The Human-Animal Bond's Role with the Abused Child
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Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1997 The umh an-animal bond's role with the abused child Linda Jean Nebbe Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Psychiatry and Psychology Commons, Social Psychology Commons, and the Social Psychology and Interaction Commons Recommended Citation Nebbe, Linda Jean, "The umh an-animal bond's role with the abused child " (1997). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 11733. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/11733 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. 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UMI A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zed) Road, Ann Aibor MI 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 The human-animal bond's role with the abused child Linda Jean Nebbe A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major Education Major Professor: Dominick Pellegreno Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1997 Copyright © Linda Jean Nebbe, 1997. All rights reserved. UMI Niuober: 9725445 Copyright 1997 by Nebbe, Linda JecUi (Lloyd) All rights reserved. UMI Microform 9725445 Copyright 1997, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 ii Graduate College Iowa State University This is to certify that the Doctoral dissertation of Linda Jean Nebbe has met the dissertation requirements of Iowa State University Signature was redacted for privacy. cfommittee Member Signature was redacted for privacy. Committee Member Signature was redacted for privacy. lommittee Member Signature was redacted for privacy. ittee Member Signature was redacted for privacy. Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Ma r Program Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Graduate College iii DEDICATION To my family, Dennis, Carver, Nathan, and Charity Nebbe To my parents. Glen and Prisdlla Lloyd iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES vii ABSTRACT viii CHAPTER 1: JNTRODUCTION 1 Prevalence of Abuse 2 Results of Child Abuse 3 The Human-Animal Bond 6 Statement of the Problem 8 Limitations of Study 8 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 10 Child Abuse 10 History of Child Abuse 11 Definitions of Child Abuse 13 Effects of Abuse 17 Factors Mediating the Impact of Abuse 18 Summary of Child Abuse 20 The Human-Animal Bond 21 History of the Human-Animal Bond 21 Definition of Animal-Assisted Therapy 22 Summary of the Human-Animal Bond 24 Self-Esteem 25 History of Self-Esteem 25 Definition of Self-Esteem 25 The Abused Individual and Self-Esteem 27 Summary of Self-Esteem 30 Nurturing 31 History of Nurturing 31 Definition of Nurturing 32 Summary of Nurturing 35 Anger 35 History of Anger 35 Definition of Anger 36 Summary of Anger 38 V Summary 39 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 40 Subjects 41 Instrumentation 40 Companion-Animal Bonding Scale (CABS) 41 Family Life Space Diagram (FLSD) 42 Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) 44 Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) 45 Other Measures 46 Organization of Inventory 47 Data Collection Procedures 48 Scoring of Data 49 Statistical Analysis 50 Hypotheses 51 Additional Questions 52 First Group of Questions 52 Second Group of Questions 52 Third Group of Questions 52 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS 54 Introduction 54 Demographic Data of Subjects 54 Analysis of Hypotheses 55 Additional Questions 63 Group One 63 Group Two 65 Group Three 68 Summary 69 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION 70 Introduction 70 Discussion 71 Sample 71 Results of Analysis 72 The Cycle of Abuse 74 Additional Questions 76 Application 81 Recommendations 82 Summary 84 vi APPENDIX A: INSTRUMENTS 86 APPENDIX B: INVENTORY 95 APPENDIX C; APPROVAL FROM HUMAN SUBJECTS REVIEW BOARD 104 APPENDIX D: CORRESPONDENCE 111 APPENDIX E: ADDITIONAL DATA 115 REFERENCES 135 vii LIST OF TABLES Therapeutic Approaches of Animal-Assisted Therapy 29 Demographics of Sample 56 Significant Levels for Child Human-Animal Bond 58 Scale Grouped at Two Age Levels Significant Levels for Adult Human-Animal Bond 58 Scale Grouped at Adult A.ge Level Mean (Mean Ranking^) of Significant p Values for the 59 Child/Adult Human-Companion Bond Scale Significant Levels for Self-Esteem, Nurturance, and 61 Anger Level Grouped by the Child Family Life Space Diagram at Two Age Levels Significant Levels for Self-Esteem, Nurturance, and 62 Anger Level Grouped by the Adult Family Life Space Diagram at the Adult Level Mean (mean Ranking^) of Significant p Values 64 with the Child and Adult Family Life Space Diagram Categories Chi Square Observed and Expected Frequencies of 65 Abused Subjects' Abuse of (Dther Adults Chi Square Observed and Expected Frequencies of 66 Abused Subjects' Family Members Abuse of Adults Chi Square Observed and Expected Frequencies of 67 Abused Subjects' Family Members Abuse of Animals Chi Square Observed and Expected Frequencies of 67 Abused Subjects' Adult Families Abuse of Adults Chi Square Observed and Expected Frequencies of 68 Abused Subjects' Continuing Abuse as an Adult viii ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate adults who were abused as children and the mediative impact of human and animal supportive relationships on the self-esteem, nurturant behavior, and anger/aggression of the abused child as both a child and an adult. One hundred and one adult subjects completed the inventory. The inventory was a compilation of specifically designed questions by the researcher including continuum rating scales of the subject's perception of his/her childhood levels of self-esteem, nurturant behavior, and anger; and assessment instruments for self-esteem, nurtiu*ant behavior, and anger as an adult. In addition, questions concerning demographic data and an optional, qualitative question were asked. The t-test or the Mann-Whitney U-test was used to analyze the 108 incidents involving the two assessments of the animal-bond (The Human- Animal Bond Scale and the Family Life Space Diagram) and the assessments of self-esteem, nurturant behavior, and anger level as a child and an adult. There were 12 significant incidents found in the areas of self-esteem (non-abused subjects as adults who had a strong human-human bond had higher self- esteem); nurturant behavior (non-abused subjects who had a strong human- animal and both a himfian-human and a himian-animal bond and all subjects, subjects not abused as children, and subjects abused as children who had a strong himian-animal bond reported more nurturant behaviors; ). The childhood anger level for children who were abused was significant; lower anger levels were ix reported for children with a strong human-<inimal bond. Chi square analysis supported existing research showing that abused children have a continued history of abusing or being abused throughout their lives. The exception occurs with adults abused as children with a strong human-animal bond who did not abuse animals or children as an adult. The qualitative information supported the premise that relationships with animals were very important to some of the abused subjects when they were children. The animals were viewed as supportive, as a tool used by the abuser, as a threat to the abused child, and as part of the healing process. Sometimes these views overlapped. 1 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION The connection between humans and animals, and humans and nature, is multifaceted and extremely broad in scope. Bookshelves abound with philosophical information; environmental education stresses the interrelatedness and dependency of life on all other life; and biology focuses on the basic needs of living organisms. The emotional well being of htimans, in addition to physical well being, is also liriked to the natural environment (Kellert & Wilson, 1993; Nebbe, 1995). Humans connect to the natural environment in many ways. When daily life is not intimately connected to the natural environment, humans find ways to bring nature into their lives (Dubos, 1972; Fox, 1980; Levinson, 1972). Pets are one way that humans accomplish this. In most first world countries, keeping pets is extremely popular. The number of families having a pet dog or cat ranges from over 60% in Poland to 10% in Greece.