The prevalence of mental illness among college students is higher than ever before (Kessler 2005). In 2008, the American College Health Association conducted the National College Assessment and found that more than one in three undergraduates reported feeling depressed and claimed that they could not function properly. One in ten students reported contemplating suicide atleast once in the past year (American College Health Association 2009). Academic anxiety, social anxiety and stress are pre-dominant among college students (Watkins, Hunt & Eisenberg 2011). Commentators have indicated that existing data, points towards the possibility of a ‘mental health crises in college campuses’ (Watkins, Hunt &Eisenberg 2011). Due to this crisis, there has also been an increase in demand by students with mental disabilities to keep their emotional support animals (ESA’s) in college. (Bergen, 2015). Students are asserting that emotional support animals offer therapeutic benefits and enhance their ability to cope with their condition (Bergen, 2015). In this essay, I seek to argue that emotional support animals should be allowed on college campuses because of two reasons. Firstly, studies have shown that they offer therapeutic benefits to students suffering from stress and anxiety. Secondly, I believe that since service animals are permitted to accompany individuals with physical disabilities, mental illness should not be treated any differently (Kendell 2001). Before this, however, I will briefly explain the concept of emotional support animals.
An emotional support animal refers to an animal which provides some form of support to individuals suffering from any mental disability. They enhance well being and provide comfort to individuals with intellectual or emotional disabilities through their non-judgemental companionship. This concept is an extension of Animal Assisted Therapy which is now gaining credence in the field as an additive component which improves outcomes when combined with any other form of therapy. A meta analysis conducted by researchers at the University of Utah, showed moderate significant effects of animal intervention in improving outcomes in four samples: individuals with autism spectrum disorders, behavioural problems, stress and emotional difficulties (Nimer & Lundahl 2007). This shows that interacting with animals is beneficial for individuals suffering from psychological illness.
Since emotional support animals help in reducing stress and anxiety (Barker and Dawson), I believe they should be allowed on college campuses. A quasi experimental study conducted by Tsai, Freedman and Thomas examined the effect of animal assistance on cardiovascular responses, state anxiety and medical fear in hospitalized children (2010). They demonstrated that interacting with animals decreased physiological arousal (systolic blood pressure decreased pre and post exposure to animals) in children. They also used the Perceived Stress Scale to measure stress experienced by the children before and after interacting with the animal and found significant differences (p<0.05) showing that stress reduced after interaction. Another study tested the effect of petting animals on state anxiety among college students (Shiloh, Sorek & Terkel 2003). The differences among the groups in state anxiety scores after experimental manipulation were found to be significant using ANCOVA with baseline and post-stress anxiety scores as covariates (p<0.05). This study showed that even a short period of petting an animal resulted in reduced state-anxiety among college students in a stressful situation (to create stress, they exposed participants to a larger tarantula spider). The experiment ruled out the therapeutic effects of the ‘act of petting’ since a difference was observed only when the subjects pet an animal and not a toy. There is scope for further research to examine the differential effect of various animals on influencing stress and anxiety of their owners.
Additionally, given that service animals are permitted on campus for physically disabled individuals, not making exceptions for mentally challenged individuals would amount to disability discrimination. One cited reason why people support service animals and not ESA’s is that they believe that physical disabilities are more “real” than mental disabilities (Kendell 2001). This is extremely problematic. The distinction between physical and mental disability is based on medieval notions of the mind-body split. This divide is arbitrary and has been challenged by modern scientific research (Kendell 2001). Advances in our scientific understanding have shown that mental disorders have a neurological basis. The mind functions through the brain and therefore, differentiating between physical and mental illness creates a false dichotomy. Mental and physical illnesses, both, must be treated with the same degree of seriousness. Another reason given by people against ESA’s is that their benefits are not visible in comparison to service animals which perform specific measurable functions for their owners. However, there is sufficient scientific evidence which shows that ESA’s offer therapeutic benefits for students who suffer from anxiety and stress so this reason to dismiss ESA's is not valid either.
Since emotional support animals improve mental health among college students, I believe that their presence on college campuses is justified. However, there is ambiguity regarding which animals can be considered emotional support animals and further research must seek to answer this question for the sake of establishing a uniform code for ESA’s across campuses. Proper implementation of this policy is necessary to ensure that students (who do not have a psychological illness) do not misuse this provision for carrying their pets to campus. Critics also argue that the same animals which may alleviate stress for some individuals may be a source of distress for other individuals. To resolve such concerns, there is need for debating and developing a uniform policy for ESA’s (keeping in mind various stakeholders) and for proper implementation of the same to secure student well being.
References
Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005) Lifetime prevalence and age of onset distributions of DSM IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62 (6), 593-602
American College Health Association (2009) National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) spring 2008 reference group data report (abridged). Journal of American College Health 54: 201-2011
Bergen, C. V. (2015). Emotional Support Animals, Service Animals, and Pets on Campus. Administrative Issues Journal,5(1), spring, 15-34. Retrieved April 3, 2019, from https://dc.swosu.edu/aij/vol5/iss1/4/.
Kendell, R. E. (2001). The distinction between mental and physical illness. The British Journal of Psychiatry,178(6), 490-493. Retrieved April 3, 2019, from https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/distinction-between-mental-and-physical-illness/5FA9AC9A9A8F7D6395BF41B3CD004305.
Watkins, D. C., Hunt, J. B., & Eisenberg, D. (2011). Increased demand for mental health services on college campuses: Perspectives from administrators. Sage Publications. doi:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/147332501140146
Nimer, J., & Lundahl, B. (2007). Animal Assisted Therapy: A Meta Analysis. Anthrozoös,20(3), 225-238. Retrieved April 3, 2019, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/089279307X224773.
Tsai, C., Friedmann, E., & Thomas, S. A. (2010). The Effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Stress Responses in Hospitalized Children. Anthrozoöso,23(3), 245-258. Retrieved April 3, 2019, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/175303710X12750451258977.
Shiloh, S., Sorek, G., & Terkel, J. (2003). Reduction of state-anxiety by petting animals in a controlled laboratory experiment. Anxiety, Stress & Coping,16(4), 387-395. Retrieved April 3, 2019, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1061580031000091582.
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