Pet therapy: dogs de-stress students.
Research supports the efficacy of the human-animal bond and pet therapy in a variety of settings. At nursing students' request at one school, the author began offering pet therapy prior to examinations. Anecdotal evidence of a study with the author's Golden Retriever, Goldilocks, demonstrates that pet therapy can reduce test anxiety and improve nursing student performance.
Judith S
JS
Young
D056447:Animal Assisted Therapy / Q000639:trends; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D058013:Test Taking Skills / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States