This paper examines the relationship between pet owners and the physical/mental health of an individual and compares it to past relevant literature. 10 participants were selected using a convenient sample in a psychology class at Northern Virginia Community College. The 10 individuals completed an 8 question survey that asked questions about owning a pet(s) and the state of their mental and physical health. The findings showed a positive relationship between interactions with a pet and levels of stress with a p-value of .041.
At this day in age it is almost inevitable that either you and/or someone you know owns a pet. In fact, nearly 80 million people in the United States alone own a pet of some type (APPA, 2016). On the other hand, the …show more content…
Matchock’s article examines recent literature on the connection between pets and human health and cross-sectional studies that indicate correlations between owning a pet and different aspects of positive health outcomes (Matchock, 2015). Some of which include improvements on cardiovascular health and decreases in loneliness. Matchock even briefly mentions the use of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) as opposed to pharmacological treatments that further stress the impact of a pet on human …show more content…
10 out of 10 people agreed that owning a pet helps the emotional well-being of an individual. The average stress level of participants was 3.6 on a 5 point scale. The average score on the frequency of illness was 2.7 on a 5 point scale. The average interaction score with a pet was 1.8 on a 5 point scale. 4 out of 5 pet owners agree that having a pet helps to cope with stress and 3 out of the 5 participants that do not own pets also agree that pets can help manage stress.
Procedure
I compiled the list of 8 questions in the form of a survey and handed them out to ten individuals in my psychology class. The individuals chosen were selected by convenience and those closest to me in proximity at the time. The participants then took as much time as they needed to complete the survey and then returned them to me at the end of the class. None of the surveys contained any names so they were all anonymous.
Results
The data collected was given to my psychology professor Dr. Hafen, who ran it through an SPSS Database. The results showed that more interaction a person has with their pet, the lower their stress level tends to be with a p-value of .041. The other dependent variable measured alongside of stress was the frequency of illness. There were no significant results with the interaction of pets with a p-value of .872 showing no
At this day in age it is almost inevitable that either you and/or someone you know owns a pet. In fact, nearly 80 million people in the United States alone own a pet of some type (APPA, 2016). On the other hand, the …show more content…
Matchock’s article examines recent literature on the connection between pets and human health and cross-sectional studies that indicate correlations between owning a pet and different aspects of positive health outcomes (Matchock, 2015). Some of which include improvements on cardiovascular health and decreases in loneliness. Matchock even briefly mentions the use of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) as opposed to pharmacological treatments that further stress the impact of a pet on human …show more content…
10 out of 10 people agreed that owning a pet helps the emotional well-being of an individual. The average stress level of participants was 3.6 on a 5 point scale. The average score on the frequency of illness was 2.7 on a 5 point scale. The average interaction score with a pet was 1.8 on a 5 point scale. 4 out of 5 pet owners agree that having a pet helps to cope with stress and 3 out of the 5 participants that do not own pets also agree that pets can help manage stress.
Procedure
I compiled the list of 8 questions in the form of a survey and handed them out to ten individuals in my psychology class. The individuals chosen were selected by convenience and those closest to me in proximity at the time. The participants then took as much time as they needed to complete the survey and then returned them to me at the end of the class. None of the surveys contained any names so they were all anonymous.
Results
The data collected was given to my psychology professor Dr. Hafen, who ran it through an SPSS Database. The results showed that more interaction a person has with their pet, the lower their stress level tends to be with a p-value of .041. The other dependent variable measured alongside of stress was the frequency of illness. There were no significant results with the interaction of pets with a p-value of .872 showing no