Companion Animal Attachment Research Articles

Does Companion Animal attachment affect fertility intention among Young Chinese women? A mediation study

Does Companion Animal attachment affect fertility intention among Young Chinese women? A mediation study

The Association Between Companion Animal Attachment and Depression: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT There is significant literature related to companion animal attachment and depression, but to date, there has not been a systematic review of it. The aims of this systematic review were threefold: (1) to compare depression outcomes between pet and non-pet owners; (2) to identify the prevalence of how attachment is operationalized within the human–pet relationships literature, as it is defined in two distinct, divergent ways: as an attachment bond or as an attachment orientation; and (3) to review and synthesize the existing literature related to the association between pet attachment and depression. A search of five databases (Pubmed, Medline, Web of Science, Embase, and PsycInfo) was conducted in January 2024 to locate articles (journal articles, dissertations) focusing on pets, attachment, and depression or depressive symptoms that met predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. In total, 40 studies were included in the review. Eighteen studies compared depression outcomes in pet owners and non-pet owners; of these, 14 found no significant difference in depression between the two groups, while four found that pet owners were significantly less depressed than non-pet owners. Most studies measuring attachment bond revealed a positive or non-significant relationship with depression, while the majority of studies measuring attachment orientation indicate that higher levels of secure attachment are negatively associated with depression, while higher levels of attachment insecurity are typically positively associated with depression. We conclude that the field needs more clarification regarding the definition of attachment so that meaningful conclusions regarding the impact of pet attachment on mental health can be drawn.

Older adults and companion animal death: A survey of bereavement and disenfranchised grief

Abstract Background: The number of older adults living with companion animals (pets) is increasing worldwide. While evidence revealing positive relationships between companion animals and healthy aging is well established, there is a dearth of research regarding companion animal death and subsequent human grieving. Some emerging research suggests that grief over companion animal death is often discounted or even unrecognized (disenfranchised) by others. The extent and consequences of disenfranchised grief (DG) are poorly understood. This study deepens our understanding of older adults’ experiences of DG in relation to companion animal death. Methods: Participants from Alberta, Canada, were recruited through social media platforms to participate in an online questionnaire that collected demographic information and standardized measures of companion animal attachment, bereavement, and DG. Results: The majority of the 98 participants were between 60 and 70 years of age, female, and living alone. Following their companion animal’s death, 38.1% identified a decrease in physical activity, and 47% reported that their emotional health had declined. One-third identified that they needed to be careful about who they disclosed their grief, as they were not certain that they would be supported. This group had a significantly greater likelihood of perceived decrease in physical health, and they were more likely to score higher on the Pet Bereavement Questionnaire. Conclusions: This study adds weight to the emergent body of evidence highlighting companion animal bereavement as a legitimate and impactful health and well-being issue. The study found that DG is experienced by a sizable group of older adults following their companion animal’s death and that many participants perceived that socially legitimized recognition of loss and accompanying bereavement resources were lacking. These shortfalls contribute to health risks that negatively affect older adults’ ability to successfully age in the community.

Assessing Companion Animal Attachment Among Future Latino Human Services Professionals

As the population of individuals from minoritized ethnic background continues to grow in the United States, the relationship between humans and their companion animals can provide valuable information for human services professionals. Attachment to companion animals can play a significant part in clients’ emotional well-being, family dynamics, and quality of life. This study aimed to examine the associations between human attachment with companion animals and their educational training and attitudes about animals. Analysis revealed that relational attachment was significant among Latino students in the study, and particpants’ positive attitudes and beliefs about animals significantly predicted their level of attachment to companion animals. Participants also reported having diverse species of companion animals that demanded different responsibilities. Considerations to enhance service delivery and educational preparation of future human services professionals have implications for humane education and improved client outcomes.

‘They ask no questions and pass no criticism’: A mixed-methods study exploring pet ownership in autism

Many autistic people cite a strong attachment to animals, and some studies suggest they may even show a bias towards animals over people. This mixed-methods study explored companion animal attachment in the adult autistic community. In a quantitative study with 735 people, we found that autistic adults were equally attached to their pets as neurotypicals but were less likely to own them, even though pet ownership corresponded with better mental health outcomes. Substituting pets for people also served as a compensatory mechanism for social contact in the autistic sample. In a second qualitative study, we explored the lived experiences of 16 autistic pet owners. The interpretive phenomenological analysis highlighted the benefits and the barriers to animal companionship. Together these mixed methods findings underline how pets improve the lives of their autistic owners. We conclude with specific recommendations for increasing animal companionship opportunities for autistic adults.

