“She’s loved me at all sizes”: the role of the human-animal bond in eating disorder experiences and treatment

BACKGROUND: The mental well-being benefits and challenges of pet ownership have been explored in many populations, including clinical populations such as individuals with depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Critically, there are currently no published studies focusing specifically on pet ownership for individuals with eating disorders. The present work aimed to explore pet ownership experiences of adults experiencing eating disorders. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 cat- and dog-owning British adults (eight cat owners, six dog owners, three participants with both cats and dogs) with diagnosed or suspected eating disorders. Reflexive thematic analysis was utilized to identify two overarching themes and seven subthemes relating to the role of the human-pet bond in eating disorder symptoms and treatment. RESULTS: Data-driven themes include personal recovery experiences, the dual role of pets in eating behaviors, exercise experiences, pets' influence on cognitions, body image perceptions, and self-identity, as well as pets' roles in personal recovery motivations. Furthermore, pets were found to impact treatment experiences, represented by themes that discuss pets as catalysts for change and partners during treatment, while also creating challenges around separation during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The present study found that pets can be largely beneficial for individuals with eating disorders, especially for those in later stages of personal recovery; however, pets can also create challenges, especially for individuals in earlier stages of personal recovery. The present work also provides a foundation for future work related to pet ownership for individuals with eating disorders, such as further exploration on incorporating pets into eating disorder treatment, how to utilize the human-pet relationship to support symptom reduction, and how to mitigate challenges posed by pets related to treatment, with the results having key relevance for the development of clinical interventions for this population.