1. Posttraumatic Growth and Pets – Does Species Matter?
Whitney Dominick, M.S., and Kanako Taku, Ph.D.
Abstract
Pets can facilitate social support, and more time spent with pets corresponded to higher relational Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). However, most studies have focused on dogs, and don’t compare the impact of differing species. Undergraduate students completed a survey assessing PTG and number of pets of each species. More dogs resulted in higher total PTG and Personal Strength. Dogs did not impact Relating to Others or Appreciation of life, but owning more cats resulted in lower growth. Additionally, dog owners perceived higher Total and Personal Strength PTG than cat owners. Dog owners had higher Appreciation of Life than bird/small mammals or multiple species owners. However, multiple species owners had higher Personal Strength PTG than cat owners. Pet species impacts PTG, and differs based on domain. Dogs correspond to more growth across domains, while cat ownership seems to detract from personal growth.
Demographics
Discussion
Method
Inclusion Criteria:
18+ Undergraduate students
Completed pets & PTG measures
Procedure and Measures:
Pen/paper survey assessing:
Pets owned, number of each species
Posttraumatic Growth Inventory
Participants: 340 undergraduate students
Age: Mage= (SD = 3.49)
Gender: 76.6% female
Owned Pets: 77.9%, n = 265
Species owned:
Dog: n = 127
Cat: n = 25
Bird/small mammals: n = 9
Multiple species: n = 81
Conclusions:
Results partially support our hypothesis.
Pet species significantly affects PTG.
Impact differs across PTG domains.
Owning dogs results in the most growth across domains.
Dogs provide social support and physiological benefits (Handlin et al., 2011), improving perceptions of personal growth and capabilities.
Current findings imply therapy with dogs may be effective at increasing personal growth.
Owning cats results in less growth across domains.
Owning multiple cats may be attempts to supplement a lonely life.
Cats may be expected to be more social than they typically are .
Significance
Species of pets needs to be considered when assessing growth.
Dogs may be more beneficial after a trauma that cats.
Limitations:
Generalizability
Perception of social support not assessed
Future Directions:
Impact on traumatized individuals for Animal Assisted Therapy.
Abstract: Check if there are any abstract requirements. Usually we put an abstract on the posters, even if small. However, if you do not need one an don’t want one should be fine.
Introduction: For the significance, I wouldn’t say no research because someone might have we just don’t know!, but few research have (a common phrase in manuscripts)
Results
Significant differences:
Personal Strength
Dog > cat owners
Multiple Species > cats
F(3,243) = 3.62, p=.014
Significant differences:
Appreciation of Life
Dog > birds/small mammals
Dogs > multiple species
F(3,241) =3.51, p=.016
Introduction
Background
Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) is the positive psychological change that may be experienced after a highly stressful life event. (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996)
Social support is a key predictor of PTG. (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004)
Pet ownership facilitates social support. (Wood et al., 2014)
More time spent with pets corresponded to higher growth in the relational domain of PTG in adolescents. (Dominick, Duronio, Walenski, & Taku, 2017).
Purpose:
To asses the impact of species of pets on PTG (total and domains) in undergraduates.  
Hypothesis:
PTG would differ based on species owned, with dog and cat owners reporting higher growth than those owning other species.  
Significant differences:
Total PTG
Dog > cat owners
F(3,241) = 3.02, p=.031
Total PTG R2
R2 Change F
p-value
Beta
Step 1 - demographics
3.9%
F(6,248) = 3.35
p = .028
Step 2 - # of Pets
8.9%
4.9%
F(9, 248) = 2.59
p = .007
Predictors – Dogs
p = .030
Β = .15
Domain
Model
Model R2 F
p-value
Beta
Personal Strength
Step 1
Step 2
3.8%
8.7%
F(3,247) = 3.22
F(9,241) = 2.56
p= .023
p= .008
Predictors
p = .028
p= .041
Gender: B =.13
Dogs: B = .14
Relating to Others
1.5%
3.4%
F(3,247) = 1.22
F(9,241) = 1.97
p = .304
p = .044
p = .031
Cats: B = -.14
Appreciation of Life
16.8%
25.6%
F(3,245) = 2.37
F(9,239) = 1.86
p = .071
p = .058
Age: B = .13
Dominick, Duriono, Walenski, & Taku, (2019). The impact of pets on Posttraumatic Growth and
Stress Symptoms in adolescents. Anthrozoos, under review.
Handlin, L., Nilsson, A., Ejdeback, M., Hydbring-Sanderg, E., & Uvnas-Moberg, K. (2011).
Associations between the psychological characteristics of the human-dog relationship and
oxytocin and cortisol levels. Anthrozoos, 25, doi:
/ X
Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L.G. (1996). The posttraumatic growth inventory: Measuring the
positive legacy of trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress.
Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004). Target article: "posttraumatic growth:
Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence". Psychological Inquiry, 15, doi:
/s pli1501_01
Wood, L., Martin, K., Christian, H., Nathan, A., Lauritsen, C., Houghton, S., McCune, S. (2014).
The pet factor—Companion animals as a conduit for getting to know people, friendship
formation and social support. PLoS ONE, 10, 17. doi: /journal.pone
References
Presented at the American Psychological Association August 10th, 2019
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