Exploring the Significance of Child‐Pet Relationships for Psychosocial Well‐Being
A Scoping Review
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21692131 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Anna-Karin L Larsson (0000-0003-1882-4799, School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences Örebro University Örebro Sweden, corresponding author), Sanna Aila Gustafsson (0000-0003-1460-4238, University Health Care Research Centre, School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences Örebro University Örebro Sweden), Anneli Nielsen (0009-0005-1397-3148, Department of Applied Educational Science Umeå University Umeå Sweden) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-03 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Child & Family Social Work (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1356-7500 • E-ISSN: 1365-2206 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/cfs.70245 |
| OpenAlex | W7167270014 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 46 |
The role of pets in supporting children's mental health and well‐being has attracted growing attention. Although pets are often described as emotionally significant companions—offering comfort, security and stability—the effects of pet ownership are not universally positive or consistent. This scoping review maps existing research on the significance of pets for children's well‐being, particularly those experiencing mental health challenges. Drawing on 20 studies—quantitative, qualitative and mixed‐methods—published across diverse cultural contexts, the review identifies three central themes: emotional support and friendship; responsibility, routine and family; and psychosocial well‐being. Findings suggest that the emotional quality of the child‐pet relationship, rather than pet ownership alone, is key to potential benefits such as reduced stress and enhanced resilience. The review underscores the importance of context‐sensitive understandings of well‐being. Pets may be valuable allies in children's mental health, but their role should be understood as part of broader social contexts. Contextual factors including age, gender, species of pet and socio‐economic environment may influence the outcomes. However, strong reliance on pets can also reflect or reinforce social isolation. Limitations include a small evidence base focused largely on high‐income countries and a lack of studies centring children's own perspectives. Further research is needed to explore how children across varied settings experience relationships with pets, and how these connections might inform support strategies in social work and mental health care
Mental health · Psychological resilience · Psychosocial · Qualitative research · Social support · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Human-Animal Interaction Studies · Veterinary Practice and Education Studies
The Impact of Pets on Human Health and Psychological Well-Being
Companion Animals and Child/Adolescent Development
The PRISMA 2020 statement
Feasibility of using ecological momentary assessment to measure the effects of interactions with pet dogs on psychophysiological reactivity in adolescents with social anxiety
The physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in China
The benefits and risks of child-dog attachment and child-dog behaviours for child psychological well-being
Peer bonds and nature’s embrace
Dog and Cat Ownership Predicts Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being
Pets as Transitional Objects
Effect of Pet Dogs on Children's Perceived Stress and Cortisol Stress Response
Longitudinal associations between pet relationship quality and socio‐emotional functioning in early adolescence
Agency, resilience and coping
Using thematic analysis in psychology
The Effect of a Real Dog, Toy Dog and Friendly Person on Insecurely Attached Children During a Stressful Task
Attachment to Pet Dogs and Depression in Rural Older Adults
She is Like a Sister to Me
Canine Comfort
I Can't Give Up When I Have Them to Care for
The State of Research on Human-Animal Relations
| Highly cited | No |
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