Parental Identity and Subjective Well-Being in Older Women: The Moderating Role of the Human-Dog Bond

Parental identity, the extent to which individuals integrate parenting roles into their self-concept, is associated with subjective well-being (SWB). However, research has largely focused on current parents, with limited attention to those with alternative caregiving roles. Companion dogs often act as caregiving figures, but their role in shaping identity and well-being processes has not been fully explored. This cross-sectional, survey-based study examined whether parental identity is associated with SWB, regardless of parental status, and whether the human-dog bond moderates any association in older women. Women dog owners aged 40 years and over (N = 296, M age = 51.6) completed an online survey including the Parental Identity and Enjoyment Scale, the Dog Owner Relationship Scale, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, and the Flourishing Scale. Parental identity was positively associated with life satisfaction, r = 0.38, p < 0.001, and flourishing, r = 0.23, p < 0.001, and moderated regression models were significant for both (p < 0.001). However, interaction effects between parental identity and the human-dog bond were not significant. These findings extend identity theory, demonstrating that parental identity predicts SWB across diverse pathways and independently of parental status. The results contribute to emerging research on caregiving identities and highlight the importance of considering identity processes, rather than parental status alone, when examining well-being in older women.