Therapy Dogs District-Wide: Mental Health and Well-Being Influences in PK-12 Education
The mental health of prekindergarten (PK)-12th grade students is of extreme importance. Therapy dogs are a unique intervention to address mental health needs in educational frameworks. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the components of a PK-12 district-wide therapy dog program and the i...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/929 |
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| author | Kathleen M. Farrand Jae Young Jung |
| author_facet | Kathleen M. Farrand Jae Young Jung |
| author_sort | Kathleen M. Farrand |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The mental health of prekindergarten (PK)-12th grade students is of extreme importance. Therapy dogs are a unique intervention to address mental health needs in educational frameworks. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the components of a PK-12 district-wide therapy dog program and the implications for the mental health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff. This research used qualitative methods for semi-structured interviews with therapy dog handlers, observations including photographs, and researcher field notes of therapy dogs and handlers in their education environment. Thematic analysis of transcripts from semi-structured interviews was used for qualitative analysis. The results indicated that the strategic implementation of a district-wide therapy program supported a sustainable program that is integrated into the educational ecosystem. The participants perceived that the therapy dogs impacted mental health in the domains of social, emotional, and behavioral support. A district-wide systematic approach to addressing mental health and well-being needs of students, faculty, and staff with therapy dogs’ hinges on a comprehensive training and evaluation process, district-level support, and consistent implementation across educational settings. Therapy dogs can be embedded within educational structures to create a multilevel impact from the classroom to school to district level for a sustainable program. Therapy dogs positively contribute to the mental health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff in PK-12 education settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a0c33f07ce614d3f99770d099c99f77e |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-a0c33f07ce614d3f99770d099c99f77e2025-07-25T13:20:54ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-07-0115792910.3390/educsci15070929Therapy Dogs District-Wide: Mental Health and Well-Being Influences in PK-12 EducationKathleen M. Farrand0Jae Young Jung1Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USAMary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USAThe mental health of prekindergarten (PK)-12th grade students is of extreme importance. Therapy dogs are a unique intervention to address mental health needs in educational frameworks. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the components of a PK-12 district-wide therapy dog program and the implications for the mental health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff. This research used qualitative methods for semi-structured interviews with therapy dog handlers, observations including photographs, and researcher field notes of therapy dogs and handlers in their education environment. Thematic analysis of transcripts from semi-structured interviews was used for qualitative analysis. The results indicated that the strategic implementation of a district-wide therapy program supported a sustainable program that is integrated into the educational ecosystem. The participants perceived that the therapy dogs impacted mental health in the domains of social, emotional, and behavioral support. A district-wide systematic approach to addressing mental health and well-being needs of students, faculty, and staff with therapy dogs’ hinges on a comprehensive training and evaluation process, district-level support, and consistent implementation across educational settings. Therapy dogs can be embedded within educational structures to create a multilevel impact from the classroom to school to district level for a sustainable program. Therapy dogs positively contribute to the mental health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff in PK-12 education settings.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/929therapy dogswell-beingmental healthPK-12 education |
| spellingShingle | Kathleen M. Farrand Jae Young Jung Therapy Dogs District-Wide: Mental Health and Well-Being Influences in PK-12 Education Education Sciences therapy dogs well-being mental health PK-12 education |
| title | Therapy Dogs District-Wide: Mental Health and Well-Being Influences in PK-12 Education |
| title_full | Therapy Dogs District-Wide: Mental Health and Well-Being Influences in PK-12 Education |
| title_fullStr | Therapy Dogs District-Wide: Mental Health and Well-Being Influences in PK-12 Education |
| title_full_unstemmed | Therapy Dogs District-Wide: Mental Health and Well-Being Influences in PK-12 Education |
| title_short | Therapy Dogs District-Wide: Mental Health and Well-Being Influences in PK-12 Education |
| title_sort | therapy dogs district wide mental health and well being influences in pk 12 education |
| topic | therapy dogs well-being mental health PK-12 education |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/929 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathleenmfarrand therapydogsdistrictwidementalhealthandwellbeinginfluencesinpk12education AT jaeyoungjung therapydogsdistrictwidementalhealthandwellbeinginfluencesinpk12education |