Comparing the mental health of Pet Owners and Ordinary People

taking care of pets is a phenomenon which has increased during the lastdecade in Iran, which can be due to the personality traits and psychologicalcharacteristics of people, and it can affect the psychological welfare of thosepeople. Accordingly, the current study tries to compare the personality traitsand psychological welfare of pet owners and ordinary people. The study usesa causative-comparative method and the statistical population of the studyincludes all the pet owners visiting veterinary clinics of Kerman City andordinary people living in Kerman City within the age range of ۱۸ to ۴۵ years.۴۲۰ participants (۲۱۰ participants for each group) were selected usingconvenient sampling method as the sample of the study. In order to gather therequired data, two questionnaires including psychological welfarequestionnaire (RSPWB) and Neo’s five-factor questionnaire were used. Thedata were analyzed using SPSS ۲۲ software application and descriptivestatistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independentt-test). The results of the study show that the level of neuroticism andopenness was higher among pet owners compared to ordinary people;however, the levels of extroversion, compatibility, and responsibility werehigher among ordinary individuals compared to pet owners. Moreover, the psychological welfare and its components, including self-acceptance, positiverelations with others, autonomy, control over the environment, andpurposeful life were higher among ordinary people than the pet owners.

کلیدواژه ها:

personality traits ، psychological welfare ، pet owners