175 Does short-term equine interaction within a collegiate environment provide students with perceived coping skills for test anxiety during examination periods?

Abstract

An epidemic of mental health concerns is apparent within the collegiate environment. These concerns are more prevalent during examination periods where stress and anxiety may be heightened. Many students struggle to find ways to cope with this additional anxiety. Data have shown a rise in on-campus substance abuse, emphasizing the urgent need for campuses to offer alternative approaches to cope with the stresses associated with academia. Studies have demonstrated equine interaction in an academic setting can improve life skills important for coping with the rigors of academics. While the benefits of consistent equine interaction have been reported, the impact of equine interaction on coping skills valuable for managing test anxiety for college students have yet to be studied. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of short-term equine interaction on perceived stress and coping skills development during the college examination period. Full-time college students (n = 27; Males = 3, Females = 24) engaged in a 1-h equine interaction session held on campus at the onset of final exam week (Fall 2022). College equine facilities staff and faculty conducted the sessions which consisted of grooming, leading, and grazing. Participants were given at the equine facility a 14-question survey instrument within 5 minpre- and post- equine interaction. Survey was developed working with mental health professionals associated with campus counseling services with questions formatted to follow standard mental health questionnaires targeting personal perception of stress levels and life skills associated with coping with test anxiety. Data were analyzed using a 2-tailed t-test to determine the significance of self-reported measures pre- and post- equine interaction with significance set at P ≤ 0.05. Participants (67%) reported moderate to high levels of anxiety surrounding grades and upcoming examinations, and yet, perceived anxiety levels following equine interaction were significantly reduced (93% reporting none to very low stress levels; P < 0.001). Perceived improvements were reported by participants in the following coping skills after equine interaction: focus (P = 0.008), self-efficacy in goal pursuit (P = 0.006), patience (P = 0.017), and calmness (P < 0.001). These perceived acquired coping skills lend themselves well to academic success. These skills coupled with decreased perceived test anxiety suggest the potential of collegiate equine interaction programs may be of benefit to students during high stress periods within the academic year.