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King EK, Halbreich ED, Callina K, Mueller MK. Companion animals and the relationship between peer victimization and emotion regulation in youth. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2024; 34:85-95. [PMID: 37975498 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Peer victimization can negatively impact emotion regulation in youth and is associated with harmful mental health outcomes. One protective factor against the impacts of peer victimization is a strong attachment to family and positive peer relationships. Given that pets are commonly seen as family members and that youth report turning to their pet for emotional comfort, companion animals could provide an avenue of support for youth experiencing victimization. A geographically diverse sample of 5725 adolescents in the United States from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study® was used to explore whether the relationship between peer victimization and emotion regulation was moderated by whether a pet lives in the home. Having a pet in the home did not moderate the relationship between peer victimization and emotion regulation; however, mean-level differences were present across types of household pet (i.e., youth with no pets, youth with at least one dog, and youth with non-dog pets). Participants who did not live with a companion animal showed higher levels of both maladaptive emotion regulation (expressive suppression) and adaptive emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal), suggesting that having a pet might lower overall emotion regulation pathways regardless of adaptive directionality. Relational victimization was a significant predictor of expressive suppression regardless of whether there was a pet in the home, although overt victimization was not a predictor of either kind of emotion regulation. This research demonstrates the complex nature of human-animal relationships and suggests more research is needed to understand the nuanced relationship between pets, peer victimization, and emotion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K King
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA
- Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Megan K Mueller
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA
- Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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Melo ADC, Santos ICD, Trevisani AC, Rúbio KAJ, Cano AL, Caldart ET, Mendonça JA, Agostinis RO, Piau Junior R, Gazim ZC, Barbosa LN, Gonçalves DD. Relations Between Guardians and Domestic Animals During the Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic in Brazil. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2023; 17:e466. [PMID: 37622310 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2023.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate how relationships between guardians and domestic animals were established and their possible effects during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Brazil. METHODS Data were collected by completing an online questionnaire. Throughout the national territory, 2002 people completed the questionnaire, while respecting social distancing from January 20, 2021, to March 20, 2021. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were 'to own pets' or 'those who had them during the period of quarantine' in Brazil. The data obtained were treated qualitatively through discourse analysis and content analysis, while the quantitative data were tabulated by the questionnaire application platform itself. RESULTS The results showed that 97% of the participants were affected by the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil and that of these, 95.5% stated that their pet was important to overcome and bear bad feelings during the period of social isolation. It was possible to observe through the participants' reports through the online questionnaire that the relationships with their pets were deepened during the pandemic period, and that these had an important role in overcoming bad emotions caused by social distancing. CONCLUSION It was concluded that due to these relationships, behaviors such as anxiety and sadness were reduced and the pets themselves also showed an increase in affective behaviors in relation to their guardians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailton da Cruz Melo
- Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Isabela Carvalho Dos Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal com Ênfase em Produtos Bioativos, Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Adriane Cordeiro Trevisani
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal com Ênfase em Produtos Bioativos, Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Kariny Aparecida Jardim Rúbio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal com Ênfase em Produtos Bioativos, Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Ana Luisa Cano
- Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Eloiza Teles Caldart
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rodovia, Londrina, Brasil
| | | | - Renata Olivotto Agostinis
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal com Ênfase em Produtos Bioativos, Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Ranulfo Piau Junior
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal com Ênfase em Produtos Bioativos, Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Zilda Cristiani Gazim
- Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal com Ênfase em Produtos Bioativos, Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Lidiane Nunes Barbosa
- Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal com Ênfase em Produtos Bioativos, Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Daniela Dib Gonçalves
- Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal com Ênfase em Produtos Bioativos, Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), Praça Mascarenhas de Moraes, Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil
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Jiang H, Mei Y, Wang X, Wang W, Lin B, Zhao Z, Zhang Z. The influence of pet ownership on self-compassion among nurses: a cross-sectional study. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15288. [PMID: 37159831 PMCID: PMC10163869 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The modern lifestyle trend of pet ownership is undoubtedly beneficial for both physical and mental health. Research has shown a connection between pet ownership and staff self-compassion. However, there has not been any evidence linking pet ownership to self-compassion in the nurse population. Aims To investigate the current status of pet ownership among nurses and explore the influence of pet ownership on self-compassion among nurses. Methods An online survey was conducted in July 2022 with 1,308 nurses in China. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire and a self-compassion scale. To compare categorical variables, the independent t test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis were utilized. SPSS software was used for the statistical analysis. Results We found that 16.9% of nurses owned at least one pet, and dogs and cats were the primary pets. The t test for independent samples showed that pet owners and non-pet owners scored differently on self-compassion (t = 3.286, p = 0.001), self-kindness (t = 3.378, p = 0.001), common humanity (t = 2.419, p = 0.016), and mindfulness (t = 2.246, p = 0.025). One-way ANOVA revealed that the highest degree was an influencing factor of self-compassion (χ 2 = 1.386, p = 0.019). Multiple linear regression showed that average monthly income, pet ownership, and highest degree were the factors that influenced self-compassion most significantly (F = 8.335, p < 0.001). Conclusion The results revealed that nurses actually own pets as part of their modern lifestyle, which provides them with social support and potentially enhances their self-compassion. More efforts should be focused on the impact of pet ownership on nurses' physical and mental health, and pet-based interventions should also be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Jiang
- School of Nursing and Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Nursing Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yongxia Mei
- School of Nursing and Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Wang
- School of Nursing and Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Wenna Wang
- School of Nursing and Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Beilei Lin
- School of Nursing and Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhixin Zhao
- School of Nursing and Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhenxiang Zhang
- School of Nursing and Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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McDonald SE, Tomlinson CA, Applebaum JW, Moyer SW, Brown SM, Carter S, Kinser PA. Human-Animal Interaction and Perinatal Mental Health: A Narrative Review of Selected Literature and Call for Research. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10114. [PMID: 34639416 PMCID: PMC8508333 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
There is a paucity of research exploring how relationships with household pets may impact maternal mental health. We are unaware of any study to date that has examined associations between individuals' relationships with their pets and psychological adjustment in the perinatal period. Using a biobehavioral lens, this paper provides a narrative overview of the literature on perinatal mental health and human-animal interaction (HAI). We focus on the role of social relationships, stress, and stress reduction in relation to perinatal mental health; the role of HAI in perceptions of social support, stressors, and stress reduction; and gaps in empirical knowledge concerning the role of HAI in perinatal mental health. Finally, we integrate contemporary biobehavioral models of perinatal mental health and HAI (i.e., Comprehensive Model of Mental Health during the Perinatal Period and the HAI-HPA Transactional Model) to propose a new conceptual framework that depicts ways in which HAI during the perinatal period may influence maternal and child health and wellbeing. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to consider the role of HAI in biobehavioral responses and mental health during the perinatal period. We conclude with recommendations for future research and improved perinatal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby E. McDonald
- Children, Families, and Animals Research (CFAR) Group, LLC, Richmond, VA 23223, USA
| | - Camie A. Tomlinson
- School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Jennifer W. Applebaum
- Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;
| | - Sara W. Moyer
- School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; (S.W.M.); (P.A.K.)
| | - Samantha M. Brown
- School of Social Work, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
| | - Sue Carter
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA;
| | - Patricia A. Kinser
- School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; (S.W.M.); (P.A.K.)
