Australia; VIC; QLD; WA
Kids who were anxious during the second COVID wave may have been gravitating towards pets to seek additional comfort, say Aussie researchers who found that more anxious kids also had greater attachment to a family pet. The authors say the result might seem counterintuitive when we know pets can be good for our wellbeing, but it may be that parents and children who were feeling unsettled during the pandemic were gravitating towards pets to seek additional comfort. They say it is possible that families are turning to animals as a source of comfort, during a time when traditional social supports were less accessible, or that strong pet attachment reflects high levels of empathy, which might increase vulnerability to psychological distress.
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