Childhood Attachment to Pets

Associations between Pet Attachment, Attitudes to Animals, Compassion, and Humane Behaviour

Bibliographic Data

ID15470820
AuthorsRoxanne D Hawkins (0000-0002-6556-1971, University of Edinburgh, corresponding author), J M Williams (0000-0002-0324-0558, University of Edinburgh), Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Year2017
Volume14
Issue5
Pages490-490
Publication date2017-05-06
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph14050490
PMID28481256
OpenAlexW2610700494
LanguageEN
Citations received49
References cited46

Attachment to pets has an important role in children's social, emotional, and cognitive development, mental health, well-being, and quality of life. This study examined associations between childhood attachment to pets and caring and friendship behaviour, compassion, and attitudes towards animals. This study also examined socio-demographic differences, particularly pet ownership and pet type. A self-report survey of over one thousand 7 to 12 year-olds in Scotland, UK, revealed that the majority of children are strongly attached to their pets, but attachment scores differ depending on pet type and child gender. Analysis revealed that attachment to pets is facilitated by compassion and caring and pet-directed friendship behaviours and that attachment to pets significantly predicts positive attitudes towards animals. The findings have implications for the promotion of prosocial and humane behaviour. Encouraging children to participate in pet care behaviour may promote attachment between children and their pet, which in turn may have a range of positive outcomes for both children (such as reduced aggression, better well-being, and quality of life) and pets (such as humane treatment). This study enhances our understanding of childhood pet attachment and has implications for humane education and promoting secure emotional attachments in childhood

Aggression · Animal welfare · Animal-assisted therapy · Attachment theory · Compassion · Developmental psychology · Early childhood · Empathy · Friendship · HUBzero · Mental health · Pet therapy · Promotion (chess · Prosocial behavior · Psychiatry · Clinical Psychology · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Human-Animal Interaction Studies · Psychology · Psychology of Social Influence · Social Psychology