New research published in Behavioral Sciences investigates the role emotional regulation strategies may play in preventing post-traumatic stress disorder after pet loss. The findings indicate that those who engage in adaptive strategies tend to have increased attachment to their pet and decreased pain after their passing.
Pets have been a component of the human experience for thousands of years. However, we have only recently begun studying these unique relationships’ physiological and psychological consequences. According to the research team, 67% of Americans own pets, while the pet industry in China has increased by 2000% in the last ten years.
The global pandemic, combined with higher rates of single and childless individuals, again put the spotlight on the human-pet relationship. Humans are increasingly becoming attached to their pets as they would a human family member. Unfortunately, most pets have relatively short lives compared to their human companions, so most pet owners will also experience a pet loss.
Grief over a pet’s death can be profound and have consequences for mental health. Hyo Jin Park and Goo-Churl Jeong sought to study how individuals could best navigate the pet loss experience.
The 303 participants were all living in South Korea and had experienced pet loss. Participants ranged in age from 19-69; two-thirds identified as non-religious, and 70% had lost a dog, 12% a cat, and 16% another animal. After their pet loss, 29% no longer had a pet, but the remaining subjects obtained a new pet of the same type. Participants completed assessments of pet attachment, separation pain, cognitive emotion regulation strategy, and post traumatic growth.
The participants also completed the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, a self-report measure designed to assess an individual’s use of different cognitive strategies to regulate their emotions after a negative event. The CERQ includes nine distinct scales, which assess the following adaptive and maladaptive strategies:
- Reappraisal: the tendency to reframe a situation in a more positive light.
- Positive refocusing: the tendency to focus on positive aspects of a situation.
- Expanding perspective: the tendency to see things in a more balanced or objective light.
- Acceptance: the tendency to acknowledge and accept difficult emotions and experiences.
- Mental disengagement: the tendency to distract oneself from emotions.
- Behavioral disengagement: the tendency to avoid activities or situations that trigger negative emotions.
- Suppression: the tendency to inhibit the expression of emotions.
- Rumination: the tendency to focus on negative thoughts and emotions.
- Catastrophizing: the tendency to exaggerate the negative outcomes of a situation.
The researchers found that the use of these strategies explained to explain the connection between attachment to the pet and post-traumatic growth. In other words, when individuals used adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, the level of attachment to their pet would indicate the potential for post-traumatic growth. For example, if one accepts their pet will eventually die and is able to develop a sense of perspective, the stronger the bond with the pet, and the better the opportunity for growth after their death.
When individuals utilize maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, the bond’s strength did not impact the potential for post-traumatic growth. In this case, when individuals use maladaptive strategies, the strength of the bond with their pet will not protect them from experiencing a post-traumatic stress response.
The research team identified a few limitations to the study. First, their sample was fairly young; results obtained from the elderly, who are often isolated regardless of the pandemic, may have yielded different results. Second, the study was conducted through online assessments, and questions about pet loss may have been painful; in the future, it is recommended that subjects have the opportunity for follow-up care after they participate in this kind of research.
When considering the loss of our family pets, Park and Jeong recommend, “The act of intentionally expanding the perspective on pet loss experience, switching into a more positive focus, and accepting reality will reduce the grief of its companions and become an opportunity for growth.”
The study, “Relationship between attachment to pet and post-traumatic growth after pet loss: Mediated moderating effect of cognitive emotion regulation strategy through separation pain”, was authored by Hyo Jin Park and Goo-Churl Jeong.