Playing with a dog for just 15 minutes can help students relieve stress during pre-exam study week, research by Chiang Mai University (CMU) has found.
"Humans are social animals, meaning that constant interaction with others is usually good for improving their moods and mind," said Asst Prof Saengduean Yotanyamaneewong, a member of the research team.
"That's why the interaction between these students and dogs could have a therapeutic effect on them," she said.
The "Preliminary Study of the Effect of Dog-Assisted Therapy on Stress Relief in University Students" was carried out by the Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Humanities, together with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the CMU Library.
A total of 122 CMU students took part in the project. They were divided into three sub-groups based on their levels of stress measured in a test, blood pressure levels, heart rates and levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
The study was conducted during the final week of preparation for exams last term when many students were doing revision in the library and had higher levels of stress than usual, said Prof Korakot Nganvongpanit, dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and lead author of the study into student stress.
The dogs used in the project were emotionally stable and have been trained to react positively to humans, which helps spread a peaceful state of mind to their human companions.
The research team described the interaction between dogs and humans as "emotional co-regulation," which helped ease students' stress.
After 15 minutes of dog-assisted therapy, the students were found to have experienced a significant drop in stress levels, Asst Prof Saengduean said.