Katherine has published a paper in Animals exploring the relationship between the mental health benefits of dog ownership and attachment style.
“Previous research in this area has been mixed, with some studies suggesting that pet owners have better mental health while others suggesting they have worse mental health,” she explains.
“So, we investigated what other factors may be influencing this relationship, particularly looking at pet owners’ relationships with other people.”
The findings indicate that those with a stronger attachment to their dogs had poorer mental health outcomes, which may be explained by their attachment style.
“This may be because these owners have an anxious attachment style towards other people, suggesting they may turn to their dogs for emotional support due to a lack of dependable human connections.”
Katherine says this may be of particular concern for women.
“The women in our study tended to have a stronger attachment to their dogs and more anxious attachment styles, which in turn led to poorer mental health than their male counterparts.”
And while dogs can be great companions, they may not be able to provide the level of emotional support that these owners require.
“This is particularly relevant during times of distress where more practical support may be needed. For these owners, it may be worth considering how they can improve their connections with other humans to be able to better support their mental health.”
