Evaluation of the Effects of Human-Animal Interaction on Physiological and Psychological Anxiety Markers in Graduate Students

Graduate students often experience high levels of stress and anxiety due to academic demands, financial pressures, and time constraints. These stresses can stem from rigorous coursework, competitive environments, and the pressure to meet academic and personal expectations. Additionally, many students must manage part-time jobs, clinical rotations, or other academic obligations while maintaining personal relationships and responsibilities. The financial strain of student loans, tuition costs, and daily living often can add to the many plates graduate students handle. Time constraints, particularly the need to balance multiple responsibilities with limited hours in the day, frequently result in students prioritizing academics over self-care. As a result, the cumulative toll of these stressors can lead to the presentation of chronic stress and anxiety, which research has linked to increased pain sensitivity. This heightened pain sensitivity can negatively impact overall well-being and academic performance, making it more difficult for students to concentrate, remain motivated, and succeed in their programs.1

One intervention to combat these effects is human-animal interaction (HAI), which has been shown to reduce self-reported stress and anxiety scores, enhance mood, and promote relaxation.2 Additionally, HAI has also been shown to significantly reduce heart rate in participants.2 Previous research has explored the psychological benefits of HAI, but its effects on physiological measures such as pain pressure thresholds (PPT) remain unclear. PPTs are commonly used to estimate pain sensitivity, which is often heightened in individuals experiencing chronic stress and anxiety due to dysregulation of the body's stress response systems.1 Examining the relationship between anxiety and pain sensitivity through PPTs may provide insight into the potential physiological benefits of interventions such as human-animal interaction (HAI).

PPT refers to the minimum amount of pressure that induces pain in the participant and is commonly used to assess pain sensitivity.3 Pain sensitivity refers to an individual's perception of and ability to tolerate an enduring painful stimulus. Although pain is a subjective measure, it can be influenced by the individual's perception. Research has shown that if an individual's stress tolerance is low, then they are more likely to experience elevated intensity of pain.4,5 Furthermore, research shows that if an individual has experienced an adverse life experience that they are more likely to experience a heightened sensitivity and impaired regulation of stress and pain responses.6,7 This stress and anxiety can affect PPT measures, making individuals more sensitive to perceived pain, thus lowering an individual's PPT. Recent studies using cortical testing have found that pain sensitivity is also linked to activity and neurotransmitter levels in brain regions associated with pain processing.7 Elevated glutamate levels in these cortical areas, for instance, have been correlated with greater pain perception, further highlighting the connection between the brain's stress response and physical pain.7 On the other hand, relaxation techniques and positive social environments, including those with animals, may help increase PPT measurements in individuals who have stress-related anxiety.6,7 The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of HAI on both pain pressure thresholds and anxiety levels in graduate students. Specifically, this study aims to determine whether repeated HAI sessions influence pre- and post-intervention measures of PPT and anxiety.

Materials and Methods Participants The sample for this study will be a sample of convenience. The research project will be presented in person to graduate students at Wichita State University and followed up with an email to seek participants. Participants will be randomly placed into two groups - experimental (HAI) and control (GHE).

Informed Consent Informed consent will be read and signed by all participants prior to beginning the study. This study has been submitted to the Wichita State University Institutional Review Board for approval; status is pending as of this writing.