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Tomlinson CA, Pittman SK, Murphy JL, Matijczak A, McDonald SE. Psychometric Evaluation of the Comfort from Companion Animals Scale in a Sexual and Gender Minority Sample. ANTHROZOOS 2021; 35:143-163. [PMID: 35241874 PMCID: PMC8887696 DOI: 10.1080/08927936.2021.1963548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Human-animal interaction research is growing in popularity and methodological rigor; however, there remains a need for psychometrically validated measures and inclusion of broader populations. This study addressed these gaps by reporting on the psychometric properties of the Comfort from Companion Animals Scale (CCAS) in a sample of sexual and gender minority emerging adults. Participants included 138 emerging adults between the ages of 18-21 years (M = 19.33 years, SD = 1.11; 38.4% racial/ethnic minority) who identified as a gender (48.6%) and/or sexual minority (98.6%) and who reported living with a companion animal in the past year. We utilized the following analytic methods: (a) confirmatory factor analyses to compare the unidimensional structure of the CCAS with the two alternative models, (b) multiple group analyses to test measurement invariance across demographic groups, and (c) structural equation models to evaluate construct validity. Preliminary analysis found that the majority of participants did not endorse the two lowest response options. To conduct invariance testing, we eliminated items 3, 5, and 8 from the CCAS and collapsed the lowest response options. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the use of this revised unidimensional model. We found evidence of measurement invariance across gender identity, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity groups. Construct validity was supported by comparing the CCAS with factors on the Pet Attachment and Life Impact Scale; the positive association between the CCAS and anxiety are discussed in the context of prior research. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of validating human-animal interaction measures across samples from diverse backgrounds. We recommend that future studies continue to test the CCAS and other measures of human-animal attachment among diverse samples to delineate which aspects of human-animal interaction may be most beneficial in promoting mental health in vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah K. Pittman
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Psychology, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Angela Matijczak
- Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Social Work, Virginia, USA
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The Moderating Effect of Comfort from Companion Animals and Social Support on the Relationship between Microaggressions and Mental Health in LGBTQ+ Emerging Adults. Behav Sci (Basel) 2020; 11:bs11010001. [PMID: 33374678 PMCID: PMC7822483 DOI: 10.3390/bs11010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual/gender minority identities) individuals frequently report exposure to microaggressions, which are associated with deleterious mental health outcomes. Social support from humans has been found to be an important protective factor for LGBTQ+ emerging adults. However, an underexplored area of research is the protective role of interactions with companion animals for this population. We conducted simple and multiple moderation analyses to explore whether and to what extent emotional comfort from companion animals and human social support moderated the relationship between LGBTQ-related microaggressions and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Our sample included 134 LGBTQ+ emerging adults (mean age of 19.31). We found that social support moderated the relationship between microaggressions and depressive symptoms. The relationship between microaggressions and depressive symptoms was not significant at high levels of social support, indicating the protective nature of human social support. Comfort from companion animals also moderated the relationship between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms. For participants with high or medium levels of emotional comfort from companion animals, interpersonal microaggressions were positively associated with depressive symptoms. Our results highlight the need to further investigate the complex role of relationships with companion animals on mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ emerging adults.
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Barcelos AM, Kargas N, Maltby J, Hall S, Mills DS. A framework for understanding how activities associated with dog ownership relate to human well-being. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11363. [PMID: 32647301 PMCID: PMC7347561 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68446-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There is notorious inconsistency regarding mental health benefits of dog ownership, partially due to repeated cross-sectional studies comparing dog owners and non-owners, without taking into account the heterogeneity of dog-owner dyads, especially the activities with which the owners are involved. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive framework of the most important dog human related activities and their impact on owner well-being. Six focus groups with 35 dog owners were conducted, and their audio transcripts thematically analysed. Dog human related activities and themes of activities were linked to their reported changes in well-being through matrix coding. A framework of 58 dog human related activities linked with their specific hedonic well-being, life satisfaction and eudaimonic well-being outcomes was generated. Most activities were reported to improve owner's well-being, (e.g. human-dog tactile interaction increases owner's self-esteem), and a minority was mainly associated with negative outcomes. The richness of the framework presented in this study reinforces the importance of assessing dog ownership well-being outcomes based on specific dog human related activities with which dog owners are involved. This new and systematic investigative approach should decrease inconsistencies in the field and facilitate mental health interventions and study designs of a higher level of evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Niko Kargas
- School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - John Maltby
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Sophie Hall
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Daniel S Mills
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
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