Work

Exploring Associations Between Empathy, Anthropomorphizing, and Psychological Distress in Dog Parents

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Dog parents have a strong attachment to their pets and treat them as children. Similarly to the guilt experienced by the parents of human children, dog parents feel guilty when they have to travel or work long hours and leave their dogs at home alone. This study examined the empathic tendencies among dog parents and how they are related to dog parent guilt and other mental health symptoms. A sample of 332 dog owners from the United States, stratified by age and sex, was recruited for this study. The sample comprised 168 female and 164 male participants. The Guilt About Dog Parenting Scale (GAPS-D), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and Dog Anthropomorphism Scale were administered via an online survey. Demographic variables, such as age, sex, race, education level, household income, relationship, and parental status, were also collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and linear regression. As predicted, this study found that empathic tendencies in dog parents are related to guilt, anthropomorphizing, and mental health symptoms. This is the first study to examine empathetic tendencies among dog parents in relation to dog parent guilt. Researchers, educators, social workers, mental health professionals, and veterinarians should inform and educate pet owners about dog parent guilt. This will increase the knowledge of professionals, organizations, and pet owners suffering from such guilt. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) may offer a promising approach for helping pet parents identify, normalize, and better understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to empathic and anthropomorphic tendencies. By addressing these cognitive patterns, CBT could potentially help reduce associated feelings of guilt, depression, anxiety, and stress.

Source: Pets

DOI: 10.3390/pets2030031

Author: Heather Dye

Institution: East Tennessee State University

Language: English

Topic: Human-Animal Interaction Studies

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207