While researchers have examined the relationship between pet ownership and psychological health among individuals in the general population, the few studies that have examined the possible psychological health benefits of pet ownership for individuals living alone have primarily been conducted among subgroups such as seniors. Using a community sample of adults who were living alone, we hypothesized that pet ownership (pet vs. no pet), emotional attachment levels to pets, and human social support would interact to predict scores on measures of loneliness and depression. A sample of 132 Canadian dog and cat owners as well as non-owners who lived alone completed an on-line survey containing measures of human social support, emotional attachment to pets, loneliness, and depression. Results revealed that neither pet ownership nor attachment to pets predicted the loneliness or depression levels of individuals living alone. However, when we examined the interaction of pet ownership and human social support in the prediction of psychological health, simple effects revealed that dog owners with high levels of human social support were significantly less lonely than non-owners. Furthermore, when we examined the interaction of attachment and human social support in the prediction of psychological health, simple effects revealed that among pet owners with low levels of human social support, high attachment to pets predicted significantly higher scores on loneliness and depression. These findings highlight the complex nature of the relationship between pet ownership and psychological health.

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This longitudinal study examined the effect of acquiring a dog using both an indirect and a direct measure of loneliness. The loneliness levels of 31 adults who acquired a dog and a control group of 35 non-dog guardians (non-dog owners) were assessed at baseline and 8 months. Results revealed that changes in loneliness over time differed for the two groups when loneliness was assessed through a 1-item direct measure. Participants who acquired a dog experienced reduced loneliness levels from baseline to 8 months and were less lonely at 8 months than non-dog guardians, even though the two groups did not differ at baseline. On the other hand, when loneliness was assessed through a multi-item indirect measure, acquiring a dog had no effect on loneliness. These results highlight the importance of the type of measure used to assess loneliness when examining changes in loneliness following the acquisition of a companion animal.

Although researchers have established that companion animals act as social catalysts by promoting interaction between people, they have not examined the possible benefi cial effects for well-being arising from the social interactions that occur while dog walk ing. The present study examined the relations between dog walkers' social interactions and two components of psychological well-being. A sample of 987 Canadian dog walk ers (18-84 years old) completed an online survey. Results of hierarchical regression anal yses revealed that dog walkers who conversed with the people they encountered while dog walking were less lonely, but not less stressed, than those who did not converse with the people they encountered. Findings from closed-and open-ended questions pro vided insight into the positive benefits dog walkers received from their social interac tions while dog walking. This study provides preliminary evidence that the social interactions that occur through dog walking are related to aspects of psychological well-being.Keywords dog walking -friendships -loneliness -social interactions -stress A "social catalyst" has been described as a stim ulus, such as a com panion anim al, th a t facilitates social interactions betw een individuals (Wells, 2007; M essent, 1985). In one o f the earliest studies, Mugford and M'Comisky (1975) found that, am ong seniors w ho lived alone, those w ho w ere given a budgerigar (parakeet) engaged in m ore social interactions than b oth the seniors who A bstract © KONINKLIJKE BRILL NV, LEIDEN, 2014 |

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