Measuring Connections Between Children and Pets: Development of the Child–Dog Engagement Scale and Child–Cat Engagement Scale
2025
Deanna L. Tepper | Tiffani J. Howell | Pauleen C. Bennett
As more families expand to include pets, it is important to explore how children interact and engage with them. While the past literature has focused on children&rsquo:s involvement in animal-assisted therapy or their relationships with assistance animals, their everyday relationships with pets remain understudied. Following expert discussion and focus groups, a sample of 319 parents/guardians completed a questionnaire on their child&rsquo:s relationship with their pet. Analysis of the data resulted in the development of a 38-item Child&ndash:Dog Engagement Scale (C-DES) and a 29-item Child&ndash:Cat Engagement Scale (C-CES). Each of these measures three factors: Emotional Attachment, Engagement, and Challenges. The development of parallel child&ndash:dog and child&ndash:cat scales offers a way to measure children&rsquo:s relationships across these species, while accounting for the different needs of these animals and the unique ways that children may interact and care for them. The scales therefore provide a foundation for future research exploring how children&rsquo:s relationships with both cats and dogs may contribute to their development.
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