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The Value of Service Dogs for Student Veterans
Sarah May, OTS
Bernadette Schmeltz, OTD, OTR/L, CLT
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To explore the value of service dogs in relation to
student veterans’ occupational participation, health, and
wellbeing.
Method: A systematic review of peer-reviewed articles from
EBSCOhost, MEDLINE Complete, and Google Scholar.
Results: Three themes emerged: (1) the benefits of service
dogs, (2) the challenges related to service dogs, and (3) the
challenges veterans face when transitioning to college.
Impact to OT: OT practitioners are ideal for helping veterans
with disabilities acquire service dogs. OT practitioners must
have an awareness of the impact that service dogs have on
veterans, both positive and negative, so that they can
provide the necessary support.
PIO QUESTION
1. Does implementing an education-based program on the
benefits of service dogs improve knowledge and awareness
of service dogs’ value in the occupational participation,
health, and wellbeing of student veterans?
2. Does implementing an education-based program on the
benefits of service dogs improve knowledge and awareness
among university faculty on service dogs’ value in
occupational participation, health, and wellbeing?
SIGNIFICANCE TO OT
• OT practitioners must be well equipped to advocate for
and assist veterans with service dogs to get the most out
of their partnership.
• OT practitioners are ideal for helping veterans
with disabilities acquire service dogs. OT’s holistic
approach and expertise in evaluating strengths and
limitations can help determine whether a service dog is
the right choice for a client (Winkle et al., 2019).
BACKGROUND
• Student veterans often suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
and traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of combat (Yarborough et al., 2018).
• PTSD and TBI may lead to veteran suicide, which is a growing issue in
the U.S. (Stop Soldier Suicide, n.d.).
• Increased support is essential for student veterans to successfully
transition to higher education.
• Service dogs can help student veterans improve occupational performance
despite challenges (Morris et al., 2019; Scotland-Coogan, 2019a; Yarborough et al., 2018).
• There is a lack of information available to student veterans and university
faculty on the benefits of service dogs, so this valuable resource is often
underutilized.
METHODS
• Systematic literature review
• Databases used
• EBSCOhost
• MEDLINE Complete
• Google Scholar
• Search terms
• Veterans AND education, Veterans AND higher education, Veterans
AND college, Veterans AND university, Veterans AND service dogs,
Veterans AND service animals, Military AND service dogs, Military AND
service animals, Military AND PTSD, Student veterans AND PTSD,
Student veterans AND service dogs, and Student veterans AND
service animals
• Inclusion Criteria
• Peer-reviewed
• Written in the English language
• Published 2010 or later
• Included any of the following: veterans, PTSD, college, service dogs
• Exclusion Criteria
• Not peer-reviewed
• Not written in the English language
• Published before 2010
• Did not include: veterans, PTSD, college, service dogs
RESULTS
•
•
•
285 articles resulted from literature search
11 articles matched inclusion criteria
Six Level II studies and Five Level III studies
Three themes emerged:
1. Challenges Transitioning to College (Elliott et al., 2011; Gregg et al., 2016; Morris et al., 2019;
Plach & Sells, 2013; Scotland-Coogan, 2019a; Scotland-Coogan, 2019b)
Alienation on campus
Occupational performance
problems
Alcohol problems
Anxiety
Physical and psychological
injuries
Sleep disturbances
Strains in relationships
Hypervigilance
Physical and verbal abuse
toward others
Difficulties with emotional
regulation
2. Benefits of Service Dogs (Crowe & Nguyen, 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2020; ScotlandCoogan, 2019a; Scotland-Coogan, 2019b; Yarborough et al., 2018)
Improve occupational
performance
Reduce PTSD episodes
Reduce hypervigilance
Improve relationships
Provide physical safety and
peace of mind
Improve sleep
Wake from nightmares
Support healthy behaviors
Facilitate reconnections with
humans
Help with managing anger,
violence, and anxiety
3. Challenges Related to Service Dogs (Crowe & Nguyen, 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2018; ScotlandCoogan, 2019b; Yarborough et al., 2018)
Veterans underestimate how
prepared they must be
Training is time-consuming and
challenging
Caregivers have trouble
allowing the service dog to
assist
Veterans may be overwhelmed
bringing their dog in public
CONCLUSION
• Service dogs can help veterans gain occupational independence by
reducing anxiety and hypervigilance, improving social connections,
sleep quality, and focus.
(Crowe & Nguyen, 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2020; Scotland-Coogan, 2019a; Scotland-Coogan, 2019b; Yarborough et al., 2018).
