Pet Your Stress Away Study

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Stress, Physiological; Stress, Psychological
• Interventions: Behavioral: Animal photos; Behavioral: Observing human-animal interaction; Behavioral: Animal assisted activity

• Registration Number: NCT02758886
• Lead Sponsor: Washington State University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether an animal visitation programs on college campuses are effective in the treatment of college student stress reduction during preparation for final examinations.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2014-04
• Primary Completion: 2015-05
• Study First Submitted: 2016-04-12
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-04-27
• Study First Posted: 2016-05-03
• Status Verified: 2017-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-12-05
• Last Update Posted: 2017-12-07

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 247

Inclusion Criteria

• Undergraduate status

Exclusion Criteria

• None

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Control	Animal photos	Participants randomized into the Control group watched a 10 minute slide show of dog and cat photos
Observation	Observing human-animal interaction	Participants randomized into the observation group observed 10 minutes of others in the general PYSA program petting cats and dogs, while they 'waited in line' for there turn.
Stress reduction method	Animal assisted activity	Participants randomized into the PYSA group engaged in a 10 minute direct interaction with the animals (dogs and cats) of the Pet Your Stress Away program

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in physiological stress measured via salivary cortisol	On the day of program participation: Once immediately upon waking up, and immediately before and after participation in the assigned 10 minute intervention	Salivary cortisol was measured three times on the day of program participation: immediately upon waking, and immediately before and after participation in the assigned 10 minute intervention
Change in momentary emotion using the experience sampling method questionnaire	Momentary emotion was measured twice, immediately before and after participation in the assigned 10 minute intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in physiological stress measured via salivary Alpha-amylase	On the day of program participation: Once immediately upon waking up, and immediately before and after participation in the assigned 10 minute intervention	Salivary alpha-amylase was measured three times on the day of program participation: immediately upon waking, and immediately before and after participation in the assigned 10 minute intervention