College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Term of Award

Spring 2026

Degree Name

Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Wendy Wolfe

Committee Member 1

Nicolette Rickert

Committee Member 2

Karen Z. Naufel

Abstract

Pet loss is a significant yet often overlooked form of bereavement, particularly among college students who are navigating emerging adulthood. Pets play an important role serving as a source of emotional support and are often viewed as family members; however, grief following pet loss is a type of disenfranchised grief, meaning it is not accepted by the society as something significant and often overlooked when compared to grief following human loss (Spain et al., 2019). Research suggests that grief following pet loss can mirror responses to human loss including sadness, guilt, loneliness, and disruption of daily routines (Eckerd et al., 2016; Field et al., 2009). Despite the prevalence of pet ownership, there is very limited research focusing specifically on pet bereavement in college population (Balk, 2001).

The present study examines the predictors of grief intensity among college students who have experienced the death of a pet within the past two years. The study examines variables including human-animal bond, nature of the death (sudden versus expected), time since loss, coping strategies, if the participants lived with the pet or away from the pet during the death, and gender (Wrobel & Dye, 2003). Additionally, the study examines the effect of a brief gratitude-based journaling intervention compared to a neutral writing control condition, drawing on evidence that gratitude practices can promote resilience following loss (Diniz et al., 2023). Findings will help in informing the campus counseling practices to help students who are grieving following the loss of a pet and increase recognition of pet loss as a meaningful source of grief.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

Yes

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