Have you ever wondered why most dogs tend to give off such a comforting presence through quality time with them?
A new study suggests that it's no accident that you feel that way when they're around, especially for children who communicate with dogs.
The recently published study highlights how child-canines connect in such a unique and therapeutic with kids. The study was conducted based on 20-minute therapy sessions held twice a week between children and a dog accompanied by its handler. The sessions were conducted over the course of one month.
According to the study, these sessions resulted in notably lowered levels of cortisol among the children, which is the main human stress hormone that was analyzed in this study through saliva sampling. The numbers showed that these therapy sessions had more positive impact on their stress levels than the traditional tranquility techniques.
Kerstin Meints is a professor in developmental psychology at the University of Lincoln in England, and also one of the researches that conducted this interesting study.
Professor Meints says this is the first time a study displayed such results involving any dog-related therapy exercise.
“Our study shows, for the first time, that dog-assisted interventions can indeed lead to lower stress in children, with and without special educational needs, over a typical school term,” said the professor from the University of Lincoln in England.
Even other researchers who were not involving in conducting this study say that these results are not shocking in the slightest.
Ali Spikestein, coordinator of the Paws and Play dog program at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York City, says she's excited and encouraged by these results as a Certified Child Life Specialist.
“As a clinical handler who works full-time with a facility dog, I am not surprised to see such positive results coming out of this study,” said Ms. Ali Spikestein.
Spikestein also says that she hopes this study continues to give potential to these dogs so that they can keep playing a role in providing a calmer environment for children.
