Understanding the relevance of psychopathological features in pets-owner relationship: state of the art and future directions – a narrative review

Objective: Increasing attention on the correlation between pet-ownership and mental health or well-being in general population and those affected by psychiatric and cognitive disorders is currently arising. It has been proposed that emotional attachment to pets moderates the relationship between pet-ownership and mental health. Most data highlight the benefits that pet-owner relationships may lead to the individual. Notwithstanding, there are evidence of presence of some psychological features in pets’ owners that may belong to several psychopathological spectra. These features may have important implication for individual well-being, and, in the pet relationship which tends to compensate owners’ potential abnormal traits. However, the presence of abnormal traits may, in turn predispose the individual to the worsening of psychopathological features in stressful circumstances, especially when the relationship with the animal is hampered. This review aims to highlight relevant data from the literature on this issue and advance hypotheses for future research and clinical implications. Method: A narrative review of the available literature on the topic was carried in three main databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science), between September 2024 and December 2024, using the following string: ((pet attachment) OR (pet owner relationship) OR (pet owner personality) AND/OR (mental health) AND/OR (quality of life) AND/OR (autism) AND/OR (separation anxiety)). Results: Personality traits, such as neuroticism, empathy, and consciousness play in shaping the bond between pets and their owners. While traits like empathy often enhance emotional bonding and quality of life, the literature also acknowledge that they may overlap with psychological distress or disorders, complicating the interpretation of these relationship. Interestingly, even traits typically considered negative such as narcissism, may manifest positively in pet care, further complicating the dynamics of pet attachment. While pet provide emotional security, especially for individuals with anxiety disorder or neuroatypical traits, excessive attachment can introduce emotional vulnerabilities and worsen psychological issue. Conclusions: This review call for future research to better understand the psychological implications of pet attachment and suggest potential clinical applications for fostering healthy bonds and improving mental health well-being.