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. 2023 May 3:11:e15288.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15288. eCollection 2023.

The influence of pet ownership on self-compassion among nurses: a cross-sectional study

Hu Jiang  1   2 , Yongxia Mei  1 , Xiaoxuan Wang  1 , Wenna Wang  1 , Beilei Lin  1 , Zhixin Zhao  1 , Zhenxiang Zhang  1
Affiliations

The influence of pet ownership on self-compassion among nurses: a cross-sectional study

Hu Jiang et al. PeerJ. .

Abstract

Background: The modern lifestyle trend of pet ownership is undoubtedly beneficial for both physical and mental health. Research has shown a connection between pet ownership and staff self-compassion. However, there has not been any evidence linking pet ownership to self-compassion in the nurse population.

Aims: To investigate the current status of pet ownership among nurses and explore the influence of pet ownership on self-compassion among nurses.

Methods: An online survey was conducted in July 2022 with 1,308 nurses in China. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire and a self-compassion scale. To compare categorical variables, the independent t test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis were utilized. SPSS software was used for the statistical analysis.

Results: We found that 16.9% of nurses owned at least one pet, and dogs and cats were the primary pets. The t test for independent samples showed that pet owners and non-pet owners scored differently on self-compassion (t = 3.286, p = 0.001), self-kindness (t = 3.378, p = 0.001), common humanity (t = 2.419, p = 0.016), and mindfulness (t = 2.246, p = 0.025). One-way ANOVA revealed that the highest degree was an influencing factor of self-compassion (χ 2 = 1.386, p = 0.019). Multiple linear regression showed that average monthly income, pet ownership, and highest degree were the factors that influenced self-compassion most significantly (F = 8.335, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The results revealed that nurses actually own pets as part of their modern lifestyle, which provides them with social support and potentially enhances their self-compassion. More efforts should be focused on the impact of pet ownership on nurses' physical and mental health, and pet-based interventions should also be developed.

Keywords: Nurse; Pet ownership; Self-compassion; Social support.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare there are no competing interests.

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