FAU Awarded Grant to Examine Role of Pet Dogs on Military Adolescents
Researchers will investigate the role of pet dogs in the lives of military adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18.
Canines Providing Assistance to Wounded Warriors (C-P.A.W.W.) within Florida Atlantic University's Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention (I-HEALTH), has received a new grant from the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) for research that investigates the contribution of pet dog ownership to resilience and well-being in adolescent children of military families.
The grant was awarded to a team of researchers led by Laurie Martinez, Ph.D., an assistant professor, FAU College of Nursing; and co-led by Cheryl A. Krause-Parello, Ph.D., associate vice president for research, FAU Division of Research and a research professor in the College of Nursing.
This important study will provide insight into how pet dogs support well-being and resilience in adolescents while a parent or guardian is in the National Guard, Reserve, is a veteran or on active duty. Adolescents in military families face ubiquitous teen stressors and unique military challenges such as parental deployment and frequent relocations. Dog ownership is suggested as a contextual resource of strength to counter the effects of adolescent military-specific stressors and promote positive outcomes.
“With approximately 66 percent of households in the United States owning a pet, family military pet dogs are an understudied innovative resource that may mitigate military-connected adolescent stress and nurture resilience and well-being,” said Martinez, principal investigator of the study. “Exploring how pet dogs can serve as conduits to better mental health outcomes opens new pathways for daily health promotion.”
This longitudinal, observational pilot study will conduct scientifically validated surveys to investigate the role of pet dogs in the lives of military adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18. Researchers expect to find higher levels of resilience, improved well-being, reduced depression, and lower perceived stress in dog-owning adolescents compared to military adolescents who do not own a pet dog.
“We hope that this research will inform policies and programs aimed at improving health for children in military families,” said Steven Feldman, president, HABRI.
-FAU-
Latest Research
- VR Could be a Gamechanger in Police-Civilian Crisis EncountersAn FAU College of Social Work and Criminal Justice study immersed police officers in virtual reality training using a realistic mental illness scenario to enhance empathy and complement traditional training.
- STEM Teachers in High-need Schools Resilient Despite ChallengesAn FAU College of Education researcher collaborated on a study examining 30 years of STEM teacher trends, focusing on qualifications and changes in high-need, primarily high-poverty U.S. schools.
- Alcohol-Related Deaths in the U.S. More than Double from 1999 to 2020FAU researchers explored overall trends as well as by age, gender, race and region. The sharpest spike occurred among 25-34-year-olds (nearly fourfold), while individuals aged 55-64 had the highest rates.
- FAU REPORT: Consumers Face Elevated Prices Despite Waning InflationThe years of high inflation appear to be over as inflation is now in line with the Federal Reserve's target, though prices will likely remain permanently elevated, according to the Monthly Inflation Report.
- FAU Engineers Win NSF Grant for Unique School of AI Bio-Robotic FishA school of bio-robotic fish with advanced sensors will create a versatile network capable of maneuvers and station-keeping beyond current vehicles in shallow coastal areas and in deep ocean environments.
- FAU Poll: Presidential Race Tightens Across Key Battleground StatesLatest FAU polls reveal a highly competitive landscape in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, with both the presidential and U.S. Senate races showing narrow Democratic leads.