scholarly journals Human–Animal Interaction and Perinatal Mental Health: A Narrative Review of Selected Literature and Call for Research

Author(s):  
Shelby E. McDonald ◽  
Camie A. Tomlinson ◽  
Jennifer W. Applebaum ◽  
Sara W. Moyer ◽  
Samantha M. Brown ◽  
...  

There is a paucity of research exploring how relationships with household pets may impact maternal mental health. We are unaware of any study to date that has examined associations between individuals’ relationships with their pets and psychological adjustment in the perinatal period. Using a biobehavioral lens, this paper provides a narrative overview of the literature on perinatal mental health and human–animal interaction (HAI). We focus on the role of social relationships, stress, and stress reduction in relation to perinatal mental health; the role of HAI in perceptions of social support, stressors, and stress reduction; and gaps in empirical knowledge concerning the role of HAI in perinatal mental health. Finally, we integrate contemporary biobehavioral models of perinatal mental health and HAI (i.e., Comprehensive Model of Mental Health during the Perinatal Period and the HAI–HPA Transactional Model) to propose a new conceptual framework that depicts ways in which HAI during the perinatal period may influence maternal and child health and wellbeing. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to consider the role of HAI in biobehavioral responses and mental health during the perinatal period. We conclude with recommendations for future research and improved perinatal care.

Author(s):  
Emily Shoesmith ◽  
Lion Shahab ◽  
Dimitra Kale ◽  
Daniel S. Mills ◽  
Catherine Reeve ◽  
...  

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents an opportunity to explore the role of animals as sources of emotional and physical support during a period when most of the population is experiencing social and environmental challenges. We investigated how companion animal owners perceived the influence of human–animal interaction on their physical and mental health during the first COVID-19 lockdown phase in the U.K., and what concerns they had regarding their animals at this time. We also explored the impact of participants’ interaction with non-companion animals during this phase. A cross-sectional online survey of U.K. residents aged over 18 was conducted between April and June 2020. The final item of the survey invited open-ended free-text responses, allowing participants to describe any experiences and/or perceptions of their human–animal relationships during the COVID-19 lockdown phase. A qualitative thematic analysis of responses was undertaken. Four main themes related to the following aspects of human–animal interactions during the COVID-19 lockdown phase were identified: the positive impact of animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., amelioration of wellbeing and mental health), concerns relating to animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., concerns over animals carrying the COVID-19 virus), grief and loss of an animal during the COVID-19 lockdown and the impact of engaging with non-companion animals during the COVID-19 lockdown. The findings complement and extend previous insights into the impact of human–animal interaction with both companion and non-companion animals. They also highlight the challenges of caring for an animal during the lockdown phase and indicate the need to consider the development of further targeted support strategies, such as “day care” for the companion animals of key workers in this context.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S64-S64
Author(s):  
A.L. Sutter-Dallay

The importance of the “1001 critical days” (conception to age 2) underlies the need to act early in life to enhance children's developmental outcomes. Lack of intervention is likely to affect the children of today but also the generations to come. For adults, transition to parenthood is a major stressful life event. The strong emotional load of this experience can make this transitional period much more challenging for adults with psychological, social and economic vulnerabilities, and lead to unadjusted interactions.Then, applying the “transactional model of development” (Sameroff, 2009) to the early perinatal period helps us to understand how the needs of infants can easily affect a parent's mental state and induce inadequate parenting behaviors. These in turn make the infant's interactions more difficult and the infant's development more likely to be impaired. Perinatal mental health is thus an important public health challenge for it is essential to provide services to enhance maternal and infant emotional well-being at a moment that is simultaneously when the mother's social and emotional vulnerabilities are at their height and a critical time in the child's development.Perinatal mental health policies, including joint care of parents and infants, must provide positive support for the potential virtuous circle between the skills and vulnerabilities of the infant and the parents.This presentation will explore the different types of joined perinatal care for parents and infants that cover a range of services, from parent-infant psychotherapies to joint mother-baby hospitalizations.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1572
Author(s):  
Evangelia Antoniou ◽  
Pinelopi Stamoulou ◽  
Maria-Dalida Tzanoulinou ◽  
Eirini Orovou

