Childhood Pet Ownership and The Strength of Sibling Relationships

Abstract

The human-animal bond and its potential positive effects are a relatively new area of study. We decided we wanted to do an exploratory study to investigate the relationship between childhood pet ownership and the strength of sibling bonds and how this relationship might be mediated by empathy. Based on the lack of literature we found pertaining to this specific topic, we are hoping to contribute and expand on the positive effects that pet ownership has. Previous studies found that owning a pet within a family unit contributed to an increase in family cohesion. Another study found that owning a pet increased empathy in romantic relationships, and this contributed to increased strength in the overall relationship. Finally, within the literature, we found that affective empathy contributed to stronger familial relationships with siblings, increased life satisfaction, and a reduction in stress later in life. Our study will be conducted online through SONA using a university student population, there will be five measures administered; a demographics survey, Pet Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ), Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (ASRQ), The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale (FACES IV), and Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). We hypothesize that childhood pet ownership will increase the strength of sibling relationships, and this relationship will be mediated through empathy.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Eric Legge