Investigating the Efficacy of Fish-Assisted Activity on College Students’ Mental Health

Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) are well-known for their positive effects, but the potential of Fish Assisted Activities (FAA) remains largely unexplored. This study investigated the effectiveness of FAA in alleviating anxiety, inducing mindfulness, and enhancing positive affect among college students with moderate to severe anxiety. A total of 104 participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: visual, tactile, or a combination of both. After the intervention, participants completed assessments using PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), STAI-Y (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and SMS (State Mindfulness Scale). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed to examine the effects of the different treatment conditions on students' mental health. Result shows all groups exhibited reduced state anxiety, low negative emotions, and high positive emotions. The visual group demonstrated the most favorable outcomes in terms of state anxiety and negative affect. While no significant differences were found in state mindfulness and positive affect across groups. Heat emerged as a potential distraction during tactile activity, and the absence of a control group further limits the ability to isolate the effects of FAA from other potential contributing factors. Nevertheless, FAA could serve as a valuable supplement to conventional interventions and programs.