Dog-assisted therapy trials suggest lower student stress and anxiety
A review of randomized trials found an average improvement with professionally trained dogs and handlers, although results varied substantially between studies.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Across the pooled trials, dog-assisted therapy was associated with lower stress and anxiety scores in university students. The result supports further study of this approach, but the trials differed substantially and publication bias remained possible. The abstract does not establish how long benefits last or which campus settings would produce similar results.
Substantial differences between studies and possible publication bias reduce certainty. This abstract-based account cannot identify the specific control activities, session schedules, or follow-up periods behind the pooled result.
What researchers found
Pooled stress and anxiety scores
Canine-assisted therapy versus study controls; assessment timeframe not reported. Hedges' g is a standardized effect size, not a percentage reduction.
What qualified as therapy
The review included trials involving professionally trained dogs and handlers. That detail matters when interpreting the findings: the intervention studied was structured canine-assisted therapy, so the results do not directly describe ordinary contact with pets.
Why the average needs context
Effects differed considerably across trials. Checks for publication bias gave mixed signals, and an analysis allowing for potentially missing studies reduced the pooled estimate. A statistically significant average does not establish equally reliable results across all student groups.
The original publication
Canine-assisted therapy in reducing stress and anxiety levels of university students: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Sim SQ, Liu Z, Wu Z et al.
BMC Complement Med Ther · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40797216
- Record checked
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