Regular access to therapy dogs boosts first-year students' mental health

College students who spent a little bit of free time each week interacting with therapy dogs on campus during their first semester experienced fewer signs of stress and depression than those who did not.

That’s according to a new study published in the journal Pets that examined how regular, long-term access to an animal-assisted drop-in program influenced first-year students’ mental health.

The study found that students who engaged with therapy dogs in repeated, unstructured sessions over several months not only reported lower stress and depression levels but also showed increased self-compassion. The findings suggest that simply having the opportunity to regularly spend time with therapy dogs in an informal setting provides sustained mental health benefits.

What the researchers say: “We know that structured programs help, but we wanted to see if giving students complete autonomy in how they interact with the dogs could be just as beneficial,” the lead author said. “This mirrors real-life pet ownership more closely and may make it easier for universities to implement similar programs.”

For the study, the researchers set out to build on their earlier research showing that even brief physical interactions with therapy dogs can lower cortisol (the main stress hormone) levels. That work has also shown that highly structured programs that incorporated therapy animals into workshops focused on stress management techniques showed positive effects on students’ wellbeing and learning.

This latest work expands the scope by analyzing the effects of sustained access to unstructured programs with therapy animals and providing regular access over an entire semester. Additionally, instead of prescribed sessions, students were free to drop in, interact with therapy dogs as they pleased, and stay as long as they wanted for up to two hours.

The researchers recruited 145 first-year students who left a family pet behind at home to attend college for their analysis. Participants were randomly assigned to either a seven-session drop-in therapy dog program or a dog-free control group. Those in the program could pet, sit with, or talk to the dogs in a relaxed, informal environment in a large conference room comfortably arranged to include secluded seating areas.

By tracking participants’ wellbeing throughout the semester, researchers found that students in the therapy dog group had significantly lower rates of depression, stress and worry compared to those in the control group. They also reported increased self-compassion, which has been linked to better emotional regulation and overall wellbeing. Students experienced less decline in wellbeing and mental health symptoms, a phenomenon that is prevalent for incoming freshmen.

While therapy dogs played a central role, the researchers believe that the surrounding environment also contributed to students’ wellbeing. “It’s likely a combination of sitting quietly, petting the dog, talking to other students and engaging with the handlers that contributes to student wellbeing,” the researchers said.

The team also tracked students’ participation patterns and found that those who attended multiple sessions saw the most benefit. “Regular, sustained interactions with therapy dogs seem to have a cumulative effect,” they explained. “This suggests that universities may want to consider offering ongoing unstructured programs rather than one-time events.”

With college student mental health concerns on the rise, universities are increasingly turning to animal-assisted programs. The lead author hopes the research will encourage more schools to offer similar drop-in therapy dog programs.

“This is a relatively easy, low-cost way to support student wellbeing,” she said. “You don’t need a structured curriculum—just an inviting space where students can interact with the dogs and their handlers on their own terms in a way that ensures animal welfare and participant safety.”

She and her collaborators plan to expand the scope of their research to examine whether students who did not leave childhood pets at home experience similar benefits.

My take: Humans and dogs have been companions for thousands of years, allowing for a degree of coevolution and mutual dependence between the two species. This history makes us comfortable with dogs, and less stressed when we interact with them.

Dog ownership and interaction also makes us less isolated and more open to connection with other humans. What’s not to like?