Pet bonding and pet bereavement among adolescents

The authors studied adolescent-pet bonding and bereavement following per loss. Three hypotheses were entertained: (a) Adolescents who are highly bonded to a pet experience more intense grief when it dies than do those less bonded: Ibt degree of bonding. when measured by self-disclosure, is greater for girls than for boys; and (c) intensity of bereavement is greater for girls than for boys. To test the hypotheses and provide descriptive data about bonding to various species. 55 adolescents who had recently experienced pet death were administered background questionnaires Companion Animal Bonding Scales (Poresky, Hendrix, & Mosier 1987). Per Attitude Scales (Poresky, Hendrix, & Mosier 1988), and Texas Inventory of Grief Scales (Faschingbauer 1981). Results supported the hypotheses Suggestions for counselors are offered.