Program
Special Education M.A.
Number of Pages
67
Year Approved
2025
First Advisor
Larson, Susan
Second Reader
Charles Strand
Abstract
This literature review explores the impact of using assistance dogs in special education to address social-emotional development and academic success for students with various disabilities. The review evaluated dog-assisted interventions, a form of animal-assisted therapy, increasingly used in schools, libraries, hospitals, and higher education settings. The research findings reported positive outcomes when animals were used, such as increased motivation, reduced anxiety, and improved reading skills (Bassette and Taber- Doughty (2013), Goodmon et al. (2021), Herderson et al. (2020). More rigorous, long-term research across diverse student populations and disability categories is needed to address the long-term benefits of animal- assisted therapy. This review highlights the promising role of using assistance dogs in educational settings while acknowledging existing gaps in the literature.
Degree Name
Special Education M.A.
Document Type
Masterʼs thesis
Recommended Citation
Bloom, E. A. (2025). How Assistance Dogs Impact the Academic and Social/Emotional Development of Students With Disabilities [Masterʼs thesis, Bethel University]. Spark Repository. https://spark.bethel.edu/etd/1177
Terms of Use and License Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.