Advancing personal and academic growth, community engagement, and skill development through an assistance dog training minor.
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| Title: | Advancing personal and academic growth, community engagement, and skill development through an assistance dog training minor. |
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| Authors: | Demetriou, Cynthia (AUTHOR), Lantz, Christopher D. (AUTHOR), Henry, Kyria (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of American College Health. Dec2025, Vol. 73 Issue 10, p3740-3747. 8p. |
| Subjects: | Empathy, Teams in the workplace, Student assistance programs, Pet therapy, Universities & colleges, Undergraduates, Content analysis, Evaluation of human services programs, Positive psychology, Dogs, Psychological well-being, Descriptive statistics, Social responsibility, Confidence, Experience, Students, Academic achievement, Research methodology, Ability, Individual development, Data analysis software, Social support, Interpersonal relations, Animal-assisted therapy, Social participation, Vocational guidance, Training, Experiential learning |
| Geographic Terms: | United States, North Carolina |
| Abstract: | Objective: Describe the experiences of students in an undergraduate Assistance Dog Training Program (ADTP) academic minor. Participants: Students enrolled ADTP at a large, public research university. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative survey data and historical program evaluation data were analyzed to describe student experiences. Furthermore, the PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments) theory of well-being was used as a theoretical lens to understand participant well-being. Results: ADTP provided opportunities for meaningful service learning, working with animals, developing career interests, fulfilling personal interests, and meeting degree requirements. ADTP participation positively influenced the undergraduate experience by advancing personal and academic growth and life skill development. Finally, the ADTP positively influenced student well-being. Conclusions: Lessons learned to strengthen the ADTP were identified and are discussed. The ADTP can be a model for replication on other campuses to meet the need for more assistance dogs and potentially to support student and community well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of American College Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Objective: Describe the experiences of students in an undergraduate Assistance Dog Training Program (ADTP) academic minor. Participants: Students enrolled ADTP at a large, public research university. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative survey data and historical program evaluation data were analyzed to describe student experiences. Furthermore, the PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments) theory of well-being was used as a theoretical lens to understand participant well-being. Results: ADTP provided opportunities for meaningful service learning, working with animals, developing career interests, fulfilling personal interests, and meeting degree requirements. ADTP participation positively influenced the undergraduate experience by advancing personal and academic growth and life skill development. Finally, the ADTP positively influenced student well-being. Conclusions: Lessons learned to strengthen the ADTP were identified and are discussed. The ADTP can be a model for replication on other campuses to meet the need for more assistance dogs and potentially to support student and community well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 07448481 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/07448481.2025.2455630 |
