grief severity after the loss of a pet (PDF)

GRIEF SEVERITY AFTER THE LOSS OF A PET by Sara Hicks, B.A. A thesis submitted to the Graduate Council of Texas State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts with a Major in Psychological Research August 2018 Committee Members: Kelly Haskard Zolnierek, Chair Millie Cordaro, Member Ollie Seay, Member  COPYRIGHT By Sara Hicks 2018  FAIR USE AND AUTHOR’S PERMISSION STATEMENT Fair Use This work is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, section 107). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of this material for financial gain without the author’s express written permission is not allowed. Duplication Permission As the copyright holder of this work I, Sara Hicks, authorize duplication of this work, in whole or in part, for educational or scholarly purposes only.  iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge my committee members Dr. Haskard, Dr. Cordaro, and Dr. Seay, for all of their help and encouragement throughout this entire process. I would also like to acknowledge my family and friends who loved and supported me over the last two years, especially my wonderful boyfriend, David. Without them, none of this would have been possible. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my dog, Precious, who unfortunately passed away before the completion of my thesis. She will always be missed.  v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................iv ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................vi CHAPTER I. LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................1 The Grief Process.....................................................................................2 Attachment to Pets....................................................................................3 Grief and Pet Loss....................................................................................4 Attachment Level and Grief Severity........................................................6 Manner of Death and Grief Severity.........................................................7 Gender Differences and Grief Severity ....................................................8 The Current Study ...................................................................................9 Research Questions ...............................................................................10 II. METHOD .....................................................................................................11 Participants.............................................................................................11 Materials ................................................................................................11 Procedure ...............................................................................................13 Analysis ................................................................................................13 III. RESULTS....................................................................................................15 Research Question 1...............................................................................19 Research Question 2...............................................................................20 Research Question 3...............................................................................20 Research Question 4...............................................................................20 Research Question 5 ..............................................................................21 IV. DISCUSSION..............................................................................................22 Limitations and Future Research ............................................................25 Conclusion .............................................................................................27 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................28  vi ABSTRACT An overwhelming number of households in the United States consist of at least one pet. It is not uncommon for individuals to consider their pets to be part of the family. However, when a pet dies, the grief experienced afterwards typically goes unrecognized; this is called disenfranchised grief. Much of the research conducted on attachment and grief severity after the loss of a pet has focused specifically on traditional pets (dogs and cats) and not on nontraditional pets (other than dogs and cats). The current study examined attachment levels and grief severity among individuals who had recently experienced the loss of a pet, traditional and nontraditional, due to death. The current study also examined whether the manner in which a pet died (expected or unexpected) would have any relationship with grief severity. Finally, the current study examined whether there was a relationship between gender, attachment levels, and grief severity. The results found that traditional pet owners were significantly more attached to their pets and that they experienced a stronger grief response than owners of nontraditional pets. The manner in which a pet died also had a significant relationship with grief severity, with unexpected deaths being significantly associated with greater grief severity. Also, there was no significant difference found between male and female participants’ attachment levels or grief severity. These findings help to fill the gap in the literature by examining both traditional and nontraditional pet owners.  