Neighbor News
THE KENNEK FOUNDATION OFFERS CERTIFIED THERAPY DOGS FOR UMASS DARTMOUTH RESEARCH STUDY
Certified Therapy Dogs Help Study Stress Levels for College Students
The Kennek Foundation of Marblehead, Massachusetts recently provided certified therapy dogs to assist in a research study at UMASS Dartmouth. The study is designed to examine the positive impact of therapy dogs on reducing stress levels in college students. The study was conducted by college senior and Watertown resident, Kiley Alpaugh, an Endeavor Leadership Scholar, who will earn her degree in Psychology in May. Miss Alpaugh came up with the study research and data parameters working closely with her class advisor and Psychology professor, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson. She will use this study as the basis for her Thesis paper.
The study is designed to demonstrate that certified therapy dogs can have a real impact to help reduce stress levels for college students. The Kennek Foundation provided one of its certified therapy dogs, “Skye” to participate in the study and a plush dog character -“Trouble The Dog” was introduced as well. Trouble has been applauded by CNN and MSNBC as a “comfort toy” and as a “therapy dog” by the Boston Herald.
The crux of the study was to measure stress levels on busy college students before and after introduction to the therapy dogs. Seventy-three students participated in the study which spanned a two week time frame. Kiley and Professor Richardson completed forms that helped to document the perceived stress levels on a specified scale. During the study, students subjectively shared that they really enjoyed being with the therapy dogs, and found it to be a welcome, relaxing break during exams and study periods.
“I was pleased with the way the study ran,” said Kiley. “Not all of our data has been fully examined at this point, but preliminary subjective interviews demonstrate that the introduction of therapy dogs did in fact reduce stress levels in the majority of the students. Until people witness it for themselves, I think it is hard to grasp, but I hope my Thesis will help people realize that therapy dogs can truly have a positive impact on reducing stress levels.”
“Kiley put a great deal of time and effort into this study and I believe that it will help prove that there is a definite calming effect that therapy dogs illicit,” said Dr. Richardson. “This can open the doors to explore other ways that therapy dogs can be more fully utilized to help people.”
“I can see how Trouble The Dog would work well to help younger children in different stressful situations because he is soft, cuddly and approachable,” added Kiley, who plans to work with children or young adolescents. After graduation, Kiley plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.
For more information about the UMASS Dartmouth research study, contact Kiley Alpaugh: kalpaugh@umassd.edu.
For more information about therapy and rescue dogs, and Trouble The Dog, contact Sheila Duncan: 781-631-0887 or Hope@thekennekfoundation.org.