Pet Parenting in the United States: Investigating an Evolutionary Puzzle.

Fertility rates continue to decline globally amidst the second demographic transition, marked by urbanization, increased educational attainment, and most importantly, a new flexibility in life-course organization. As a result, some individuals are choosing to bring companion animals in the home rather than raising children. Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore whether these transitions result in differential companion animal attachment and caregiving behavior in the homes of parents (or those who desire to become parents) and nonparents or childfree "pet parents." Methods A total of 917 respondents completed an online survey via Qualtrics that included demographic questions, the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS), and Likert-scale questions designed to probe direct and indirect caretaking behaviors. Results Nonparents reported more Generalized Attachment and more Affective Responsiveness to their companion animals, as well as increased investment in General Care. They also reported more People Substituting on the LAPS. Parents and nonparents reported similar agreement regarding Animal Rights/Welfare and Training and Play. Conclusion I conclude that nonparents' investment in companion animals much like parents invest in children, but in ways that meet species-specific needs. This supports the notion that nonparents may be nurturing companion animals as a trade-off to raising children, but not as a substitute. This is an evolutionarily novel application of parenting strategies in a new, flexible environment.

Attachment to companion animals and loneliness in Australian adolescents

Objective: Loneliness can have detrimental consequences for adolescent mental health and wellbeing. Previous, international, investigations of attachment to companion animals have reported positive effects of such bonds on adolescent loneliness. The current study aimed to determine the relationship between companion animal attachment and loneliness among Australian adolescents. Method: A geographically diverse sample of Australian adolescents (n = 283) was gathered via an online survey. Participants responded to demographic and animal ownership variables as well as measures of companion animal attachment, social support and loneliness. Results: A small, negative but non‐significant relationship between companion animal attachment and loneliness was found suggesting that, as adolescents' attachment scores rose, loneliness scores tended to decrease. Further analyses revealed an unexpected moderating effect of ownership level on the relationship between companion animal attachment and loneliness. While a significant negative relationship between companion animal attachment and loneliness was observed for adolescents with a family pet, a subset of primary owners with extreme levels of attachment, heightened loneliness and lower social support scores was noted. Conclusion: For many adolescents having a family or shared pet may provide a positive influence on loneliness levels. However, parallels with literature presenting adverse effects of extreme attachment to companion animals within older populations suggest that for some adolescents the relationship is more complex.

Companion Animal Attachment and Guardian Behaviors

Dogs are part of 29% of all South African households. Unfortunately, very little is known about the relationship between South African dog guardians and their canine companions. This study focuses on this relationship, with a specific focus on South African dog guardians’ attachment to their canine companions and the guardians’ resultant dog care behaviors. Two hundred self-completion questionnaires were distributed to adult dog guardians. The findings indicated that different care behaviors (essential, standard, enriched, and luxury) are positively related to companion animal attachment. These results suggest that dog guardians will provide basic types of care regardless of their levels of attachment to their canine companions. However, dog guardians with higher levels of attachment are more likely to provide their dogs with forms of enriched and luxury care.

An Attachment Perspective on the Child–Dog Bond: Interdisciplinary and International Research Findings

Understanding the process of attachment formation in young children has been a focal point in child development research for decades. However, young children’s attachments are not only with human beings; they also form bonds with companion animals, particularly dogs (Canis familiaris). Given the number of dogs that are kept by families and the amount of time that young children spend with these animals, the child–dog bond merits further study. In this review of the literature, young children’s interactions with companion canines are explored from an attachment theory perspective. Research on human–animal interaction is a burgeoning field of inquiry that includes well-established disciplines (e.g., sociology, psychology, child development/family studies) as well as emerging fields, such as anthrozoology, neurobiology, ethology, and bioecology. This review is grounded is organized around four themes in the research: (1) the treatment of animals in the family; (2) influences on the child/dog bond; (3) the uniqueness of attachments formed with dogs; and (4) canine attachment behaviors. The review concludes with a discussion about why study of the child–companion animal attachment has lagged behind other areas of study and offers recommendations for future research.

