A new study reports that pets, including dogs, cats, fish and birds, do not significantly benefit the emotional health of owners with severe mental illnesses.
The findings, published in the latest issue of Cappy Journal Interaction, showed that owning an animal was not significantly associated with scores of well-being, depression, anxiety or loneliness in people with a range of severe mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder or psychosis.
The researchers, who followed up on an earlier survey conducted in 2021 within the same cohort to assess animal ownership and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, say their findings contradict the widely held view that animals are beneficial to the mental health of all owners.
The researchers, headed by Dr. Emily Shoesmith and Dr. Elena Rachin, and a team of scientists from the British University of York, surveyed the opinions of 170 participants from the United Kingdom, and among these, 81 of them owned at least one animal, and it is believed that there is a strong link between humans and animals with the closest companion animal. for them.
In the first study of its kind, they aimed to explore the relationship between animal ownership and mental health in individuals with severe mental illness, and whether the perceived strength of the owner-animal bond was related to mental health and animal species.
And in a 2021 study, Dr. Shoesmith and colleagues found that animal ownership is associated with self-reported declines in mental health that may be due to pandemic restrictions and the challenges of caring for their animals in quarantine.
After the removal of the COVID-19 rules, there was a slight increase in well-being scores, suggesting that the context of the pandemic may have affected the results.
“In the absence of COVID-19 restrictions, a possible explanation for our current findings may be that the additional liability of animal ownership may still exacerbate other potential stressors experienced by people with severe mental illness, and this includes the cost of food and bills,” says Shoesmith. veterinary and housing uncertainty.
“Our findings may also indicate that animal ownership and the perceived strength of the human-animal bond are not sufficient to benefit participants’ well-being, but we also need to take into account the animal’s temperament and characteristics,” she adds.
She notes, “This may explain why, unlike companion animals, trained therapy animals enhance the well-being of individuals diagnosed with mental health conditions, as they are typically selected and taught to be friendly, obedient and have comforting traits.”
She adds, “It is imperative for future research to further explore the mediating factors that influence the complex human-animal relationship to advance our knowledge of the more specific requirements of those living with severe mental illness and who own animals.”
2023-07-17 10:52:42
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