title: Quality of life and adolescents' communication with their significant others (mother, father, and best friend): the mediating effect of attachment to pets.
abstract: The relationship between adolescents' communication with their significant others (mother, father, and best friend) and quality of life (KIDSCREEN) was investigated in 2262 Scottish adolescent pet owners. The variable attachment to pets was also tested and assessed as a mediator of this relationship. A positive relationship between adolescents' communication with their significant other (mother, father, and best friend) and quality of life decreased when controlling for attachment to dogs. In cat owners, a positive relationship between communication with a best friend and quality of life decreased when controlling for attachment to cats. In cat and dog owners, attachment to these pets predicted higher levels of quality of life. Higher attachment to dogs and cats was explained by good best friend (IV) and attachment to pets (DV) and best friends. Mediation effects of attachment to dogs and cats might be explained in terms of the caring activities associated with these types of pets.
authors.affiliation: a Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit (CAHRU) , University of St Andrew , St Andrews , UK.
authors.forename: Ferran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marsa-Sambola
authors.affiliation: b Clinical Psychology , University of Edinburgh , Edinburgh , UK.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: a Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit (CAHRU) , University of St Andrew , St Andrews , UK.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muldoon
authors.affiliation: c Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College , Edinburgh , UK.
authors.forename: Alistair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.affiliation: c Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College , Edinburgh , UK.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.affiliation: a Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit (CAHRU) , University of St Andrew , St Andrews , UK.
authors.forename: Candace
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Currie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003142:Communication; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D057805:Pets / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012606:Scotland
keywords: Attachment to pets; adolescence; best friend; communication; parents; quality of life