Interdisciplinary supports for student mental health: Pets Assisting With Student Success - PAWSS at MacEwan University

Abstract

This research study is an evaluation of the Pets Assisting with Students' Success (PAWSS) program at MacEwan University. We need research on the effectiveness of low barrier, interdisciplinary campus services that help students such as animal-assisted therapy (AAT) on campus (Ecclestone et al., 2023). However, there are no studies published specifically that explore the benefits of animal-assisted interventions in post-secondary education such as the PAWSS program. We used qualitative methods, and quantitative methods; specifically online surveys with student and staff participants after their PAWSS sessions. This qualitative phenomenological approach provided data on participants’ experiences and insights on their lived experiences. We identified themes and patterns in participants’ experiences during and after PAWSS sessions. Research participants voluntarily signed up and were provided with an informed consent form and the study has been approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. According to the research project findings, PAWSS program participants reported enhanced mental health, stronger social connections, reduced stress, and increased well being after engaging in sessions with dogs and cats. Participants also recommended broader advertising of the PAWSS program and increased availability of sessions across the campus. Furthermore, we are currently using measures for the levels of stress and mood before interacting with the PAWSS, and after attending sessions over 3 and 6 months (Spielberg et al., 1983; Cohen et al., 1983). The measures are The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-SF), and we will report the result in the poster.