To address rising depressive symptoms among high school students, researchers in Japan have developed a year-long intervention called the Mastery of Interpersonal Relationships and Emotional Skills program. Tested among 120 part-time high school students, the program significantly reduced the progression of depressive symptoms in frequent participants. By integrating key emotional and social skill training into the school environment, the program offers a practical and scalable model for universal mental health prevention in high school settings.

While it’s well known that spending time with dogs can ease stress, new research shows that watching a short video of a dog can have a similar comforting effect.

Led by Dr. John-Tyler Binfet, Professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Education, and Dr. Christine Tardif-Williams, Professor at Brock University, this latest research builds on an earlier study examining whether in-person interactions with therapy dogs would translate just as well to a virtual setting—opening the doors for community members to benefit.

While it’s well known that spending time with dogs can ease stress, new research shows that watching a short video of a dog can have a similar comforting effect.

Led by Dr. John-Tyler Binfet, Professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Education, and Dr. Christine Tardif-Williams, Professor at Brock University, this latest research builds on an earlier study examining whether in-person interactions with therapy dogs would translate just as well to a virtual setting—opening the doors for community members to benefit.