Fall is certainly a time when, for example, many students move from their homes to college, separating from their longtime friends and parents, making it easy to fall into loneliness and homesickness. Now, a new study has discovered a way to reduce this feeling: with pets.
The research, carried out by scientists from the University of British Columbia (Canada) has found that man’s best friend, the dog, can also be key for all those who leave their homes with the beginning of this season.
The study shows that animal-assisted therapy can help people combat homesickness and could be a useful tool in reducing dropout rates for first-year students, for example.
“ The transition from high school to college can be challenging for many freshmen . Considering that students who experience homesickness are more likely to drop out of college, universities have a great interest in supporting students during their transition in this first year ”, comments John Tyler Binfet, co-author of the work.
In the study, freshmen from 44 colleges who reported feeling melancholic filled out a questionnaire to measure levels of homesickness, life satisfaction, and connection to the college campus. Half of the students completed eight weeks of therapy with dogs, while the other half were told that their sessions with pets will begin within eight weeks.
The therapy included weekly 45-minute sessions that involved small group interactions with dogs . After the initial eight-week session, the participants, both those who had been with dogs and those who had not, completed the survey again. The results revealed that those who had been in contact with dogs had experienced a significant reduction in their sadness or melancholy and a greater increase in their satisfaction with life. On the other hand, the group that was still waiting for their sessions, showed an increase in their feelings of nostalgia.
Although more study is needed, the university’s ability to influence a student’s connection to campus could be a useful tool in reducing dropout rates in freshmen , according to Binfet.
