HOW DO THOSE SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION BENEFIT FROM HAVING A DOG? WINNIE WU SBS2000 – FALL 2015

RATIONALE  Constantly hear stories about the great bond between humans & their dogs  Can this bond have an affect on a person’s health and well-being?  As a dog owner myself, I’ve come to realize dogs can alter my behavior.  Will it have the same effect on those suffering from depression?  HYPOTHESIS:  Having a dog as a companion can significantly reduce the symptoms of depression.

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LITERATURE REVIEW  Fick, K.M. (1993). The Influence of an Animal on Social Interactions of Nursing Home Residents in a Group Setting. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 47(6),  Study carried out in a nursing home to determine the effects of having the presence of a pet on the frequency of social interactions among the residents during group therapy sessions  Results: Increase in the frequency of social interactions while in the presence of a pet  Conclusion: Presence of a pet creates a comfortable environment, allowing more free-flowing social interactions

LITERATURE REVIEW  Crowley-Robinson, P., Fenwick, D.C., & Blackshaw, J.K. (1996). A long-term study of elderly people in nursing homes with visiting and resident dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 47,  Study done across 3 nursing homes to see if an addition of a dog (either visiting or resident) will have beneficial effects on the lives of the residents  Results: Residents exposed to a resident or visiting dog had a reduction in tension, confusion, fatigue, and depression  Conclusion: There are many health benefits to having a dog in a nursing home as it greatly improved the well-being of many residents.

LITERATURE REVIEW  Siegel, J. (1990). Stressful Life Events and Use of Physician Services among the Elderly: The Moderating Role of Pet Ownership. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(6),  Study done to determine if owning a pet will help reduce the number of doctor visits among the elderly  Results: Decrease in the frequency of doctor visits among those with a pet. Those without pets showed a higher frequency of doctor visits due to stress-related events.  Conclusion: Owning a pet, particularly a dog, may help to reduce the frequency of doctor visits among the elderly.

LITERATURE REVIEW  Allen, K.M., Blascovich, J., Tomaka, J., & Kelsey, R.M. (1991). Presence of Human Friends and Pet Dogs as Moderators of Autonomic Responses to Stress in Women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(4),  Study done to see if women would be better able to adapt to stress while in the presence of a dog.  Results: Women displayed a reduction in psychological threat when in the presence of a dog.  Conclusion: The positive feelings the dogs evoke in their owners may improve the individual’s ability to adapt to stress.

LITERATURE REVIEW  McConnell, A.R., Brown, C.M., Shoda, T.M., Stayton, & L.E., Martin, C.E. (2011). Friends with Benefits: On the Positive Consequences of Pet Ownership. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(6),  Study done to see if owning a pet can benefit and help individuals that are feeling stressed.  Results: Individuals that owned a pet experienced greater well-being, displayed healthier behavioral characteristics, and greater fulfillment of social needs.  Conclusion: Owning a pet improves overall well-being and benefits to the lives of their owners.

LITERATURE REVIEW  Serpell, J. (1991). Beneficial effects of pet ownership on some aspects of human health and behaviour. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 84,  Study done to examine if there were positive and beneficial changes in the behavior and health status of individuals after acquiring a new pet  Results: Those who acquired a pet showed a significant reduction in minor health problems in comparison to those without pets, who showed no significant changes.  Conclusion: Pet acquisition may have positive and beneficial effects on human health and behavior.

METHOD  Questionnaire/Survey  Advantages:  Low cost  Data is easily accessible compared to some other methods  Limitations:  Not everyone is willing to divulge personal health information (i.e., suffering from depression)  Those suffering from depression may not own a dog  Sample:  Dog owners  Elderly (depression is prevalent at old age)  Non-elderly

CONCLUSION  Unable to fully complete and collect relevant data with my method to prove my hypothesis  Numerous studies have shown that owning a dog or merely being in the presence of one may benefit an individual not only physically, but mentally as well.  Reduction in:  Depression  Tension & Confusion  Fatigue  Stress  Minor physical illnesses  Increase in:  Vigor  Healthy behavior  Social interactions

REFERENCES  Allen, K.M., Blascovich, J., Tomaka, J., & Kelsey, R.M. (1991). Presence of Human Friends and Pet Dogs as Moderators of Autonomic Responses to Stress in Women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(4),  Crowley-Robinson, P., Fenwick, D.C., & Blackshaw, J.K. (1996). A long-term study of elderly people in nursing homes with visiting and resident dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 47,  Fick, K.M. (1993). The Influence of an Animal on Social Interactions of Nursing Home Residents in a Group Setting. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 47(6),  McConnell, A.R., Brown, C.M., Shoda, T.M., Stayton, & L.E., Martin, C.E. (2011). Friends with Benefits: On the Positive Consequences of Pet Ownership. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(6),  Serpell, J. (1991). Beneficial effects of pet ownership on some aspects of human health and behaviour. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 84,  Siegel, J. (1990). Stressful Life Events and Use of Physician Services among the Elderly: The Moderating Role of Pet Ownership. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(6),