Differences in Self-Esteem Between Cat Owners, Dog Owners, and Individuals Without Pets

Schulz, Claudia; König, Hans‐Helmut; Hajek, André

doi:10.3389/fvets.2020.00552

Cited by 17 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Consistent with results of this study, a study in Germany reported that people who were dog owners had higher self-esteem than persons without pets; in particular, male dog owners had higher self-esteem than men without cats or other pets [ 52 ]. Further, female cat owners had lower self-esteem than women without pets.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Companion Animals’ Roles for AIDS Survivors, Mostly Aging Males, during HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 Pandemics

Hart

Thigpen

Fine

et al. 2022

Animals

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Long-term HIV/AIDS survivors responded online concerning their experiences during the AIDS and COVID pandemics. Recruited from web-based organizations for AIDS survivors, 147 answered questions on: frequency of experiencing stigma, isolation, aloneness, or grief/sadness; pet ownership; and sources of human support during each pandemic. Conditional inference trees were run to identify relevant demographic factors. Post-hoc comparisons were conducted to compare dog owners and cat owners. AIDS survivors reported more frequent feelings of stigma, aloneness, and sadness/grief during the AIDS pandemic than during COVID. Cat owners’ sadness/grief during AIDS was greater than non-owners. During COVID, older respondents unexpectedly were less often sad/grieving than younger ones; dog owners less often felt alone and isolated than non-dog owners. Support during the AIDS pandemic retrospectively was rated better for older respondents; young gays’ support was greater than young straights. During COVID, support was better for men than women. Contrastingly, women with pets felt less support than those without; men with dogs felt more support than those without. Cat owners more often felt isolated and unsupported during COVID than dog owners. Few dog or cat owners received support from family members in either pandemic; during AIDS, family support was better for owners of dogs than cats.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Companion Animals’ Roles for AIDS Survivors, Mostly Aging Males, during HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 Pandemics

Hart

Thigpen

Fine

et al. 2022

Animals

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“…The findings from the evaluation questionnaire hint toward a perceived effect of peer support by the dog on the overall health of the owner. This effect was expected due to the increased perceived social support of the dog (the weight loss partner) (13,26) and the increased physical activity (12,27). The perceived responsibility increased for both the owner and the dog during the trials, which could provide increased motivation for a long term weight loss plan.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Beyond the obvious explanation that dogs simply need to be walked and hence stimulate physical activity, researchers have proposed that positive health effects for dog owners also result from the commitment of the owner to the dog (12), as well as increased perceived social support (11). Indeed, dogs are typically considered an important source of social support (13), which could benefit overweight people, as social support is known to positively affect weight loss attempts (14). Mutual benefits can be suggested, as in a previous weight loss study in people and pets, dogs got more exercise due to their owners' active weight loss program (15).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the Potential Benefit of a Combined Weight Loss Program in Dogs and Their Owners

et al. 2021

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Introduction: Little has been published on the psychological bond between the owner and the pet, and how this might influence shared habits that could lead to overweight and obesity. Another factor that could improve the effectiveness of a weight loss plan, is that the owner would see the dog as a weight loss partner and therefore this could increase the motivation to follow the assigned diet and exercise guidelines.Objective: The aim of this research was to evaluate the potential mutual effects of weight loss programs for both dogs and dog owners.Methods: Two studies were conducted: In the human-centered trial, 60 dog owners were enrolled, who signed up to receive dietary and exercise recommendations to lose weight themselves during an 8 week period, from which 29 were randomly assigned to also get recommendations for their dog. For the dog-centered trial, we selected 13 dog owners that wanted their dog to lose weight during a 6 week period, from which 7 were randomly assigned to also get recommendations for themselves. The average weight loss over the time period was recorded. A questionnaire was used to evaluate diet and exercise habits, as well as information about the relationship between the dog and owner.Results: The average human weight loss was 2.6% in the owner+dog group (n = 29) and 2.3% in the owner only group (n = 31; p > 0.05). Forty percent (24/60) of the dogs in the human-centered trial were overweight. The overweight dogs in the owner+dog group (n = 12/29) lost 3.7% of their body weight, compared to 1.2% in the overweight dogs from the owner only group (n = 12/31; p > 0.05). In the dog-centered trial, the 7 dogs in the dog+owner group lost 8.0% of their body weight, vs. 8.3% in the six dogs in the dog only group (p > 0.05). The owners in the dog+owner group lost 2.5% of their body weight, compared to 0.5% in the dog only group (p > 0.05). In both trials owners' perceived responsibility for both their own and their dogs' weight significantly increased. In addition, habit strength regarding unhealthy feeding and exercise behaviors in relation to the dogs decreased, and self-efficacy in relation to providing the dog with healthy food and exercise increased.Conclusion: Active weight loss in either dog owner or dog, seemed to lead to passive weight loss in the other, especially when some tools or guidelines were provided. These findings support mutual benefits of weight loss programs for dogs and dog owners, and support future weight loss programs to be a One Health approach.

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“…Although the collective body of research has produced mixed evidence for the benefits of HAI, it is not surprising, given the potential benefits outlined above, that some studies link pet ownership and aspects of HAI (e.g., attachment, bonds, caretaking) with stress reduction [ 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 ], greater physical activity and overall better physical health [ 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 , 149 ], and higher levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy [ 148 , 150 , 151 ] at multiple stages of human development. In addition, there is some evidence that short-term HAI via animal-assisted activities and interventions may reduce the risk of, and symptoms of, specific adult mental health problems, such as anxiety [ 152 , 153 ] and depression [ 154 , 155 ].…”

Section: Social Relationships the Stress Response And Perinatal Mental Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human–Animal Interaction and Perinatal Mental Health: A Narrative Review of Selected Literature and Call for Research

McDonald¹,

Tomlinson

Applebaum

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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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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Differences in Self-Esteem Between Cat Owners, Dog Owners, and Individuals Without Pets

Cited by 17 publications

References 43 publications

Companion Animals’ Roles for AIDS Survivors, Mostly Aging Males, during HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 Pandemics

Companion Animals’ Roles for AIDS Survivors, Mostly Aging Males, during HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 Pandemics

Evaluating the Potential Benefit of a Combined Weight Loss Program in Dogs and Their Owners

Human–Animal Interaction and Perinatal Mental Health: A Narrative Review of Selected Literature and Call for Research

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