BARK volunteer Sam Levin, left, and Nava greet students at UBC Okanagan. A new study from UBCO's School of Education found therapy dogs can ease feelings of loneliness. (Freya Green photo)
Therapy dogs not only help reduce student stress but also ease feelings of loneliness-an effect that appears to be particularly pronounced for international students, new research from UBC Okanagan says.
The research was led by Dr. John-Tyler Binfet, professor, UBCO's School of Education and director of the Building Academic Retention Through K-9s (B.A.R.K.) program. In the study, researchers examined the impact of a drop-in canine-assisted intervention on more than 1,000 students.
Participants reported lower stress and loneliness levels after spending time with therapy dogs and their handlers, with international students experiencing slightly greater reductions in both measures compared to their domestic peers.
"This research reinforces what we already know about the benefits of therapy dogs on stress, but it also highlights their ability to combat loneliness - a growing concern among university students," says Dr. Binfet. "Drop-in dog therapy programs offer an accessible way to create meaningful opportunities for students to connect and improve their wellbeing."
Co-authors include BARK coordinator Freya Green, and student researchers Rebecca Godard, Madisyn Szypula and Amelia Willcox.
Unlike previous studies that set specific interaction times, this research allowed students to determine the length of their visit, with most staying around 32 minutes. The study also included both undergraduate and graduate students, providing a broader look at how different student populations respond to canine-assisted interactions.
While the findings support existing research on stress reduction, Dr. Binfet notes that loneliness has been less studied in this context. "The connection between stress and loneliness is well-documented, but our study adds to the understanding of how brief, informal interactions with therapy dogs can address both."
"As a graduate student, I see firsthand how loneliness affects my colleagues," says Szypula, a student researcher in the School of Engineering . "The 16% representation of graduate students in this study shows that we are equally in need of low-barrier mental health resources. Research like this is crucial in showing the importance of initiatives that encourage social connection and provide the support necessary for students to thrive."
The research was conducted as part of UBCO's long-running B.A.R.K. program, which has provided on-campus therapy dog sessions and conducted canine-assisted intervention studies for over a decade.
The full study, Keeping Loneliness on a Short Leash : Reducing University Student Stress and Loneliness through a Canine-Assisted Intervention, is published in Human-Animal Interactions.
