Attachment to Pets Moderates Transitions in Latent Patterns of Mental Health Following the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Survey of U.S. Adults

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to elevated rates of mental health problems and distress among the U.S. population. Pets may be an important source of social support to combat social isolation. This cross-sectional study used latent profile analysis to identify subgroups of U.S. pet owners based on their perceived mental health symptoms prior to and after the onset of the pandemic. Latent transition analysis was used to determine the stability of subgroup membership and examine the effect of attachment to pets on transition probabilities. Five subgroups were identified: low symptoms, mild symptoms, moderate symptoms, high symptoms, and severe symptoms. Evidence of moderation was found, X(2)(16) = 41.47, p = 0.04. Specifically, results indicated that attachment to pets functioned as a protective factor for individuals exhibiting moderate and high levels of mental health symptoms, as above average attachment to pets was associated with greater odds of transitioning to a less severe symptom profile. However, individuals with severe symptom profiles and high attachment to pets fared worst in the context of COVID-19 restrictions. This study has important implications for future research investigating the role of pets on mental health and for those providing services to pet owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. ABSTRACT: This cross-sectional study examined whether, and to what extent, attachment to pets was associated with changes in latent patterns of adults’ perceived mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 1942). We used latent transition analysis to determine the stability of subgroup membership pre- and post-COVID and the effect of attachment to pets on transition probabilities. Mental health before COVID-19 was measured retrospectively. Five subgroups were identified: low symptoms, mild symptoms, moderate symptoms, high symptoms, and severe symptoms. Among individuals in the moderate and high symptoms subgroups, those who reported high attachment to pets generally had greater odds of transitioning to a less severe symptom profile (OR = 2.12) over time than those with low attachment to pets (OR = 1.39). However, those who had a severe symptom profile and high attachment to pets had lower odds of transitioning to a less severe symptom profile (OR = 0.30) and higher odds of maintaining a severe symptom profile (OR = 3.33) than those with low attachment to pets. These findings suggest that the protective and risk effects of attachment to pets differ based on individuals’ psychological symptom patterns across multiple indicators. We discuss the implications of these findings for research, policy, and practice.