The presence of a dog promotes attachment, conversation and social interaction of the child.
The presence of a pet, especially a dog, had already been associated with a decrease in overweight and asthma, a soothing role in children suffering from cancer and stabilize heart rhythm. According to a new study published in the journal Preventive Chroic Disease, dogs are also anti-anxiety weapons for children.
Indeed, this animal strengthens the commitment, stimulates conversation and encourages social interaction. All these benefits contribute to the increased levels of oxytocin, the hormone of love, and lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. In the US, nearly one in eight children suffers from anxiety.
The authors of the study, US researchers from Bassett Medical Center in New York, used a test on the internet, the DartScreen to measure the mental health of 643 children with an average age of 7 years. These works lasted 18 months and reviewed physical activity, diet, emotional difficulties, parental depression, anxiety, behavior and concentration of children. The researchers also asked families if they owned a dog.
Among those surveyed, 73% had a pet, a dog 58%, while 21% had not. Result: the scientists found a link between low anxiety scores and the presence of a dog. In contrast, 21% of children who scored high were not living with that animal.
