Effects of Touch on Students’ Stress, Happiness, and Well-Being During Animal-Assisted Activities

Post-secondary institutions across North America have adopted animal-assisted activities as a way to promote better mental health in their students. The current research study of 242 Canadian college and university students sought contribute our collective understanding the aspects programs characteristics that are related promotion post-secondary including decreased stress, increased happiness well-being. Results repeated measures design showed demonstrated greater positive effects on happiness, well-being when they touched dogs compared observed them. Furthermore, outcomes were correlated with durations contact well higher levels animal affiliation Implications for discussed.