Presenting Research at EMSON Nursing Science Day 2025
Author: Ava Wisinger | Major: Nursing | Semester: Fall 2024
Throughout the 2025 Spring 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.
Two vital team members of this study are Gryffin and Snuffles. Gryffin is certified as both a therapy and service dog. Rather than service one individual, Gryffin is trained to help many different individuals seen by himself and Dr. Kilmer in a therapy session. Snuffles is a plush toy made to resemble Gryffin, and snuffles sits in on therapy sessions as well. The children participating 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 learned of Dr. Kilmer’s research when one of my professors mentioned her in my honors research course in the Fall of 2023. I was immediately intrigued by the project, and after speaking with Dr. Kilmer, I started collaborating on the project in the Spring of 2024. Fast forward a year later, and this project is now a national clinical trial!
Throughout my time on this project, which largely consisted of coding and data analyses, I learned many technical skills associated with research and statistics. I learned how to code data from assessment questionnaires and analyze them, and how to utilize Qualtrics. I learned the most about statistical analysis while working on the results and discussion section of my paper. This was challenging for me since I have not dealt with running statistics since freshman year, but it was made possible by consulting my team members who were vital resources to me, like my mentor. Other students on the project helped me during this time by sharing what they had learned about their portion of this project, so that I could better understand that data I had and accurately interpret it. During this most recent semester, I dove deep into the interpretation of this data and learned much more than I thought I would compared to previous semesters in this study. At the end of the semester, I presented my research with another team member and student at Nursing Science Day, which allowed me to express all that I have learned about the capabilities of AAT for children with autism. I learned so much about pediatric autism throughout my time on this project, while further cultivated my passion for working with children in the future.
Throughout the past year and a half on this project, I have realized how capable I am. This study was a large undertaking, and being able to complete it has been a confidence boost in my capabilities as lifelong learner, a soon to be nurse, and as an individual about to move away from her college town and start over. My mentor, Dr. Kilmer, guided me through this entire experience, and I am so thankful for his wisdom and patience! She has inspired me and empowered me. I look forward to taking the lessons I have learned into my next stage of life: an official career as Registered Nurse!