Photo courtesy HABRI The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) has awarded a new research grant to the University of Wollongong in Australia to study the effects of therapy dog interactions on heart and brain activity. The study aims to deepen understanding of how human-dog interactions influence health and well-being, and will be led by Jillian Teo, a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology, alongside professors Stuart Johnstone and Susan Thomas. Researchers will assess 100 university students using self-reported emotional measures and objective physiological data, including heart rate, heart rate variability, and electroencephalogram (EEG) readings. The study will compare the effects of therapy dog interactions to standard relaxation techniques, hypothesizing therapy dogs may provide greater relaxation benefits. “Our preliminary study indicates that therapy dogs can favorably influence multiple human health-related pathways, including the autonomic and central nervous systems, likely through reductions in stress and increases in relaxation,” saiys Jillian Teo, the project's principal investigator. “This new study will yield insights into the mechanisms underlying these benefits for human health and facilitate the development of evidence-based practices to optimize future animal-assisted interventions for improved health and wellbeing.” By combining subjective and objective data, the research seeks to clarify the mechanisms behind therapy dog benefits and contribute to evidence-based interventions for improving student health. Findings could inform future policies supporting animal-assisted therapy in academic settings. For more information, visit the HABRI website.
