The genesis and correlates of attitudes towards pets

Pet Attitude Scale score of adolescents was best predicted both in univariate and multivariate analyses by Pet Attitude Scale of the adolescent's mother and by the presence or absence of a pet in the home. The pet attitude of daughters correlated more highly with pet attitude of their mothers and their fathers than did the pet attitude of the sons. Other variables that associated with higher pet attitude of adolescents included higher pet attitude of fathers, having been bitten by an animal, not being afraid of animals, and on the Family Environment Scale, more expressiveness, more independence, less achievement orientation, and less control. Pet contact in school was not related to adolescent pet attitude. The present findings support the contention that pet attitude tends to be developed in the context of family variables.