Pregnancy is a transitional period involving the most complex experiences in a woman’s life, during which the woman’s psychological status can be affected by a wide range of psychosocial variables. However, positive interpersonal relationships appear to constitute a supportive network that significantly influences perinatal mental health. Therefore, the presence of a supportive partner works psycho-protectively against the difficulties and pressures created by the transition to maternity. The aim of this study was to review systematically the influence of the partner on the woman’s psychology during the perinatal period. Fourteen research articles from PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar and PsycINFO were included in the review from a total of 1846 articles. Most studies have shown a correlation between the support from the partner and prenatal depression and anxiety. Support from the spouse during childbirth is related to the extent to which women feel safe during labor as well as the stress during childbirth. The role of the partner is very important in the occurrence of perinatal mental disorders in women. Of course, more research needs to be done in the field of perinatal mental health. The risk factors that lead to mental disorders need to be clarified and the role of the partner in the perinatal period requires reinforcement and needs to be given the necessary importance.


Jurnal Common ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-93
Author(s):  
Nahemia Audrian

Interaksi manusia dengan hewan telah menjadi fenomena yang selalu terjadi selama berabad-abad.   Salah satu hewan yang memiliki kapabilitas kecerdasan tinggi dalam berkomunikasi ialah lumba-lumba. Lumba-Lumba ialah salah satu mamalia laut yang sering di pertunjukan di berbagai wahana wisata, sirkus, hiburan, juga penelitian maupun pengobatan. Keterlibatan lumba-lumba ini tidak terlepas dari peran pelatih yang selalu berinteraksi dalam melatih lumba-lumba.  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui makna pengalaman pelatih dalam berinteraksi dengan lumba-lumba dalam pertunjukan “Dolphin Show” di Ocean Dream Samudra – Ancol. Pemaknaan nilai-nilai hidup dalam pengimplikasian jenis komunikasi yang diterapkan pelatih dalam metode pelatihan menjadi dasar pembahasan. Peneltian dilakukan di dolphinarium Ocean Dream Samudera – Taman Impian Jaya Ancol.  Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan fenomenologi interpretatif dengan pendekatan model Collaizi (1978) sebagai teknik analisis data beserta triangulasi sumber data. Interaksi antar pelatih dan lumba-lumba didasarkan oleh rasa cinta pada hewan yang didukung oleh penggunaan jenis komunikasi seperti verbal, gestur, objek, peluit ultrasonik, fokus tatapan mata, dan bahasa telepati. Interaksi didukung juga oleh perubahan makna simbol, proses konsisten disiplin dan pemberian reward dalam proses latihan. Kesalahan berinteraksi yang terjadi saat pertunjukan ditutupi oleh kemahiran pelatih dalam improvisasi acting. Koneksi yang terjalin antar pelatih dan lumba-lumba memungkinkan komunikasi antar manusia dan hewan dapat terjadi.   Abstract Human - animal interaction has always been a phenomenon throughout hundreds of years. One of the cleverest animal species that have high inteligence capability in communication are dolphins. Dolphins are one of the cetacean group that often being shown in various places such as theme park, circus, entertainment, research and also medication centre. This involvement of dolphins usually attached with the role of trainers that always interact while training those dolphins. This research aimed to discover the meaning of trainers and dolphins’ interaction experience in “Dolphin Show” Ocean Dream Samudra – Ancol. The meaning of life value in implicating communication aspects used by trainers becoming analysis foundation. This research was held in Ocean Dream Samudra – Taman Impian Jaya Ancol. This research uses Collaizi’s (1978) model as data analysis techniques and the triangulation sources of data. Interaction between trainers and dolphins is based on the feeling of love for animals in which supported by incorporating communication aspects such as verbal, gesture, objects, ultrasonic whistle, focus in eye sight, and telepathy. The changes in meaning produced by symbol and the consistency, discipline and reward management in training also support the interaction process. Miss comunication that occur during shows, covered by the ability of acting improvisation. The connection between trainers and dolphins enabling communication between human and animals.


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