Evaluation of the Effects of Human-Animal Interaction on Anxiety in Graduate Students

Running, not enrolling · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Human-animal Interaction, Anxiety

In brief

The study's purpose is to evaluate the effects of human-animal interaction on physiological and psychological markers in graduate students. Graduate students face significant anxiety due to demanding coursework, long hours of studying, intense academic challenges, and the pressure to excel. Chronic stress in this population can contribute to elevated anxiety levels and measurable physiological changes, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. Human-animal interaction (HAI) and its effect on student stress, test anxiety, and physiological markers have been studied on college campuses, largely focusing on undergraduate students. However, research investigating the impact of HAI on graduate student stress, test anxiety, and physiological markers in high-stakes programs is limited. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of repeated HAI on graduate students' physiological markers and anxiety. The results of this study will assist participants, students outside this study, and the program administrators to appreciate the immense value of a full-time therapy dog on campus, facilitating the human-animal bond in higher education.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07036354

Run by

Wichita State University

People needed

30

Starts

2025-10-06

Expected to finish

2027-04-30

Last updated by the study team

2025-10-29

Who can join

Age: 20 and older, up to 35. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Enrolled and active first-year graduate students at Wichita State University,
• Between the ages of 20-35 years.

You may not qualify if…

• Participants diagnosed with allergies to dogs,
• Participants with a fear of dogs,
• Participants diagnosed with mental health disorders,
• Participants with on-going mental health treatment, counseling or medications,
• Participants with a known history of cardiac pathology and/or cardiac medications.

Where it is running

• Wichita State University — Wichita, Kansas, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.