Null effects of therapy dog interaction on adolescent anxiety during a laboratory-based social evaluative stressor.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are increasingly popular as treatments to reduce anxiety. However, there is little empirical evidence testing the mechanisms of action in AAIs, especially among adolescents. We examined whether two possible mechanisms, social interaction and/or physical contact with a therapy dog, might reduce anxiety during a social stressor.

Design and methods

To test these mechanisms, we randomly assigned 75 adolescents with low, middle, and high levels of social anxiety to complete a laboratory-based social evaluative stressor in one of three conditions: social interaction with a therapy dog (no physical interaction), social plus physical interaction with a therapy dog, or no interaction with a therapy dog. We measured self-r

SUBMITTER: Mueller MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8364856 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature