A Comparison of the Grief Reaction of Children and Adults: Focusing on Pet Loss and Bereavement

Abstract

Based on the fact that the human-animal bond has existed through recorded history and researchers are now beginning to explore humans' reactions to its loss, this study attempts to answer the following questions: Does human attachment to a pet vary with age/stage of development? Does grief vary by age/stage of development? Does the length and intensity of grief change if the loss was anticipated or sudden? The purpose of this study is to understand attachment and bereavement/loss in children and adolescents as compared to adults. The “Pet Attachment Survey,” the “Grief Experience Inventory,” and “Questions for Each Person in the Study” were the instruments used in this study. The participants included 106 children, 57 adolescents, and 270 adults who had lost their pets within a twelve-month interval. The findings suggest that children and adolescents have similar attachments to their pets. Children grieved more than adults in this study. Anticipated grief partially helped participants to allay the grief response.