Everything Exams

Currently, approximately two thirds of US households and half of all UK households include companion animals such as dogs and cats. Pets are more likely to be found in households with children, so I decided to look into what sort of impact sharing your home with a companion animal might have on children’s developement and whether there had been any research carried out about this. I myself absolutely adore animals and my kids have grown up with dogs, rabbits and  horses so I was kind of hoping I’d got something right too!

I appreciate though that pet ownership is not for everyone, and such things as allergies, restrictive accommodation or time constraints prevent some families from having pets. Patience, time, money and love need to be given to our pets, and they are often a very long-term commitment. However, if you are able to have a companion animal, the research I’ve found suggests that they can give children a bit of a boost, with the potential to improve your child’s emotional state, behaviour and some studies have even shown that they can have an effect on your child’s cognitive abilities as well.

In 2017, a paper was published in The Review which evaluated research to date on the effect of pet ownership on the development of children. The authors reviewed nearly 3000 publications relating to this subject area, narrowing it down at the end to 22 studies which satisfied their research standards. Overall, from their findings, it was clear that children who had stronger bonding with their pets gained more benefits from the pet-child relationship than less bonded children or those with no pets. Also, interestingly, when parents and carers taught their children how to interact in a kind and responsible way with their companion animals, these actions enhanced the positive outcomes for their children. In general, effects that were observed included children having higher verbal intelligence at a young age, being less likely to suffer from anxiety throughout childhood, being more likely to have greater confidence and higher self-esteem in adolescence, being less likely to experience loneliness, being more reliable and responsible, and even doing slightly better than their non-dog-owning peers in biology tests.

Specifically, two out of the 22 publications focussed on anxiety, finding that only 12% of children with companion animals showed general anxiety compared to 21% of those without pets. Several studies found that children with animal companions had higher levels of confidence and self-esteem, particularly in the pre-adolescence and adolescent age ranges. Remarkably, one study investigated the long-term effects of having a companion animal and found that there was a relationship between people’s self-concept in adulthood and the age at which they got their first pet. Children’s feeling of loneliness was found to be significantly lower in several studies of children who had companion animals, the most relevant being one which focussed on high school students aged between 13 and 19.

Several studies showed that students with pets were more reliable and responsible than their non-pet owning peers. Looking at the effects on cognitive skills, there were three studies focussing on this area. One group of young children who were well bonded with their animals showed an increase in self-reliance and independent decision-making skills compared to children who were less bonded with their animals or had no animal companion. Results from other studies showed that children with pets were better able to develop empathy and emotions. Children with companion animals had a deeper understanding of the natural world and thus achieved higher scores in biology, and they were better equipped to carry out school related tasks. Another study showed that the verbal intelligence of a group of 3–6-year-olds who were well bonded with their animals was found to be significantly higher than that of less bonded children, or children with no animals. 

Dogs were the featured pet in many of the studies. They give love unconditionally and this love is clear to see when you watch them greet a family member or friend in the adorable way they wag their tails and bounce around. Perhaps this helps children to understand how special and important they themselves really are, boosting their confidence and self-esteem. If a child has had a bad experience at school, the family dog is always willing to share the problem and is more than happy to be hugged and cried on when needed, easing the pain away. In the presence of pets and the absence of adults, small children often talk to their pets, telling them about their day and including them in imaginative play. This is an opportunity for the child to practise talking and might account for the acceleration in verbal reasoning skills in young children found in the study mentioned earlier. If there is a pet in the house following you around, then there’s always someone to talk to, eliminating any need to feel lonely. 

In a study carried out on 60 male and female undergraduates, it was found that their heart rate and blood pressure measurements were both reduced while stroking or talking to a dog, as opposed to talking to the experimenter. Although this study evaluated the reactions of young adults, perhaps children’s bodies react in the same way to interactions with their animal companions, and this accounts for the reduction in anxiety found in research.

It certainly seems that there are loads of benefits to having an animal in your home but I do appreciate that it’s not possible for every household – animals require time, money and dedicated care which can stretch a young family. There may be ways round this though so that your family can still tap into the positives here. If you are short of time and not really a dog person, then cats can be equally fantastic companions. If you have even less space and budget in your life for a free-roaming house guest, then perhaps consider a rat. Personally, I have never had a rat, but as I understand it, they can make incredibly affectionate and intelligent pets, developing genuinely strong bonds with their owners. If none of those options are right for you, there are schemes where busy dog owners lend their dogs to others who cannot have a dog full time, thereby benefitting both parties.

Whatever your situation, I hope you found the research interesting and gives you paws for thought…

References

1.    Vormbrook, J.K., Grossberg, J.M. Cardiovascular effects of human-pet interactions. J Behav Med 11, 509-517 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844843      

2.   Purewal R, Christley R, Kordas K, Joinson C, Meints K, Gee N, Westgarth C. Companion Animals and Child/Adolescent Development: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2017; 14(3):234. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030234