Department of Psychiatry, Saint-Joseph University-Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
Department of Psychiatry, Saint-Joseph University-Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon; National Mental Health Program, Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon.
Encephale. 2024 Jun;50(3):275-283. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2023.06.017. Epub 2023 Sep 26.
COVID-19, the economic and the political crises happening in Lebanon, have enforced social distancing and isolation, causing severe psychological states. However, these psychological consequences have highlighted the aim behind the interactions between humans and animals. In this study, we aimed to investigate the interaction between humans and animals and to compare the well-being and quality of life of the Lebanese pet owners in Lebanon in the face of stressors currently experienced and animals' companionship.
An observational cross-sectional retrospective design was involved in this study. The study enrolling 314 participants via an online survey was conducted between March 2021 and May 2021. The questionnaire used was pre-tested and participants were given the choice of not participating. Participants were Lebanese and over the age of 18; they responded to questions regarding their interactions with animals and the impact of different stressors on their mental and physical state.
The study's findings indicate that most participants perceived their animals as a valuable source of support, and there was a significant correlation between the strength of the bond with their companion animals (as measured by the Comfort from Companion Animal Scale (CCAS) (R=0.14, P=0.009)) and their well-being. Additionally, the study revealed that individuals who had a closer relationship with their pets engaged in more physical activity, socialized more through social media during the pandemic period, and maintained better relationships with their parents and other relatives. However, the results showed no significant correlation between individuals' quality of life and their interaction with animals (R=0.10, P=0.07).
The positive impact of human-animal interaction on human well-being has been observed in Lebanon under various stressors. This impact is closely related to the strength of the bond between humans and their animals. During the pandemic period, having a companion animal was found to promote human well-being by encouraging physical activity and social interaction. It is noteworthy that emotional and psychological health was not affected by the number of animals an individual owned. However, the recent COVID-19, political, and socio-economic crises in Lebanon have raised serious concerns regarding the psychological state of its citizens. Thus, further research is needed to address the issues highlighted in this study.
COVID-19 大流行、黎巴嫩的经济和政治危机迫使人们保持社交距离和隔离，导致严重的心理状态。然而，这些心理后果凸显了人类与动物互动背后的目的。在这项研究中，我们旨在调查人类与动物的互动，并比较黎巴嫩养宠物的人在面对当前经历的压力源和动物陪伴时的幸福感和生活质量。
本研究采用观察性横断面回顾性设计。这项研究通过在线调查共招募了 314 名参与者，调查时间为 2021 年 3 月至 2021 年 5 月。使用的问卷经过预测试，参与者可以选择不参与。参与者为黎巴嫩人且年龄在 18 岁以上；他们回答了关于他们与动物互动以及不同压力源对他们的心理和身体状态的影响的问题。
研究结果表明，大多数参与者认为他们的动物是有价值的支持来源，他们与伴侣动物的关系强度（通过伴侣动物带来的舒适感量表（CCAS）测量）与他们的幸福感之间存在显著相关性（R=0.14，P=0.009）。此外，研究还表明，与宠物关系更密切的人在大流行期间更多地进行体育活动，更多地通过社交媒体进行社交，与父母和其他亲属的关系也更好。然而，研究结果表明，个人的生活质量与他们与动物的互动之间没有显著相关性（R=0.10，P=0.07）。
在各种压力源下，人类与动物的互动对人类幸福感产生了积极影响。这种影响与人类与动物之间的关系强度密切相关。在大流行期间，拥有伴侣动物通过鼓励体育活动和社会互动来促进人类的幸福感。值得注意的是，个体拥有的动物数量不会影响他们的情绪和心理健康。然而，最近黎巴嫩的 COVID-19、政治和社会经济危机引起了人们对其公民心理状态的严重关注。因此，需要进一步研究来解决本研究中提出的问题。
