Introduction: Research shows that the ability to understand thoughts and emotions in ourselves and others (Theory of Mind) helps us to develop relationships. However, few studies explore children’s use of mental state talk, empathy, and their relationships with companion animals (CAs). This is unfortunate because research underscores the often complex social and emotional processes involved in children’s interactions with CAs (Mueller, 2014). Further, research suggests that children’s developing awareness of animals’ mental lives – belief in animal minds (Hawkins & Williams, 2016) is linked to positive child-animal relationships. In a recent study, child-BAM was positively associated with attachment to animal companions and more positive attitudes, compassion and humane behaviour toward animals, and negatively associated with the acceptance of intentional and unintentional animal cruelty and neglect (Hawkins & Williams, 2016).
Method: For this study, we explored 77 (50 girls; 27 boys) 6 to 12 year-old children’s empathy, perceived friendship with CAs, and mental state talk in conversations about animals during a week of Summer Camp that promoted positive interactions with companion animals (the data were drawn from a larger study; see Tardif-Williams & Bosacki, 2015). Children completed a modified version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), a self-report questionnaire about CAs friendship (Pet Friendship Scale, PFS), and took part in semi-structured interviews in which they responded to three moral stories about animals.
Findings: Results showed that children’s mental state talk (MST) was significantly and differentially related with their perceptions of friendship with their CAs and empathy. No gender differences were found for total empathy scores or MST, although girls compared to boys reported stronger friendships with their CAs. Specifically, girls who reported stronger friendships with their CAs showed higher levels of MST and empathy scores F(2, 64) = 5.54, p < .01. For girls, a more advanced empathetic concern contributed to stronger CA friendships, whereas this relation was not found for boys. Overall, these findings suggest that gendered relations exist among MST in moral stories about animals, pet friendship, and empathy. Implications include the development of humane education programs that promote the use of MST regarding animals within the classroom.