary angiography identified 268 patients with CAD (CAD group) and 158 patients without CAD. The healthy subjects and patients without angiographic evidence of CAD constituted the control group. Three polymorphisms were studied: an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the ACE gene and the T174 M and M235T polymorphisms of the AGT gene. No association was found between any of the three studied polymorphisms and the risk of CAD or MI in Chinese using univariate or multivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, the relative risks were 1.20 (95% confidence interval = 0.91–1.61, P = 0.20) for the DD genotype, 1.05 (95% CI = 0.82–1.35, P = 0.69) for the T174 homozygote, and 1.19 (95% CI = 0.91–1.55, P = 0.20) for the T235 homozygote. Similarly, no significant difference was found in the frequencies of the DD genotype and the T174 and T235 homozygotes between the control group, the CAD group, the non-MI group, and the MI group when analyzed according to sex, age, or degree of risk. Our data suggest that neither the DD genotype of the ACE I/D polymorphism nor the T174 and T235 homozygotes of the AGT gene confer significant risk for CAD or MI in Chinese. Received: 18 December 1996 / Accepted: 27 February 1997     

Comparative Effect of Gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon) Extract and Borage Oil on Reversing Epidermal Hyperproliferation in Guinea Pigs

To compare the systemic efficacy of borage oil (Borago officinalis: BO) and gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon), two plant species of the Boraginaceae family, epidermal hyperproliferation was induced in guinea pigs by a hydrogenated coconut oil diet for 8 weeks. Subsequently, guinea pigs were fed diets of BO (group HBO), organic extract (group HGO), or water extract (group HGW) of gromwell for 2 weeks. In groups HGO and HGW, proliferation scores and the level of ceramides, the major lipid maintaining epidermal barrier, were similar with those in normal control group BO fed BO diet for 10 weeks. Despite accumulation of 15-hydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (15-HETrE), the potent anti-proliferative metabolite of γ-linolenic acid (GLA: major polyunsaturated fatty acid in BO), the reversal of epidermal hyperproliferation and the ceramide level of group HBO were less than those of groups HGO and HGW. Taken together, our data demonstrate that gromwell is more effective in reversing epidermal hyperproliferation with a marked increase in ceramides.     

The Effects of Group-Administered Canine Therapy on University Students’ Wellbeing: A Randomized Controlled Trial

University students with elevated stress levels are at risk for experiencing compromised mental health and for underperforming academically. In an effort to support student wellbeing, post-secondary campuses are increasingly offering canine therapy programs. These programs provide students opportunities to interact with dogs known for their calm public behavior, docile temperaments, and eagerness to interact with strangers. Despite the interest in canine therapy, there remains a paucity of research attesting to the benefits of this approach to support university student wellbeing. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a group-administered, single-session canine therapy intervention on university students’ perceptions of stress, homesickness, and affinity to campus. Participants (n = 163) were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 84, 20-minute exposure to therapy dog, handler, and fellow students) condition or a business-as-usual control (n = 79, 20 minutes of individual studying) condition. No baseline differences were identified between the two groups. Findings revealed a significant main effect for group, and when compared with the control group, participants in the treatment group showed significant decreases from pre-test to post-test in perceived stress, homesickness (dislike), and homesickness (attachment), and significant improvements in sense of school belonging. Interestingly, control group scores on homesickness (dislike) also differed significantly from pre-test to post-test, with the means increasing from pre-test to post-test. After controlling for pre- and post-test scores, there were no significant differences on any of the self-report measures between participants in the treatment and control groups at follow-up. Findings are discussed within the contexts of animal-assisted therapy and on-campus stress reduction initiatives.