Owner Attachment and Problem Behaviors Related to Relinquishment and Training Techniques of Dogs

Problematic behaviors are a significant reason for relinquishment, and relinquished dogs are more likely to have problem behaviors. This study utilized standardized surveys of owners (companion animal guardians) relinquishing their dogs to shelters and dog owners visiting vaccination clinics. “Relinquishing” and “continuing” owners were asked questions in the following categories: demographic information, training methods and tools, frequencies in which their dogs engaged in problematic behaviors, and attachment to their dogs. “Relinquishers” were also asked to provide their reasons for relinquishment. The results of 129 surveys (80 relinquishing and 49 continuing) showed that relinquishers scored lower on companion animal attachment than continuing owners. Pit bull-type dogs were represented more in the relinquishing group. Relinquished dogs were no less likely to have attended training classes than continuing dogs. In both groups, owners who used punishment-based collars reported less satisfaction with their dogs' overall and leash-walking behaviors. Pit bull-type dogs were reported to be no less well behaved compared with all other breeds combined. Sixty-five percent of relinquishers reported some behavioral reason for relinquishment. Forty-eight percent of relinquishers indicated that at least 1 problem behavior was a strong influence on their decision to relinquish.

Health Perceptions and Levels of Attachment: Owners and Pets Exercising Together

Obesity is a parallel problem in canine and human populations. We describe health perceptions and levels of companion animal attachment in a cohort of dog owners. As part of a larger trial examining the impact of veterinary counseling on activity levels of dog owners and their pets, owners presenting to a veterinary referral center were asked to self-report perceived levels of health and attachment to their dog (Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale). Owner body mass index and the body conditioning score of the companion dog were also recorded. Heavier pet owners reported a greater sense of attachment to their dogs. Heavier owners also reported lower perceived health and less social support. Increasing body mass index is associated with higher pet attachment, lower perceived health, and less social support. This information can impact wellness counseling for overweight pet owners and canine companions.

Comparison of normative and diagnosed dissociation on attachment to companion animals and stuffed animals.

Companion animals can serve as sources of love and attachment during times of stress. Stuffed animals, too, can provide comfort and stability. However, little research has examined companion animal attachment in highly dissociative trauma survivors, and no studies have systematically assessed stuffed animal attachment in dissociative adults. College student samples with either high or low dissociation levels and a sample of women with dissociative identity disorder (DID) completed questionnaires about attachment to companion animals and stuffed animals. The DID group was more attached to companion animals than were either of the student groups. High-dissociating students and DID participants were more attached to stuffed animals than were low-dissociating students. Implications for further research and therapeutic interventions are discussed.

Childhood Neglect, Attachment to Companion Animals, and Stuffed Animals as Attachment Objects in Women and Men

ABSTRACTChildhood neglect has severe, pervasive, negative outcomes that often continue into adulthood. As a potential source of support for both children and adults, companion animals (pets) can both give and receive affection and therefore may be sources of healthy attachment for people who were raised in negative situations. Toy stuffed animals, in contrast, can only receive affection but may still be useful as transitional objects, particularly for people who experienced interpersonal neglect in childhood and who are in the midst of a transition away from the family home and into college. The current study examined the relationships among childhood neglect, companion animal attachment, and attachment to toy stuffed animals. Undergraduate participants (n = 457) from a large regional university answered questionnaires online. The first hypothesis, that self-reported childhood neglect would be positively related to attachment to companion animals, was supported for women only. Neglected women were more attached to companion animals than were non-neglected women, with a medium effect size. For men, there was no significant effect. The second hypothesis was that childhood neglect would be positively related to attachment to stuffed animals; this hypothesis was not supported. The third hypothesis, that women would be more attached to both companion animals and stuffed animals than would men, was supported. Attachment to companion animals and attachment to stuffed animals were positively related. Results are discussed within a framework of attachment and transitional objects as potential aids to therapy in people who were neglected in childhood.

The Relationship Between Companion Animals and Loneliness Among Rural Adolescents

The relationship between loneliness and companion animal bonding was explored among 293 rural adolescents. Participants from two ethnically diverse southwestern high schools completed self-report measures of loneliness, pet ownership, companion animal attachment, and social support. Pet owners reported significantly lower loneliness scores than non-pet owners. Furthermore, companion animal bonding scores were inversely related to loneliness scores. Companion animal attachment was positively related to the number of humans in the social support network. The results of this study indicate that interventions promoting a pet relationship may be valuable in reducing loneliness among adolescents.

Companion animal knowledge, attachment and pet cat care and their associations with household demographics for residents of a rural Texas town

This cross-sectional telephone survey explored companion animal attachment and knowledge as well as cat care of residents in a small Texas town. The survey included 441 residents of randomly selected households (55% response rate). Dogs were owned by 48% of households and cats by 29%. Companion animal ownership was associated with being 25–44 years old, being Anglo, having an income over $85,000/year, and feeding unowned cats. More knowledge about animals was associated with being any age except 45–54 years old and with completing college or an advanced degree. Higher attachment was associated with being a woman and having no children in the household. Attachment and knowledge were not related to ethnicity. Cats were likely to be sterilized if they had been owned more than 2 years and had been rabies vaccinated. Outside-only cats were used to control vermin (“mousers”) and were less likely to have visited a veterinarian. Cats with identification were likely to be from a shelter, frequently have visited the veterinarian, and been vaccinated against rabies. There are many companion animal owners who still do not have basic knowledge to prevent accidental litters or provide basic health care. Attachment scores for companion animal owners were similar to those previously reported and similar for cat and dog owners. A pattern of better care emerges for owners who view their cats as companions.

