The Human-Animal Bond, Human Social Support and Resilience: Understanding Relationships that Aid Through Adversity

Abstract

The Human-Animal Bond (HAB) has been shown to provide a buffering effect for stress and adversity. Based on gaps within the literature, this thesis takes a strengths-based approach to investigating the HAB, human social support and resilience, a construct not previously explored within the HAB field of research. This thesis builds upon previous findings that social support is a protective factor for resilience by investigating whether the HAB may be comparable with human social support. Given research into the HAB reported on the complexities of the HAB and associated methodological limitations, this thesis aims to produce outcomes based on methodological rigour and a theoretical framework that emphasises the strength of the bond as having an impact on mental health outcomes. Utilising a mixed methods research design, the thesis is comprised of two quantitative studies and one qualitative study. A two-way approach with follow-up exploratory design enhances the credibility and validity of the outcomes and improves upon the research methodologies used within the HAB field of research. The first study of this thesis examines a large sample (N = 538) of companion animal owners and non-owners to determine whether the HAB would moderate the relationship between human social support and resilience, and whether the relationship between the HAB and human social support may be curvilinear. That was followed by a descriptive study to establish what subpopulation most likely had low to moderate levels of human social support and strong HAB, and was therefore potentially at risk of lower levels of resilience. Finally, a subpopulation of women was explored to understand the comparability of their animal companion and human relationships, as well as whether their companion animals aided through adversity. Study One was a rigorous cross-sectional study that found the HAB was not a significant moderator between levels of human social support and resilience for companion animal owners. However, there was a significant curvilinear relationship between the HAB and perceived human social support, suggesting extremely weak or strong HABs may be correlated with a reduced capacity to build resilience and process adversity. The dataset from Study One was further explored for Study Two and found single women were more likely to have low to moderate human social support and strong bonds with their companion animals. Study Three was a qualitative study that explored women who recorded scores of low to moderate levels of human social support and strong HAB. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven women and thematically analysed, finding that women preferred their companion animals over their human social supports, that companion animals provided strong emotional support and were considered a strong protective factor in supporting women through adversity and against suicide. Despite some methodological limitations in this thesis, it contributes knowledge to the HAB literature base, including alternative explanations as to how outcome measures are interpreted, such as finding a curvilinear relationship between the HAB and human social support (Hill et al, 2020), as well as understanding women companion animal owners’ relationships. The mixed methodological approach utilised in this thesis has implication for the HAB field of research to consider similar research design and improve upon reported methodological weaknesses. The implications for mental health clinicians providing therapeutic care to individuals experiencing adversity, particularly suicidality, are significant.