How Dogs May Help Teens Cope With Social Stress

Tens of thousands of teens deal with social anxiety. Something as seemingly innocent as an awkward conversation in a hallway can leave some young people dealing with unhealthy stress levels. However, new research suggests that a familiar companion may play a role in helping some teenagers navigate those moments. Researchers studying adolescents with social anxiety found that stronger relationships with pet dogs were associated with healthier ways of coping with stress related to peers.

These findings don’t mean that having a dog is a cure for social anxiety or that it should replace professional support. Instead, current research offers another look at how an everyday relationship may provide emotional and practical support for teenagers who struggle with social situations.

Researchers Looked at the Relationship, Not Just the Dog

The findings are the result of the Teen & Dog Study, a five-year research project that involved research teams from Tufts University, Wellesley College, Boston University, Maine Health Institute for Research, and other institutions.

Researchers focused on a group of 514 participants, all of whom were between the ages of 13 and 17. To be eligible for the study, participants had to have high levels of social anxiety and live with at least one dog. Researchers are examining participants' physiological responses, emotions, social experiences, and relationships with their dogs over time.

Researchers didn’t simply focus on whether the teens felt better when they petted a dog. Instead, the study focused on the quality of ongoing relationships in the human-animal bond.

Stronger Dog Relationships Were Linked to Healthier Coping

The researchers found that companionship and caring for a dog were associated with adolescents using more adaptive ways of coping with peer-related stress. According to the parameters of the study, that can include having a source of comfort, engaging in activities with the dog, or using the relationship as a way to regulate emotions during difficult periods. The researchers' approach emphasizes that the benefits may come from the broader relationship rather than from a single interaction with an animal.

For some teens, having a dog may provide some level of stability when relationships with peers often feel unstable. A dog doesn’t evaluate a teenager’s social performance, worry about whether they said the wrong thing, or decide whether to invite them to a group activity. Researchers believe that these traits make the relationship feel safe for adolescents who are particularly sensitive to judgment from peers.

Caring for a Dog May Offer More Than Companionship

The potential benefits aren’t limited to companionship. Taking care of a dog has been shown to introduce routines and responsibilities, which psychologists say are especially important during adolescence.

It’s also worth noting that taking a dog outside may help increase a teen’s number of potential social interactions. Walking a dog, for example, can put a teenager in situations where brief conversations with neighbors or other dog owners happen naturally. For someone who finds traditional social situations intimidating, those encounters may represent relatively low-pressure opportunities to interact with other people.

The Findings Build on Earlier Research

The findings of the study expounded on existing research that focused on the relationship between dogs and stress. A 2021 experiment involving 75 adolescents found that simply interacting with a therapy dog during a controlled social stress test did not significantly reduce anxiety, physiological arousal, or cognitive performance compared with a control condition involving a stuffed dog. The results were similar regardless of participants' existing levels of social anxiety.

The findings of the 2021 study are important because it highlights the fact that the findings of the latest study shouldn’t be reduced to a claim that “dogs lower anxiety.” Circumstances matter. A brief interaction with an unfamiliar therapy dog in a laboratory is very different from the long-term relationship between a teenager and a dog that lives in the family home. The newer study is attempting to understand that distinction while searching for an effective way to help adolescents with social anxiety.

What Researchers Hope to Learn Next

The research into dogs and teen mental health is not limited to the latest study. According to some of the lead researchers on the team, the project is examining not only the relationships between teenagers and their dogs but also family and peer relationships, physiological responses, emotional experiences, and coping strategies. The goal is to better understand which adolescents benefit, under what circumstances, and through which mechanisms.

There is still plenty to learn. Earlier research has shown that a brief interaction with a therapy dog doesn't necessarily reduce anxiety during a stressful situation, while the newer work points toward the potential importance of long-term relationships, routine, companionship, and individual circumstances.

Looking for stories that inform and engage? From breaking headlines to fresh perspectives, WaveNewsToday has more to explore.