Quality of life and adolescents’ communication with their significant others (mother, father, and best friend): the mediating effect of attachment to pets

ABSTRACT

The relationship between adolescents’ communication with their significant others (mother, father, and best friend) and quality of life (KIDSCREEN) was investigated in 2262 Scottish adolescent pet owners. The variable attachment to pets was also tested and assessed as a mediator of this relationship. A positive relationship between adolescents’ communication with their significant other (mother, father, and best friend) and quality of life decreased when controlling for attachment to dogs. In cat owners, a positive relationship between communication with a best friend and quality of life decreased when controlling for attachment to cats. In cat and dog owners, attachment to these pets predicted higher levels of quality of life. Higher attachment to dogs and cats was explained by good best friend (IV) and attachment to pets (DV) and best friends. Mediation effects of attachment to dogs and cats might be explained in terms of the caring activities associated with these types of pets.

KEYWORDS:

• Attachment to pets
• quality of life
• communication
• parents
• best friend
• adolescence

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank DEFRA for funding this project (SMDO-ZGLD15). The authors would also like to thank Dorothy Currie at the Children and Adolescent Research Unit for her support of this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

“An investigation of 13-17 year olds’ attitudes and behaviour to animals and development and testing of interventions to promote the concept of Duty of Care” wasfunded by the UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (SMDO-ZGLD15.