Date

1-9-2024

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Diane Pearce

Keywords

canine comfort handlers, religious coping, trauma, and moral injury

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

The intention of this study was to examine whether positive religious coping buffered the mental health effects of vicarious trauma and moral injuries in canine comfort handlers. By examining whether positive religious coping would reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a better understanding of the mental, emotional, and spiritual effects of volunteer handlers was discovered. Handlers work throughout their communities and deploy to crisis events such as mass shootings and natural disasters. By partnering with highly trained canines, they provide support and comfort to those in need. During these interactions, handlers are often exposed to traumatic situations and may experience moral injuries. A sample of 83 participants were recruited from two canine comfort organizations, LCC Comfort Dog Ministry and HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response. Both programs have established handlers across the nation. A quantitative survey study was conducted using a multiple regression method. The survey included four different instruments that assessed vicarious trauma, moral injury, religious coping, and symptoms of PTSD. The data were analyzed utilizing Qualtrics and IBM SPSS Statistics 29. The results indicated that the buffering effect of positive religious coping fell short of statistical significance between vicarious trauma and PTSD as well as moral injury and PTSD. Additional findings suggest that canine comfort handlers can experience symptoms associated with vicarious trauma and moral injuries related to their volunteer work. Further examination of the mental health effects within this population is warranted.

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