Sarah May, OTS
Bernadette Schmeltz, OTD, OTR/L, CLT
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To explore the value of service dogs in relation to
student veterans’ occupational participation, health, and
wellbeing.
Method: A systematic review of peer-reviewed articles from
EBSCOhost, MEDLINE Complete, and Google Scholar.
Results: Three themes emerged: (1) the benefits of service
dogs, (2) the challenges related to service dogs, and (3) the
challenges veterans face when transitioning to college.
Impact to OT: OT practitioners are ideal for helping veterans
with disabilities acquire service dogs. OT practitioners must
have an awareness of the impact that service dogs have on
veterans, both positive and negative, so that they can
provide the necessary support.
PIO QUESTION
1. Does implementing an education-based program on the
benefits of service dogs improve knowledge and awareness
of service dogs’ value in the occupational participation,
health, and wellbeing of student veterans?
2. Does implementing an education-based program on the
benefits of service dogs improve knowledge and awareness
among university faculty on service dogs’ value in
occupational participation, health, and wellbeing?
SIGNIFICANCE TO OT
• OT practitioners must be well equipped to advocate for
and assist veterans with service dogs to get the most out
of their partnership.
• OT practitioners are ideal for helping veterans
with disabilities acquire service dogs. OT’s holistic
approach and expertise in evaluating strengths and
limitations can help determine whether a service dog is
the right choice for a client (Winkle et al., 2019).
BACKGROUND
• Student veterans often suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
and traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of combat (Yarborough et al., 2018).
• PTSD and TBI may lead to veteran suicide, which is a growing issue in
the U.S. (Stop Soldier Suicide, n.d.).
• Increased support is essential for student veterans to successfully
transition to higher education.
• Service dogs can help student veterans improve occupational performance
despite challenges (Morris et al., 2019; Scotland-Coogan, 2019a; Yarborough et al., 2018).
• There is a lack of information available to student veterans and university
faculty on the benefits of service dogs, so this valuable resource is often
underutilized.
METHODS
• Systematic literature review
• Databases used
• EBSCOhost
• MEDLINE Complete
• Google Scholar
• Search terms
• Veterans AND education, Veterans AND higher education, Veterans
AND college, Veterans AND university, Veterans AND service dogs,
Veterans AND service animals, Military AND service dogs, Military AND
service animals, Military AND PTSD, Student veterans AND PTSD,
Student veterans AND service dogs, and Student veterans AND
service animals
• Inclusion Criteria
• Peer-reviewed
• Written in the English language
• Published 2010 or later
• Included any of the following: veterans, PTSD, college, service dogs
• Exclusion Criteria
• Not peer-reviewed
• Not written in the English language
• Published before 2010
• Did not include: veterans, PTSD, college, service dogs
RESULTS
•
•
•
285 articles resulted from literature search
11 articles matched inclusion criteria
Six Level II studies and Five Level III studies
Three themes emerged:
1. Challenges Transitioning to College (Elliott et al., 2011; Gregg et al., 2016; Morris et al., 2019;
Plach & Sells, 2013; Scotland-Coogan, 2019a; Scotland-Coogan, 2019b)
Alienation on campus
Occupational performance
problems
Alcohol problems
Anxiety
Physical and psychological
injuries
Sleep disturbances
Strains in relationships
Hypervigilance
Physical and verbal abuse
toward others
Difficulties with emotional
regulation
2. Benefits of Service Dogs (Crowe & Nguyen, 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2020; ScotlandCoogan, 2019a; Scotland-Coogan, 2019b; Yarborough et al., 2018)
Improve occupational
performance
Reduce PTSD episodes
Reduce hypervigilance
Improve relationships
Provide physical safety and
peace of mind
Improve sleep
Wake from nightmares
Support healthy behaviors
Facilitate reconnections with
humans
Help with managing anger,
violence, and anxiety
3. Challenges Related to Service Dogs (Crowe & Nguyen, 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2018; ScotlandCoogan, 2019b; Yarborough et al., 2018)
Veterans underestimate how
prepared they must be
Training is time-consuming and
challenging
Caregivers have trouble
allowing the service dog to
assist
Veterans may be overwhelmed
bringing their dog in public
CONCLUSION
• Service dogs can help veterans gain occupational independence by
reducing anxiety and hypervigilance, improving social connections,
sleep quality, and focus.
(Crowe & Nguyen, 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2020; Scotland-Coogan, 2019a; Scotland-Coogan, 2019b; Yarborough et al., 2018).