We have seen the joy pets bring into people’s lives, and the sadness that follows the loss of them. Many pet owners view their pets as more than just animals: they are family. They offer a level of love and support similar to friends and family, despite not being human. Some pets are also trained as service animals to assist humans who struggle with diagnosed physical, mental, and other disabilities. However, emotional support animals appear to lie somewhere between pets and service animals, as there are rules and policies still developing around them. With more and more college students requesting to bring ESAs on campus, the question of their effectiveness has been raised. The aim of this honors thesis study is to examine the effectiveness of ESAs in alleviating mental health symptoms in college students. More specifically, I wanted to evaluate students who currently live on campus (or have lived on campus in the past). The first aim will be to determine whether non-pet owners versus ESA owners (and pet owners in general) show a difference in their stress levels. The second aim is to examine if owning a pet or ESA predicts stress levels differently between genders. The final aim of the study is to determine if degree of attachment to pets predicts differences in stress in the owners.
The research study that I conducted is on perceived stigma in interracial/interethnic couples and its impact on family relationships. With the growing number of interracial/interethnic couples in the United States and the current climate regarding racism in United States, I am interested in examining how the stigma that interracial couples face impacts their relationship satisfaction and quality, as well as their relationship with family members. The study examines perceived stigma both internalized and experienced among individuals who have felt racially discriminated because of their interracial relationship by their family and their partner's family. Thus, the current study focused on whether perceived stigma in interracial couples impacts their family relationships which ultimately is associated with their relationship satisfaction.