Children’s experiences of positive affect with pet dogs: A multi-method study
Abstract Experiences of positive affect (PA) are common when interacting with animals and may help to build resilience. This study explored how children’s relationships with pet dogs, parents, and friends are related to their experiences of PA with their pet dog. In addition, we examined whether gre...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
CABI
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Human-Animal Interactions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/hai.2023.0022 |
| _version_ | 1797280495847866368 |
|---|---|
| author | Kathryn A. Kerns Carli A. Obeldobel Heather House Logan B. Kochendorfer Allysia White Marissa Gastelle |
| author_facet | Kathryn A. Kerns Carli A. Obeldobel Heather House Logan B. Kochendorfer Allysia White Marissa Gastelle |
| author_sort | Kathryn A. Kerns |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Experiences of positive affect (PA) are common when interacting with animals and may help to build resilience. This study explored how children’s relationships with pet dogs, parents, and friends are related to their experiences of PA with their pet dog. In addition, we examined whether greater PA with pet dogs was related to children’s thriving. The sample (n = 115, 57 girls, 58 boys) included children 9–14 years of age who reported the quality of relationships with their pet dog (Positive Relationship Qualities, Friction, Pets as Substitutes), attachment security to parents, and positive and negative friendship quality. PA was assessed with child self-report before and after interacting with their dog, observed child and dog PA during the interaction, and reports of daily PA when interacting with the dog from a 7-day daily log. Children completed questionnaires to assess attachment security relationship with parents and friendship relationship quality. Children’s relationships with parents and friends were related to PA in the interaction session, whereas relationships with pet dogs, parents, and friends were all related to the daily experiences of PA. Children’s experiences of PA in daily interactions with pet dogs, parent-child attachment, and positive friendship quality were all related to children’s thriving. The findings suggest that experiences of PA may be one mechanism that accounts for the effects of animals on children’s development. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:41:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e0520c559a94a3baa642e2e779dd56a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2957-9538 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:41:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | CABI |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human-Animal Interactions |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e0520c559a94a3baa642e2e779dd56a2024-03-03T08:08:21ZengCABIHuman-Animal Interactions2957-95382023-02-01202310.1079/hai.2023.0022Children’s experiences of positive affect with pet dogs: A multi-method studyKathryn A. Kerns0Carli A. Obeldobel1Heather House2Logan B. Kochendorfer3Allysia White4Marissa Gastelle5Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA;Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA;Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA;Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO, USAKent State University, Kent, OH, USA;Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA;Abstract Experiences of positive affect (PA) are common when interacting with animals and may help to build resilience. This study explored how children’s relationships with pet dogs, parents, and friends are related to their experiences of PA with their pet dog. In addition, we examined whether greater PA with pet dogs was related to children’s thriving. The sample (n = 115, 57 girls, 58 boys) included children 9–14 years of age who reported the quality of relationships with their pet dog (Positive Relationship Qualities, Friction, Pets as Substitutes), attachment security to parents, and positive and negative friendship quality. PA was assessed with child self-report before and after interacting with their dog, observed child and dog PA during the interaction, and reports of daily PA when interacting with the dog from a 7-day daily log. Children completed questionnaires to assess attachment security relationship with parents and friendship relationship quality. Children’s relationships with parents and friends were related to PA in the interaction session, whereas relationships with pet dogs, parents, and friends were all related to the daily experiences of PA. Children’s experiences of PA in daily interactions with pet dogs, parent-child attachment, and positive friendship quality were all related to children’s thriving. The findings suggest that experiences of PA may be one mechanism that accounts for the effects of animals on children’s development.http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/hai.2023.0022human-animal interactionpetsdogscompanion animalspositive affectemotion |
| spellingShingle | Kathryn A. Kerns Carli A. Obeldobel Heather House Logan B. Kochendorfer Allysia White Marissa Gastelle Children’s experiences of positive affect with pet dogs: A multi-method study Human-Animal Interactions human-animal interaction pets dogs companion animals positive affect emotion |
| title | Children’s experiences of positive affect with pet dogs: A multi-method study |
| title_full | Children’s experiences of positive affect with pet dogs: A multi-method study |
| title_fullStr | Children’s experiences of positive affect with pet dogs: A multi-method study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Children’s experiences of positive affect with pet dogs: A multi-method study |
| title_short | Children’s experiences of positive affect with pet dogs: A multi-method study |
| title_sort | children s experiences of positive affect with pet dogs a multi method study |
| topic | human-animal interaction pets dogs companion animals positive affect emotion |
| url | http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/hai.2023.0022 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathrynakerns childrensexperiencesofpositiveaffectwithpetdogsamultimethodstudy AT carliaobeldobel childrensexperiencesofpositiveaffectwithpetdogsamultimethodstudy AT heatherhouse childrensexperiencesofpositiveaffectwithpetdogsamultimethodstudy AT loganbkochendorfer childrensexperiencesofpositiveaffectwithpetdogsamultimethodstudy AT allysiawhite childrensexperiencesofpositiveaffectwithpetdogsamultimethodstudy AT marissagastelle childrensexperiencesofpositiveaffectwithpetdogsamultimethodstudy |