People and Their Pets: A Relational Perspective on Interpersonal Complementarity and Attachment in Companion Animal Owners

AbstractThe current study evaluated the interpersonal circumplex as a theoretical model of companion animal personality and companion animal attachment. To this end, the study surveyed 266 companion animal guardians (owners)—89 reporting their most recent pet a cat and 177 reporting their most recent pet a dog—to assess the relationships between interpersonal complementarity and companion animal attachment. The study used MANOVA to evaluate differences in interpersonal traits for cats, dogs, and people who self-identified that cats or dogs were their ideal pets. Results indicated that cats—and people who identified cats as their ideal pet—were more hostile in their orientation than were dogs or people who preferred dogs. In hierarchical regression-analysis, the study also confirmed the positive relationship between interpersonal complementarity and companion-animal attachment.

Benefits derived from companion animals, and the use of the term “attachment”

Researchers have discovered that companion animals can physically and psychologically benefit their owners, and some argue that one's attachment to a companion animal influences those benefits. However, those studying the human–companion animal bond have used measures of attachment that may not be congruent with the school of attachment theory as it is applied to human–human relationships. We propose that the term “attachment” applied to human–companion animal relationships in research to date may share aspects of traditional attachment theory, but does not necessarily parallel attachment theory accurately. This paper provides a discussion of the similarities and differences between traditional attachment theory and measurements of human–companion animal attachment, and a review of the literature on physical and psychological benefits derived from companion animals. We conclude with a brief discussion of new research and future directions.

Child–Companion Animal Attachment Bonds in Single and Two-Parent Families

ABSTRACTThis study addressed the issue of whether children who potentially have reduced access to parental resources have a stronger attachment bond with a dog, compared with children who have greater access. The study compared children in single-parent families with those in two-parent families on level of attachment to their family dog. Parents judged children's level of attachment to dogs by completing the Companion Animal Bonding Scale. The children's ages ranged between three and twelve years. Overall, children in single-parent families did show significantly higher levels of attachment to dogs than children in two-parent families. A comparison of attachment to dogs across family type showed that children in the early childhood stage in single-parent families had significantly higher levels of bonding with dogs than children in the early childhood stage in two-parent families. For the middle childhood stage there was no significant difference between family type and attachment to dogs. Comparisons within family type showed mixed results, and there were no significant gender differences in attachment levels across family type. Findings are discussed in light of attachment theory, family systems theory and implications for child development.

Companion Animal Attachment and Military Transfer

Human attachment levels to companion animals were compared to whether a companion animal accompanied a military family at transfer time. Attachment levels were measured by combining preexisting subscale instruments to form a 21-item pet attachment scale. Data were collected through a mail survey (67% response rate) of registered pet owners who were to transfer within six months from 13 military installations. Attachment levels to companion animals were positively associated with taking the pet upon transferring (X2=11.44, p <.01).A semantic differential scale was employed to measure “perceived” attachment levels, which were compared with the attachment levels from the combined subscale instrument. These two scales had a strong association with each other (X2=65.70, p<.001). Factor analysis of the combined subscale instrument yielded two factors, “pet companionship” and “pet affection,” and reliability analysis estimated Cronbach's Alpha of .95.

Quality of Attachment to Companion Animals among U.S. Adults 21 to 64 Years of Age

AbstractPrevious reports of scales and indices used in studying attachment to companion animals have not included representative samples of the United States population or have failed to show good psychometric properties. This report includes psychometric analyses of a companionanimal attachment scale used among a national probability sample of United States adults aged 21 to 64 years. Internal structures of the scale were shown to be good with all eight items loading strongly on one factor. Cronbach's alpha was 0.75 with all eight items included. As expected, those individuals who had sole responsibility for the care of the companion animal had stronger attachment scores, as did individuals who had never been married. Type of pet was not significantly associated with attachment scores, which indicates that this scale may be useful for all companion animals, not solely for dogs and cats. However, further work including a larger sample of bird and fish owners needs to be done before the value of this attac...