Psychologists at Miami University and Saint Louis University conducted three experiments on the benefits of pet ownership.
In the first study, 217 people answered questions about their well-being, personality type, and attachment style. And pet owners were happier, healthier, and better adjusted than non-owners.
A second experiment involved 56 dog owners. Researchers examined pet owners’ feelings about their pets. In addition, they measured their well-being. One group of people reported that their dogs increased their feelings of belonging, self-esteem, and meaning. Thus, these participants showed greater overall well-being than the other participants.
Furthermore, 97 undergraduates with an average age of 19 participated in the third study. As a result, researchers found that pets can help adolescents feel better after experiencing rejection.
The teens were asked to write about a time when they felt excluded. Then they were asked to do one of three things: write about their favorite pet, write about their favorite friend, or draw a map of their campus. And writing about pets was just as effective as writing about a friend in combating feelings of rejection.
Cats and Dogs Are Great Examples of Being in the Moment
Pets live in the moment. In other words, they don’t worry about what happened yesterday. Moreover, they aren’t worried about what might happen tomorrow.
As a result, pets can help people become more mindful. Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s attention to the present moment. Therefore, pets can help teens enjoy and appreciate the present moment.
In addition, pets help distract teens from what’s bothering them. And spending time with a pet helps teens remember how to be playful and carefree.
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