Honors students researching the effects of animal assisted therapy sit with Gryffin, the therapy dog who does it all!
Author: Ava Wisinger | Major: Nursing | Semester: Fall 2024
Throughout the 2024 Fall grant term, I performed research in the Nursing department with my thesis advisor, Dr. Michele Kilmer. Our project studies the effect of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) on children with autism’s prosocial behavior and emotional regulation, and my specific area of study evaluated the effect of AAT apart from therapy sessions and the homogeneity of the research and control group samples.
To better understand what this study is, first I must explain Gryffin and Snuffles. Gryffin is a certified therapy dog trained not for one individual, but rather for many different people that he and Dr. Kilmer work with in a therapy session. Snuffles is a plush toy made to resemble Gryffin, and snuffles sits in on therapy sessions as well. The children in this study are divided into 2 groups—the experimental group receives therapy sessions with Dr. Kilmer and Gryffin, and the control group receives therapy sessions with Dr. Kilmer and Snuffles. There are many facets to this study, but my specific job is to use admission questionnaire data to evaluate the homogeneity of the control and experimental group, as well as analyze weekly and monthly questionnaires to determine the effect of therapy on each group’s prosocial behavior and emotional regulation outside of the sessions.
I first became aware of Dr. Kilmer’s research during a required honors nursing course in the Fall 2023 semester. In this course, our professor brought in speakers from the nursing department who were conducting research and helped us make connections with other faculty members looking for students to sign on to their research. There, I heard of Dr. Kilmer’s project for the first time and was instantly fascinated. I started working on the project during the Spring 2024 semester.
Since my role in this project is largely coding and data analysis, I have learned many technical skills associated with research. I learned how to code several different questionnaires associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)and how to navigate Qualtrics. While working on my results, I learned so much about running statistical tests and interpreting the results. This was a particularly challenging component for me, since the last time I had dealt with this type of data was my freshman year. I overcame this challenge by doing my own research online and directing questions to people who know more than me about that topic, like my advisor. I learned so much about pediatric ASD through my advisor, whose passion for the topic is truly inspiring, and through my personal research while trying to better understand my responsibilities and tasks. I also learned a couple valuable things about myself. First off, I started this project with the mentality that I would not work with kids in my career, but I am ending this term without a doubt in my mind that pediatric nursing is my calling. Second, I learned that I am resilient and capable; taking on a large project like this, keeping up with progressive deadlines, and learning how to do something new at every turn has made a positive impact on my confidence.
My mentor, Dr. Kilmer, met with me weekly during my initial semester to help me understand my role in her research. During this past term, we met as needed and as we progressed through phases in the project. She has been instrumental in my experience, guiding me through with direction but also empowering me to do things myself. I spoke to other students on the project to better understand the other aspects of our research in which I was not involved to better understand my role. Next semester is my final semester of college and of this research. I will be finishing my final paper, creating my poster, and presenting my research in a university sponsored event. I am excited to continue this project and see it completed!