ArticlePloS one2021
Depression, anxiety, and happiness in dog owners and potential dog owners during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 51 citations in OpenAlex.
- "She's loved me at all sizes": the role of the human-animal bond in eating disorder experiences and treatment.Journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- Occurrence ofTropical medicine and infectious disease · 2026Article
- Factors of pet ownership associated with human health: A representative cross-sectional survey of Switzerland.PloS one · 2026Article
- Companion animal and equine clinical research: a Nordic perspective.Acta veterinaria Scandinavica · 2025Article
- Exploring the Pharmacokinetics and Gut Microbiota Modulation of Hesperidin and Nobiletin from Mandarin Orange Peel in Experimental Dogs: A Pilot Study.Metabolites · 2024Article
- Dentists' stress level during the COVID-19 pandemic and their opinion on the oral health status of their patients.Medicine and pharmacy reports · 2024Article
- The Link between the Nature of the Human-Companion Animal Relationship and Well-Being Outcomes in Companion Animal Owners.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Article
- Article
- Understanding kitten fostering and socialisation practices using mixed methods.Animal welfare (South Mimms, England) · 2024Article
- Examining evidence for a relationship between human-animal interactions and common mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic literature review.Frontiers in health services · 2024Review
- The Well-Being of Companion Animal Caregivers and Their Companion Animals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2023Article
- Antimicrobial ResistantPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Article
- Caring for Canines: A Survey of Dog Ownership and Parasite Control Practices in Ireland.Veterinary sciences · 2023Article
- Clinical and epidemiologic features of SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats compiled through national surveillance in the United States.Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association · 2023Article
- Article
- Article
- The Significance of Pets for Vulnerable Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Explorative Qualitative Study.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2022Article
- Benefits and Conflicts: A Systematic Review of Dog Park Design and Management Strategies.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2022Review
- Pet ownership and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.Scientific reports · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Major life events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, affect psychological and physiological health. Social support, or the lack thereof, can modulate these effects. The context of the COVID-19 pandemic offered a unique opportunity to better understand how dogs may provide social support for their owners and buffer heightened symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression and contribute to happiness during a major global crisis. Participants (768 pet dog owners and 767 potential pet dog owners) answered an online survey, including validated depression, anxiety, happiness psychometric scales, attitude to and commitment towards pet, and perceived social support. Potential pet dog owners were defined as individuals who did not own a dog at the time of the survey but would be very or extremely interested in owning one in the future. Dog owners reported having significantly more social support available to them compared to potential dog owners, and their depression scores were also lower, compared to potential dog owners. There were no differences in anxiety and happiness scores between the two groups. Dog owners had a significantly more positive attitude towards and commitment to pets. Taken together, our results suggest that dog ownership may have provided people with a stronger sense of social support, which in turn may have helped buffer some of the negative psychological impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.