Puppy love in the time of Corona: Dog ownership protects against loneliness for those living alone during the COVID-19 lockdown
Puppy love in the time of Corona: Dog ownership protects against loneliness for those living alone during the COVID-19 lockdown
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DOI：
10.1177/0020764020944195
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发表时间：
2020-07-23
影响因子：
7.5
通讯作者：
Johnston, Kim Louise
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Oliva, Jessica Lee;Johnston, Kim Louise
背景：新冠肺炎疫情已经导致许多国家实施了封锁，即人们被指示呆在家里。目的：这项研究的目的是记录澳大利亚独居者，无论有没有养狗或猫，都会经历这种封锁。方法：384名参与者完成了一项在线调查，评估他们的孤独、注意力和情绪水平。对于养狗或养猫的参与者，研究人员还测试了狗和猫的互动程度，以及两个开放式问题，即养宠物对他们使用新冠肺炎的体验有何影响，以及新冠肺炎对他们的宠物有何影响。结果：与预期相反，养猫的人比不养猫的人更不专注，宠物互动没有考虑他们的孤独感或专注程度。然而，与我们的预期一致的是，压力和抑郁对孤独有积极的预测作用，而专注力和养狗对孤独有保护作用。质化回答的洞察力表明，这可能是因为狗鼓励走出家门和散步的日常活动，这本身就提供了与其他做同样事情的人进行社交的机会。结论：这些发现增加了关于封锁期间的心理健康以及宠物在主人体验中扮演的独特角色的新兴文献。
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many countries enforcing a 'lockdown', whereby people are instructed to stay at home.Aim: The aim of this study was to capture the experience of such a lockdown in Australians living alone, with and without a dog or a cat.Method: Three hundred and eighty-four participants completed an online survey evaluating their levels of loneliness, mindfulness and mood. For participants who owned a dog or a cat, a measure of dog/cat interactions was also administered as well as two open-ended questions about how being a pet owner affected their experience of COVID-19 and how COVID-19 affected their pet.Results: Contrary to expectations, cat owners were found to be less mindful than non-owners and pet interactions did not account for levels of loneliness or levels of mindfulness. In line with our expectations, however, stress and depression positively predicted loneliness, while mindfulness and being a dog owner were protective against it. Insights from qualitative responses suggest that this might be due to the fact that dogs encourage a routine which involves getting out of the house and walking, which itself offers opportunities to socialise with other people doing the same thing.Conclusion: These findings add to the emerging literature on mental well-being during a lockdown and the unique role that pets play in their owners' experiences.