Researchers assess the relationship between pet ownership during the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health outcomes.
By Dr. Priyom Bose, Ph.D.Reviewed by Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc.Sep 12 2024 New research explores how pets impacted isolation, anxiety, and depression during the pandemic, challenging common beliefs about the "Lassie effect" and "cat lady" myth. Study: No beneficial associations between living with a pet and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large UK longitudinal sample. Image Credit: Chendongshan / Shutterstock.
Similar beneficial effects have been observed in a study of stockbrokers with hypertension. Nevertheless, these results are inconclusive, as other studies have reported conflicting findings with both null and opposite associations. Four variables that were theoretically or empirically linked to pet ownership including symptoms of anxiety, depression, anhedonia, and loneliness were examined for an overall “pet effect.” After the first assessment, three-, six-, and 12-month follow-up visits were conducted.
At baseline, about 54% of individuals reported having a pet, the most common of which were cats and dogs. At the first assessment point, small but significant effects of pet ownership were associated with depression symptoms; with pet owners reporting higher depression symptom scores as compared to non-owners.
Slightly higher anhedonia was reported for female and non-binary people, pet owners, those living in smaller homes, those living alone, those with lower educational qualifications, single individuals, and nonparents. The largest effect was with respect to age. Lower loneliness was observed among those living with pets, of an older age, who completed higher education, and parents. Controlling for confounding factors, cat and dog owners living alone had lower loneliness scores than non-pet owners living alone.
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