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The Beneficial Effects of Pets on Children's Emotional Development

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The Beneficial Effects of Pets on Children's Emotional Development
The Beneficial Effects of Pets on
Children’s Emotional Development xxx California State University, Fullerton

Abstract
Pets are known to provide benefits to those who interact with them. It has been found that pet ownership can generate positive changes within the lives of their owners, and the development of the owner’s children. The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits that pets have on these children and to use scholarly peer-reviewed journals to support these benefits, which include increased empathy, strengthened communication skills, and reduced stress. The studies within these journals all involve investigating the relationship between pets and children, with an emphasis on how these children are affected by comparing their levels pre-pet and post pet, as well as their levels to children who are in families that do not have pets. All of the studies conclude that there are positive effects within children’s lives when they are exposed to pets.

Introduction In recent years there have been numerous studies across the world that have been investigating the ways that pet ownership affects society. While many keep their focus on the effects that pets have on their adult owners, other researchers have been exploring the relationship between pets and the children of the owners. It has been noted that there are many benefits to children being exposed to pets and small animals during young and middle childhood, with these effects remaining long-lasting and continuing into adolescence and adulthood (Wells, 2009). This research paper will analyze the interactions found between pets and children, along with the beneficial effects that they have towards a child’s emotional development. There are a variety of ways that a child’s development can be affected. Influences within the home, school, or the surrounding environment of a child are important to note when studying how their development is altered. Although the outcomes



References: Daly, B., & Suggs, S. (2010). Teachers’ experience with humane education and animals in the elementary classroom: Implications for empathy development. Journal of Moral Education, 39(1), 101-112. doi: 10.1080/0305724093528733 Esposito, L., McCune, S., Griffin, J. A., & Maholmes, V. (2011). Directions in human-animal interaction research: Child development, health, and therapeutic interventions. Child Development Perspectives, 5(3), 205-211. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-8606.2011.00175 Kaufman, D. M., & Tsai, Y. L. (2009). The socioemotional effects of a computer-simulated animal on children. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 41, 103-122. doi: 10.2190/EC.41.1.e Triebenbacher, S. L. (1998). Pets as transitional objects: Their role in children’s emotional development. Psychological Reports, 82, 191-200. doi: 10.2466/pr0.1998.82.1.191 Wells, D.L. (2009). The effects of animals on human health and well-being. Journal of Social Issues, 65(3), 523-543. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-4560.2009.01612.x

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