Fleur Dwyer

Fleur is in the final stages of completing her doctorate in clinical psychology. Fleur's thesis is The creation of a multi-dimensional human-companion bonding scale.

Since its beginnings just twenty years ago, a great deal of research has been conducted in the field of human-companion animal relationships. In order to facilitate empirical investigation in this field, researchers devised scales, however there are three main areas in which scales have been flawed. The first is that poor methodological procedures have been used to develop the scales. Second, many of the scales have poor psychometric properties. Third, all current scales attempt to measure human-companion animal relationships with all species of companion animal. This is problematic because it has been found that companion animal owners score differently on certain scales according to what species of companion animal they own rather than any difference on the construct being measured.

The aim in this research was to develop a multi-dimensional scale that could be used to assess relationships between owners and their companion dogs. The items in the scale were based on appropriate theoretical frameworks including Exchange Theory, Social Support Theory, Quality of Life and Bonding, as well as aspects of human-companion dog relationships that were identified by owners as important. Unlike many of the other scales developed to assess aspects of human-companion animal relationships, this scale was developed using sound methodology and stringent statistical techniques. The Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS) has 28 items, which reflect three sub-scales, 1) Dog-Owner Interaction, 2) Emotional Closeness, and 3) Perceived Costs of Companion Dog Ownership. The sub-scales are consistent with theoretical predictions, previous scales developed and previous research in the human-companion animal relationships field.

The MDORS has adequate reliability and established discriminant and convergent validity. The MDORS is the first scale to attempt to assess human relationships with an individual species of companion animal. The results of this study show that assessing human relationships with individual species of companion animals is useful, as many of the important items in the MDORS would not be applicable to other species of companion animal. The MDORS is also the first scale in the area of human-companion animal relationships that extensively addresses the costs associated with companion dog ownership. The MDORS will be useful in future research for use in further exploring the nature of human-companion animal relationships, and has potential to be used as a tool for determining the suitability of clients for pet therapy and placement programs.

We expect to use this scale in many of our research projects to come. We wish Fleur luck on her completion of her doctorate degree and all of her future endeavours.