Pets, a source of support to improve the emotional well-being of minors in situations of bullying

In Spain, about 10 percent of primary school students say they feel bullied. The bond with dogs and cats is a source of social support for young people and this interaction strengthens self-esteem.

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Living with a dog or cat contributes to improving the emotional health of minors who are bullied at school. This is stated by the Affinity Foundation which, on the occasion of World Anti-Bullying Day, which is celebrated on May 2, wants to highlight the importance of the bond with pets when consolidating them as a source of inexhaustible social support for people. . In Spain, nearly 10% of primary school students (aged 6 to 12) say they feel bullied, according to the first state study¹ of school coexistence in Primary Education, from the University of Alcalá de Henares at the request of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.

The positive effects that contact with animals can have on the emotional health of young people have been scientifically proven. “Animals can help us in difficult times, providing us comfort and being those to whom we can tell things that we would not say to anyone else. Their ability to provide us with unconditional support becomes especially important in these situations,” says Jaume Fatjó, Director of the Affinity Animals and Health Foundation Chair at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. “For children and adolescents, contact with animals gives them instant support, because it is someone who does not judge them and is always available,” he adds.

Dogs and cats therefore represent a secure attachment figure for young people that positively influences feelings of anxiety, sadness and hopelessness and the perception of loneliness, which strengthens them when facing difficult situations such as bullying. school. “Living with an animal, which requires care and has needs, highlights our human capacity to help and receive help. This allows minors to feel useful, strengthening their self-esteem and self-acceptance. In addition, it motivates them to interact more with other people, thus improving their emotional health,” declares Jaume Fatjó.

The cases of improvement of Noa and María

This is the case of Noa, 17 years old, who suffered bullying at the beginning of his adolescence, which led to a spiral of self-harm that culminated in two suicide attempts. Her relationship with her two dogs was vital when it came to overcoming this very complicated moment in her life: “They were like a diary to me; I felt like I was telling them what was happening to me and that they weren’t judging me. From the beginning they made me feel very special, they brightened my day and made me wake up in a good mood. The two have been key to getting out of that loop of discomfort and now I look much better,” she explains.

For her part, María Crivillé, 18, also suffered bullying, which led her to suffer from an eating disorder from the age of 11. For her, “animals are family, they are friends and they are home. For me, my dogs were another type of medication throughout the entire process. When I cry they sit next to me and shake me, and they don’t leave until I say enough is enough. I think that, if they have been a very good therapy for me, they can also be for others,” she says.

The studies carried out to date indicate that the effects of living with animals depend, however, on the particularities of each child or adolescent and the environment in which they live. “So, although interaction with dogs and cats offers clear benefits, we must understand it as another help to deal with the emotional and mental health problems of the youngest,” explains Jaume Fatjó.

Social support

The Affinity Foundation wants to focus its activity on disseminating the figure of companion animals as a source of social support for people. The concept “social support” includes the set of interactions, relationships and resources that a person receives from their social environment, including their family, friends, study or work colleagues, and the community in general. This support can be emotional, instrumental or merely informational, and is intended to help you in times of need, stress or difficulty. Social support can be articulated in a variety of ways, from offering advice, providing practical help, showing empathy and understanding, or simply listening and being present during difficult times.

A good source of social support is one that is always available, is close from an emotional point of view, and offers the possibility of physical contact. Pets satisfy these demands almost perfectly and, for this reason, they are so valued by people as members of their family and social environment. But they not only complete this social support network but also promote it and act as social catalysts for the person to create and strengthen social relationships with other people.

References:

¹ University of Alcalá de Henares, 2023.