Puppy power: study tests if therapy dogs can ease grad student stress
NCT ID NCT07036354
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at whether spending time with a therapy dog can reduce anxiety and stress in graduate students. Thirty first-year grad students will either interact with a therapy dog or receive general health education. Researchers will measure stress through saliva cortisol levels, pain sensitivity, and anxiety questionnaires.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Human-Animal Interaction (time with a therapy dog)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could show that regular therapy dog visits help reduce anxiety and stress in graduate students, supporting the use of therapy dogs on campus.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study with only 30 participants, so results may not apply to all students. The effect may be small or no different from general health education.
Disclaimer
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the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas, 67202, United States