Animal-Assisted Interventions Improve Mental, But Not Cognitive or Physiological Health Outcomes of Higher Education Students: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT: Due to the high burden of mental health issues among students at higher education institutions world-wide, animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are being used to relieve student stress. The objective of this study was to systematically review of the effects of AAIs on the mental, physiological, and cognitive outcomes of higher education students. Randomized controlled trials using any unfamiliar animal as the sole intervention tool were included in this review. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool. Where possible, effect sizes (Hedges' g) were pooled for individual outcomes using random-effects meta-analyses. Albatross plots were used to supplement the data synthesis. Of 2.494 identified studies, 35 were included. Almost all studies used dogs as the interv

SUBMITTER: Huber A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9666958 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature