Attachment to a pet during childhood reduces anxiety in adolescence.
- Anxiety disorders tend to develop in late childhood and are quite common.
- It is therefore essential to find ways to prevent or reduce these disorders from an early age.
- After research in this direction, researchers have proven that children who spend a lot of time with a pet to whom they are very attached have a lower risk of developing anxiety or other mental health disorders. ‘adolescence.
A new study reveals that children who spend a lot of time with a pet to whom they are very attached are less likely to develop anxiety or other mental health disorders in adolescence.
To achieve these results, the researchers merged data from a previous study of children aged 4 to 11 with the electronic medical records of these same people 8 years later. They were able to do this for 629 participants.
Why study the links between anxiety and pets?
Anxiety disorders are a category of mental health disorders characterized by persistent and excessive worry, fear, or apprehension that exceeds normal stress. These disorders can have a significant impact on the daily functioning of people who suffer from them. People with anxiety disorders may experience increased and prolonged states of physiological activation, such as increased heart rate, muscle tension, and agitation.
Anxiety disorders tend to develop in late childhood and are quite common. It is therefore essential to find ways to prevent or reduce these disorders from an early age.
Being attached to a pet reduces the risk of anxiety by 43%
Study results showed that the total time a child spent with a pet dog or cat between childhood and adolescence was associated with a reduced risk of developing an anxiety disorder or other mental health problem. . Specifically, exposure to the pet the child was most attached to during the eight years between the two studies was associated with a 43% reduction in the risk of anxiety and a 36% reduction in the risk of other mental health diagnoses.
However, this association was not observed for illnesses requiring psychotropic medications.
This study supports the idea that attachment to a pet during childhood may help reduce the risk of developing anxiety and other mental health disorders in adolescence. Additionally, by bonding with a pet, children can develop skills such as empathy, responsibility and compassion.
However, it is important to note that attachment to a pet cannot replace professional help for mental health problems.
