The Impact of Pet Attachment on Chinese Womens Sense of Self-esteem, Mediated by Loneliness

This study investigates how pet attachment influences Chinese women’s self-esteem, with loneliness examined as a mediating factor, addressing the growing relevance of pet companionship as a source of emotional support in contemporary China. Data were collected from 201 female pet owners across multiple provinces in northern and southern China between March and May 2025. All participants had continuously kept a pet for at least six months before the survey period. Participants completed a set of standardized questionnaires assessing pet attachment, loneliness, and self-esteem. Path analysis using multiple linear regression and the PROCESS macro tested the hypothesized relationships. The findings indicated that pet attachment exerted a positive direct effect on women’s self-esteem, while loneliness demonstrated a negative direct influence with self-esteem. Furthermore, higher pet attachment was significantly linked to lower loneliness. Loneliness also served as a partial mediator, explaining the indirect effect of pet attachment on self-esteem. These findings highlight the dual role of pet companionship in enhancing women’s psychological well-being, offering theoretical insight into non-human social support and practical implications for interventions aimed at promoting women’s mental health.