Future Directions in Human-Animal Bond Research
Abstract
Human-animal contact can influence psychological and physiological parameters important to health and welfare; nevertheless, there has been relatively little research on the variables that influence or mediate those health consequences. In addition, little attention has been paid on how to create or alter the animal interactions for the betterment of people and their animals. The investigation can be guided by two theoretical perspectives, which make powerful but different and testable predictions: the biophilia hypothesis and social support theory. Along with this theoretically driven research, there is a need for replication of salient research findings to resolve important discrepancies in the literature. Last, animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has to be placed in the context of alternative therapies now available to define its specificity, risks, and overall benefits.
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Acceptability and tolerability have rarely been directly assessed in the literature.
“Despite this, acceptability and tolerability have rarely been directly assessed in the literature [57, 58].”
From Incorporating animal-assisted therapy in mental health treatments for adolescents: A systematic review of canine assisted psychotherapy (2019) · cites this paper as [57]
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“Despite this, acceptability and tolerability have rarely been directly assessed in the literature [57, 58].”
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- Authors
- Beck, A. M., & Katcher, A. H.
- Affiliations
- Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
- ORCID
- Beck, Alan M.
- Venue
- American Behavioral Scientist
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2003-09
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 79-93
- ISSN
- 0002-7642 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-3381
- OpenAlex
- W1985559420
- Cited by
- 280
- References
- 88
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Behavioral Scientist (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Urban Green Space and Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- human-animal bond, human-animal contact, biophilia hypothesis, social support theory, animal-assisted therapy, animal welfare, human health, complementary and alternative medicine
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