1 I. LITERATURE REVIEW It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of households in the United States include at least one pet (Eckerd, Barnett, & Jett-Dias, 2016). Recent demographic studies have shown that there are now more households in the United States with pets than households with children (Rujoiu & Rujoiu, 2014). It is not uncommon for pet owners to consider their pets to be members of their family (Brown & Symons, 2016; Eckerd et al., 2016; Field, Orsini, Gavish, & Packman, 2009; Gosse & Barnes, 1994; Hunt & Padilla, 2006; Planchon, Templer, Stokes, & Keller, 2002). However, because most animals have a much shorter life span than humans (Brown & Symons, 2016; Eckerd et al., 2016; King & Werner, 2011; Wrobel & Dye, 2003), millions of families each year will experience the death of a pet (Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Sharkin & Knox, 2003). Although the death of a pet is a relatively frequent occurrence, the grief that follows is still generally unrecognized by society and mental health professionals (Eckerd et al., 2016; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990). Also, much of the recent research on pet loss has produced inconsistent and often contradictory results (McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002). While attachment level has been the best predictor of grief severity (Brown & Symons, 2016; Cordaro, 2012; Eckerd et al., 2016; Field et al., 2009; Gosse & Barnes, 1994; Hunt & Padilla, 2006; McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Sharkin & Knox, 2003; Wrobel & Dye, 2003; Tzivian et al., 2014), research on the manner in which a pet dies as it relates to grief and gender differences among grieving pet owners has been highly inconsistent (Eckerd et al., 2016; McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002).  2 The Grief Process Grief is defined as the series of responses by an individual who has recently experienced a significant loss or death (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005). Research has shown that when dealing with a human related loss, grief is experienced through five predictable stages. Those five stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (Cordaro, 2012; Kubler-Ross, 1969; Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). Denial is usually the first stage experienced immediately after the death of a significant individual. At this stage in the grief process, individuals commonly experience feelings of numbness and disbelief. It is difficult to fathom a reality in which the deceased individual simply does not exist anymore. Anger is a stage that can take place in a variety of forms such as by engaging in blame. For example, those close to the deceased may blame themselves for doing nothing to stop their loved one’s death. Also, some individuals may blame the deceased for not taking better care of themselves (Cordaro, 2012; Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005). Bargaining is a stage that can be experienced both before and after a significant loss. With bargaining experienced before a loss, an individual will commonly express their willingness to do whatever it takes to keep their loved one alive or to bring their loved one back to life (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005). Because bargaining does not bring their loved one back from the dead, the reality of the loss often causes feelings of deep sadness and even guilt (Cordaro, 2012; Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990). In the depression stage, an individual’s attention begins to focus on the present. During this stage in the grief process, individuals experience intense feelings of emptiness and darkness. It is not uncommon for an individual to feel as if the depression  3 may last forever. Individuals may begin to withdraw from life and wonder if there is any real reason to continue on without their loved one (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005). Also, individuals in the depression stage often suffer from sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, and intense feelings of sadness (Cordaro, 2012). Depression after the death of a loved one is often viewed as unnatural within society. However, this stage of grief is very necessary to the healing process. It would be completely unnatural to not experience a period of depression after the death of a loved one (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005). The final stage in the grief process is acceptance. At this stage, it is commonly thought that the grieving individual is completely over their loss. However, this is not the case. An individual may never be completely over their loss. The acceptance stage is really the point in which the grieving individual finally accepts their loss as permanent and they begin to work to establish a new normal. The Kubler-Ross model of grief is typically applied to situations where an individual has lost a significant human. However, this model has been adapted to situations where an individual has lost a companion animal (Cordaro, 2012; Kubler- Ross & Kessler, 2005). Attachment to Pets According to Sharkin and Bahrick (1990), most pets in the United States are owned specifically for companionship. Evidence suggests that this companionship has a positive effect on the owners’ overall welfare. For example, pet ownership can promote a sense of security and minimize the effects of social isolation, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and stress (Cordaro, 2012; Field et al., 2009; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Sharkin & Knox, 2003). Research has shown that people form strong emotional attachments to their pets (Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990); it is not uncommon for people to describe being  4 more attached to their pets than to other people in their lives (Packman, Field, Carmack, & Ronen, 2011; Sharkin & Knox, 2003). Those who report high levels of attachment to their pets often describe the