TY - JOUR
T1 - "They're there for you"
T2 - Men's relationships with companion animals
AU - Risley-Curtiss, Christina
AU - Holley, Lynn
AU - Kodiene, Sulamita
PY - 2011/10
Y1 - 2011/10
N2 - Most people in the United States living with companion animals consider them family members (GfK Roper, 2009), however little is known about what this means. This study explores the beliefs about and experiences with companion animals of 12 men from various ethnic and social class groups, national origins, and geographic settings. Findings include that most men considered their pets to be members of the family, though not necessarily on a par with human members. Men's attitudes and relationships appeared to vary by race/ethnicity, social class, type of geographic community, and national origin. Implications are offered for social work practice and research so that social workers might develop more accurate assessments and effective interventions by taking these relationships into account.
AB - Most people in the United States living with companion animals consider them family members (GfK Roper, 2009), however little is known about what this means. This study explores the beliefs about and experiences with companion animals of 12 men from various ethnic and social class groups, national origins, and geographic settings. Findings include that most men considered their pets to be members of the family, though not necessarily on a par with human members. Men's attitudes and relationships appeared to vary by race/ethnicity, social class, type of geographic community, and national origin. Implications are offered for social work practice and research so that social workers might develop more accurate assessments and effective interventions by taking these relationships into account.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84862123523&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84862123523&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1606/1044-3894.4152
DO - 10.1606/1044-3894.4152
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84862123523
SN - 1044-3894
VL - 92
SP - 412
EP - 418
JO - Families in Society
JF - Families in Society
IS - 4
ER -