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In preschool or elementary school, it’s not unusual for teachers to hug their students to make them feel safe, reduce stress, and convey appreciation. Different studies show that hugs contribute positively to the development and well-being of students. However, as students grow, this type of contact is prohibited, even though a hug can bring many benefits to their health and emotional stability.
Benefits of a hug
A hug produces oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, hormones that help people feel good and feel less stressed and anxious. These factors are critical to the well-being of young people as the percentage of adolescents with mental health problems has increased to 47 % in males and 65 % in women. In addition, researchers discovered that hugs could help students get less sick. In the study, healthy adults were hugged for 14 days and were eventually exposed to the common cold virus and quarantined to assess the infection. The results showed that the social support received in hugs reduced the risk of disease and decreased the symptoms.
Hugs also help alleviate existential fears, especially those people with low self-esteem. Physical contact serves students who have frequent thoughts about death because it helps them feel connected. Also, hugs are a form of nonverbal communication that a student can use to express a wide range of emotions such as anger, fear, disgust, love, gratitude, happiness, sadness, and sympathy. Beyond these reasons, hugs also help connect students with society and improve their grades. One study even showed an increase in classroom attendance. Additionally, the researchers concluded that positive physical contact increases good behavior in class.
While hugging a student can bring him or her many emotional benefits, it is a physical gesture that many teachers don’t feel comfortable with, or they fear to get in trouble. For this reason, Jake Miller, a teacher in Pennsylvania, wrote a series of considerations for knowing whether or not the educator should hug his or her student:
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The student should initiate the hug: An easy way to see if it is appropriate or not is to ask the student if he needs a hug and wait for him to do it first.
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Recognize that it is situational: A student may not need a hug every day, but if he or she is going through a difficult time, the teacher should be empathetic and be able to embrace him. Miller also mentions that it is important to remember that a hug can mean gratitude or a way to congratulate him on his birthday.
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A hug can be rational: If a student comes to confess that he or she is depressed or going through a difficult time and asks for a hug, the teacher can seize the opportunity to talk about emotional intelligence and the importance a hug can have for someone.
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Do what makes the student comfortable: Even if a female student is going through a difficult time, the teacher should determine her comfort level and know if a hug is something that makes her feel comfortable.
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Do what is comfortable for the teacher: We Are Teachers published an article asking educators to think about hugging their students. Teachers were divided; some are in favor of the benefits that hugs can bring to their students, while others do not feel comfortable hugging and prefer to shake hands or say, “Give me five!”
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Recognize that there are double standards: An older female teacher may not be questioned in the same way hugging her students as a young and attractive male teacher, where students can ask for more constant hugs.
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Think like a student: If a student finds it strange that other classmates hug, he or she may not accept a teacher’s embrace because that is his or her feeling. One must think about the comfort level of the student.
Finally, Jake Miller mentions that the mistake many educators make is to look at their students as their children. This makes them feel like a surrogate parent or an older sister, falling into the trap of inappropriate attention. A balance should be sought, and the boundaries of students and teachers respected when considering whether or not to give a hug.
What do you think about this topic? Share your opinion and experience in the classroom in the comments section below.
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This article from Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education may be shared under the terms of the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 
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