An examination of loss: Retrospective attachment styles to a pet who has passed and current feelings of grief and trauma over the event

Brown, O. K. (2015). An examination of loss: Retrospective attachment styles to a pet who has passed and current feelings of grief and trauma over the event. https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1182

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Details:

Title

An examination of loss: Retrospective attachment styles to a pet who has passed and current feelings of grief and trauma over the event

Author
Brown, Olivia K.
Call Number

LE3 .A278 2015

Date

2015

Supervisor

Symons, Doug

Degree Grantor

Acadia University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Honours

Discipline

Psychology

Affiliation

Psychology

Abstract

The current study takes an Attachment Theory approach to examine loss of a pet and emotional reactions to the passing. Participants were 73 undergraduate students from Acadia University who completed online measures of their pet history, attachment style towards people using the Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures questionnaire, and retrospective accounts of style towards a pet that had passed within the past five years using the Pet Attachment Questionnaire. In addition, there were measures of emotional adjustment to this event in terms of complicated grief, depression, and trauma symptoms. The first hypothesis was that there would be positive relationships between anxiety and avoidance in attachment styles with people and passed pets, and this was supported. The second hypothesis was that attachment orientations to people and pets would be correlated with measures of emotional adjustment. Results showed attachment anxiety to be positively related to complicated grief and trauma. Hierarchical regression analyses suggested that pet attachment style made unique contributions to complicated grief for the pet even when relationship style towards people was controlled. Results are discussed in terms of the unique aspects of attachment security towards passed pets and feelings of loss.

Rights

The author retains copyright in this thesis. Any substantial copying or any other actions that exceed fair dealing or other exceptions in the Copyright Act require the permission of the author.

Permanent Link

https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1182

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