connection as being equal to that of their significant other, close relatives, or close friends (Cordaro, 2012; Hunt & Padilla, 2006). In fact, many people communicate with their pets as if they were children, sometimes even referring to them as their “baby” (Packman et al., 2011). While the emotional attachments made between humans and their pets are socially acknowledged, sadly the grief experienced as a result of the death of a pet is not (Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990). Grief and Pet Loss Grief that is not socially sanctioned or recognized by society, such as grief that is experienced after the death of a pet, is called disenfranchised grief. It is generally considered inappropriate to publicly mourn the death of a pet and it frequently goes unacknowledged by others (Cordaro, 2012; Packman et al., 2011; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). There is an apparent lack of socially acceptable mourning procedures and outlets for grief expression when pet loss is experienced, such as funerals. In respect to human loss, funerals have been proven to be crucial to the healing process (Wrobel & Dye, 2003). It is widely believed that because a pet is not human, the grief that is experienced should not be as intense even though the connection may be just as significant. It is often recommended that individuals replace their pets that have passed in order to overcome grief faster (Cordaro, 2012; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). Although it would not be appropriate to suggest that a person replace a husband or a wife that had recently passed, it is common to urge people to quickly replace pets that have passed (Packman et al., 2011). Disenfranchised grief can have serious consequences for the  5 individual in mourning, such as feelings of isolation, shame, and complicated grief. Complicated grief is a type of chronic grief that goes unresolved long after the typical grieving period (Cordaro, 2012, Wrobel & Dye, 2003). Studies have shown that individuals who are grieving the loss of a pet progress through similar stages as individuals who are grieving the loss of a person. At first, pet owners commonly experience feelings of denial, disbelief, and numbness (Cordaro, 2012; Rujoiu & Rujoiu, 2013; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). This is usually followed by feelings of anger. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the pet’s death, pet owners may feel anger towards themselves or veterinary staff if the owner feels that there was not enough done to save their pet (Cordaro, 2012; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). After anger, pet owners usually begin to experience feelings of intense guilt, sorrow, and depression. At this point in the grief process, pet owners are often preoccupied with thoughts of their pet (Cordaro, 2012; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). Over time, pet owners will experience acceptance, which is the final stage in the grief process (Cordaro, 2012; Rujoiu & Rujoiu, 2013; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). However, it is important to note that these stages do not necessarily progress in this order. Some individuals may advance through these stages in a different order, while others may skip stages altogether (Cordaro, 2012). The literature describes several grief symptoms which are commonly reported among pet owners which include loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, reduced social activities, and intense sadness (Brown & Symons, 2016; Cordaro, 2012; Hunt & Padilla, 2006; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990). Other characteristics of grief commonly described by individuals  6 include crying, sadness, loneliness, and guilt (Eckerd et al., 2016; Tzivian, Friger, & Kushnir, 2014; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). Attachment Level and Grief Severity Previous research has suggested that an individual’s attachment level is an excellent predictor of both duration and intensity of grief experienced after a pet’s death (Brown & Symons, 2016; Cordaro, 2012; Eckerd et al., 2016; Field et al., 2009; Gosse & Barnes, 1994; Hunt & Padilla, 2006; McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Sharkin & Knox, 2003; Wrobel & Dye, 2003; Tzivian et al., 2014). A study conducted by Gosse and Barnes (1994), used the Grief Experience Inventory to assess grief severity among individuals who had lost a pet dog or cat. Within the Grief Experience Inventory, there are three subscales which include Despair, Social Isolation, and Somatization. It was determined that the owner’s level of attachment was a significant predictor of an individual’s grief severity across all three subscales mentioned (Gosse & Barnes, 1994). Studies have shown that pet owners who report stronger levels of attachment to their pet will experience a more prolonged period of grief (Cordaro, 2012; Gosse & Barnes, 1994; Sharkin & Knox, 2003; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). While there is no precise time limit, studies have found that grief usually begins to decline around six months but can last well over a year (Eckerd et al., 2016; Gosse & Barnes, 1994; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). In a study conducted by Wrobel and Dye (2003), it was determined that the average participant spent around 10 months grieving their pet. Also, research has shown that those who report being highly attached to their pet will experience more intense grief after their pet’s death (Brown & Symons, 2016; Cordaro, 2012; Eckerd et al., 2016; Gosse & Barnes, 1994; Hunt & Padilla, 2006; McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002;  7 Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Wrobel & Dye, 2003; Tzivian et al., 2014). It is not uncommon for individuals to report the death of a pet to be as significant as the death of a close friend, family member, or spouse (Cordaro, 2012; Gosse & Barnes, 1994; Planchon et al., 2002; Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). This is especially true for individuals who report difficulties in developing attachment with other humans (Sharkin & Bahrick, 1990; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). One study comparing grief intensity among individuals who had recently lost a pet and a significant human found similar grief responses among participants at follow-ups of 2, 8, and 26 weeks. Some of the grief responses mentioned were crying, feelings of guilt, depression, anger, and difficulty sleeping (Planchon et al., 2002). Manner of Death and Grief Severity Current research surrounding grief severity and the manner in which an individual’s pet dies has produced inconsistent results (Eckerd et al., 2016; McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002). The human-animal relationship is unique in the sense that the owner may have to make the difficult decision to have their pet euthanized (Eckerd et al., 2016). It is estimated that each year around 2.5 million pets have to be euthanized (Sharkin & Knox, 2003). Both pet owners and veterinarians view euthanasia as beneficial in certain situations. For example, euthanasia may be the preferred option if a pet is suffering from an injury or a terminal illness (McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002; Sharkin & Knox, 2003; Tzivian et al., 2014). According to McCutcheon and Fleming (2002), pet owners who made the decision to euthanize experienced significantly less grief severity than pet owners whose pets died naturally. Researchers believe that not allowing a pet to suffer provides comfort to the owner (Planchon et al., 2002; Tzivian et al., 2014). However,  8 other studies suggest that pet owners who choose euthanasia experience higher grief severity than pet owners whose pets die naturally. Researchers believe that pet owners feel guilt and a sense of responsibility for their pet’s death (Hunt & Padilla, 2006; McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002; Sharkin & Knox, 2003; Tzivian et al., 2014). Several studies have investigated whether an unexpected death would cause a more severe grief response than an expected death (Archer & Winchester, 1994; Eckerd et al., 2016; McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002; Wrobel & Dye, 2003). According to Archer and Winchester (1994), unexpectedness was positively correlated with grief intensity (Archer & Winchester, 1994; Eckerd et al., 2016). It is believed that higher grief intensity is due to the lack of mental preparation afforded with an unexpected death (Archer & Winchester, 1994). However, according to Field et al. (2009), no such relationship exists (Eckerd et al., 2016; Field et al., 2009). Researchers believe that when pet owners are aware that death is likely, they begin what is called the anticipatory grief process. Anticipatory grief is a grief-like process that begins when death is expected. The less intense grief severity is believed to be related to the grief process beginning prior to the pet’s death (Archer & Winchester, 1994). Other studies have shown that when a pet dies due to an accident, such as a car accident, owners will experience longer and more intense grief. Researchers believe that pet owners feel guilt and anger for not doing more to protect their pet (Brown & Symons, 2016; Hunt & Padilla, 2006; Planchon et al., 2002; Tzivian et al., 2014). Gender Differences and Grief Severity When examining the effects that gender differences have on pet loss, past research has yielded inconsistent results (Eckerd et al., 2016; McCutcheon & Fleming,  9 2002). According to Gosse and Barnes (1994), both male and female participants reported being equally attached to their pets. Several studies reported that female participants experience higher grief severity than male participants (Eckerd et al., 2016; Sharkin & Knox, 2003; Wrobel & Dye, 2003), another study reported that female participants only experienced higher levels of despair than male participants (Eckerd et al., 2016; Gosse & Barnes, 1994; Hunt & Padilla, 2006; McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002; Sharkin & Knox, 2003; Wrobel & Dye, 2003), and other studies reported no significant difference between male and female participants (Eckerd et al., 2016). Researchers believe that these inconsistent results may be due to certain gender stereotypes (Gosse & Barnes, 1994). Past research has shown that females are far more likely to report and seek professional help after the loss of a pet than males (Gosse & Barnes, 1994; Hunt & Padilla, 2006; McCutcheon & Fleming, 2002). The Current Study Currently, there is a lack of research that assesses attachment levels and grief severity among individuals who have lost companion animals other than dogs and cats, or “nontraditional” pets. To date, research has focused solely on individuals who have lost traditional pets (Eckerd, et al., 2016). For the purpose of this study the term “traditional pet” will be used when referring only to cats and dogs (Vonk, Patton, & Galvan, 2016). The term nontraditional pet will be used when referring to pets other than cats and dogs. Examples of nontraditional pets include birds, fish, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles, lizards, and snakes (Schuppli, Fraser, & Bacon, 2014). The current study, which uses a correlational, survey-based design, will attempt to expand our current knowledge base and fill this void in the literature. In addition, further research could be of importance to