Exploring pet ownership as a meaningful occupation among individuals with mental health conditions living within the community

Abstract

Background. Occupational therapists believe that engagement in occupations empowers individuals with their health, self-esteem, and well-being. Pet ownership is one of the many possible occupations one may choose to engage in. As documented in literature throughout the world and over decades, owning a pet has a wide range of benefits that span from physiological to psychological. Aim. After identifying the gap within the existing literature, this study aimed to understand the experience of Maltese adults suffering from mental illness while living in the community and explore how pet ownership is a meaningful relationship to them. Method. The study was conducted through a qualitative design, with the use of semi-structured interviews, to gain in-depth information on the participant's experiences and perspectives about pet ownership. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling according to inclusion criteria through an intermediatory. Eight semi-structured interviews were carried out with three male and five female participants. Results. After thematic analysis was used to analyse the data collected, two principal themes were identified. These were ‘Personal Gains’ and ‘Outcomes’. In addition, further sub-themes were identified for each major theme. These were ‘Unconditional Love’, ‘Emotional Support’, and ‘Humanisation of Pets’ for the first theme. The second theme sub-themes were ‘Habits and Routine’, ‘Motivation’, and ‘Negatives’. Implications. Some of the main findings were similar to those from other international studies, such as pets offering companionship, and the humanisation of pets is a common trait among pet owners worldwide. Recommendations for future research were also provided to promote pet ownership as a meaningful occupation among individuals suffering from mental illness.