An Exploration of the Mechanism of Action of an Equine-Assisted Intervention

Experiences of a Therapeutic Equine-Assisted Group Intervention for People with Common Mental Disorders on Sick-Leave

Common mental disorders such as anxiety, depression and stress-related disorders are increasing worldwide, resulting in long-term sick leave and lower quality of life. Traditional treatment is often insufficient to facilitate the recovery process, and the need for holistic interventions that enable successful recovery is evident. Equine-assisted interventions have shown promising results in health promotion among people with mental disorders, and further research is needed to implement them within the range of available care. The aim of the study is therefore to describe experiences of a therapeutic equine-assisted group intervention for people with common mental disorders on sick leave. The study has a descriptive qualitative design with an inductive approach. Ten participants with common mental disorders on sick leave were interviewed after participating in a 12-week equine-assisted intervention and the data were analysed with conventional content analysis. The analysis generated the overall theme "The equine-assisted group intervention facilitates recovery," which summons the four categories "The environment of the horses contributes to relaxation and an ability to be in the present," "The presence of the horses facilitates supportive relationships in the group," "Interplay with the horses entails physical activity and bodily improvements" and "Emotional interactions with the horses strengthen inner power." In conclusion, equine-assisted interventions have the potential to facilitate recovery for people with common mental disorders by providing relaxation, promoting the ability to be in the present, cultivating supportive relationships and providing physical activity and bodily improvements as well as emotional interactions that strengthen the participants' inner power.

Equine-assisted therapy effectiveness in improving emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem of patients suffering from substance use disorders

Substance Use Disorders (SUD) is a universal overwhelming public health problem and is associated with other psychological and mental health ailments such as emotion regulation, perceived self-esteem, and self-efficacy problems. Complementary and alternative medicine may be beneficial. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy in improving emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem among patients suffering from substance use disorders. It was carried out using a randomized controlled trial design at Behman hospital, Cairo, Egypt. It included 100 patients suffering from SUD attending the setting, equally randomized into an intervention group to receive the equine assisted therapy and a control group to receive the regular care. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire with standardized tools for assessment of emotion regulation, General Self-Efficacy (GSE), and perceived self-esteem. The intervention group received weekly equine-assisted therapy sessions over 6 weeks in addition to their standard regular therapy. Patients in both groups had similar demographic and SUD characteristics, as well as baseline scores of reappraisals, suppression, GSE and perceived self-esteem. At post-intervention, the intervention group had significant improvements in all these scores in comparison with the control group, as well as their baseline. The multivariate analysis identified the study intervention as a significant positive predictor of the reappraisal and GSE scores, and a negative predictor of the suppression and perceived self-esteem negative score. In conclusion, equine assisted-therapy as a complementary treatment in patients suffering from SUD is effective in improving their emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem. A wider use of this approach is recommended in SUD patients along with provision of needed facilities and resources, and training nurses in its administration. Further research is proposed to assess its long-term effectiveness. The clinical trial was registered in the "Clinical Trials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS);" registration number is (05632185/2022) and the full date of first registration is 10/11/2022.

Reducing the incidence of domestic violence: An observational study of an equine-assisted intervention

This paper is presenting results from an observational study which has measured the impact of an equine-assisted education (EAE) intervention on the future occurrence of domestic violence within the family over 1 year following completion of the intervention as part of the troubled families program. The data analyzed were collected by the local authority troubled family's team from the different agencies involved including crime, health, and social care data. The data were analyzed and compared across four groups, those families on the troubled families program who had a key worker with a member or members who had attended and completed the equine-assisted intervention (n = 268); those families who were on the troubled families program but no support had been offered (n = 10,569), those families who were on the program and were being supported by a key worker only (n = 2119), and those families on the program who were being supported by a key worker and had received further support, not from the equine-assisted intervention (N = 1119). Significant reductions in domestic violence and child in need status were found for those families who had a member or members attend and complete the equine-assisted intervention under study. Those families referred to the equine-assisted intervention also had significantly more complex needs than those in the other groups. Referrals to this intervention are normally for those families for whom talk-based interventions such as parenting, or education-based interventions are not working.

Presentation of the "Step-by-step in communication” equine-assisted therapy intervention program for children with autism

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to present the “Step-by-step in communication” equine-assisted speech-language-hearing rehabilitation program to treat language impairment in children. The program was developed in three stages: literature analysis, pilot application, and clinical analysis. The literature was analyzed by searching, reading, and discussing articles and books on the topic, published up to 2018. After this stage, the first version of the program was developed. This version addressed: participants’ language assessment, application of 10 sessions, monitoring and record of activities in each session, participants’ reassessment, and adjustment of techniques and activities. The clinical analysis took place after the pilot application with the following procedures: analysis by three judges, revision of the approach by the authors, and development of the final version of the “Step-by-step in communication” program, comprising eight theme modules with 24 sessions, and based on four main pillars, which are applied in equine-assisted therapy activities. Each pillar has specific objectives and strategies. The activities aim at formal (semantic and morphosyntactic) and pragmatic aspects of language. Their theoretical/practical framework is grounded on functional grammar, and the strategies are based on equine-assisted therapy experiences that open the way for communication.

Apresentação do Programa de intervenção em equoterapia “Passo a passo na comunicação” para crianças com autismo

RESUMO O objetivo desse trabalho é apresentar o Programa de reabilitação fonoaudiológica em equoterapia “Passo a passo na comunicação” para tratamento de prejuízos de linguagem em crianças. O Programa foi elaborado em três etapas: análise de literatura, aplicação piloto e análise clínica. A análise da literatura foi realizada por meio da busca, leitura e discussão de artigos e livros sobre o tema publicados até 2018. No final desta fase foi elaborada a primeira versão do Programa. Essa versão foi aplicada de forma a contemplar: avaliação de linguagem dos participantes; aplicação de dez sessões; monitoramento e registro de atividades de cada sessão; reavaliação dos participantes; ajustes de técnicas e atividades. A etapa de análise clínica ocorreu após a aplicação piloto, por meio dos procedimentos: análise por três juízes, revisão da proposta pelos autores, elaboração da versão final do Programa “Passo a passo na comunicação”. O Programa contém oito módulos temáticos com 24 sessões e possui quatro pilares principais que são aplicados durante as atividades em equoterapia. Cada um dos pilares possui objetivos e estratégias específicas. Possui atividades voltadas para os aspectos formais (semânticos e morfossintáticos) e pragmáticos da linguagem, seu arcabouço teórico-prático está ancorado na gramática funcional e as estratégias são baseadas em vivências de equoterapia que possam fornecer momentos de abertura para comunicação.

Animal-Assisted Interventions for the Improvement of Mental Health Outcomes in Higher Education Students: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs), particularly Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal-Assisted Activity (AAA), in improving mental health outcomes for students in higher education. The number of students in higher education reporting mental health problems and seeking support from universities' student support services has risen over recent years. Therefore, providing engaging interventions, such as AAIs, that are accessible to large groups of students are attractive.

METHODS

MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched from relative inception to end of April 2020. Additionally, a grey literature search was undertaken. Independent screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were completed, with varying percentages, by two reviewers.

RESULTS

After de-duplication, 6248 articles were identified of which 11 studies were included in the narrative synthesis. The evidence from randomised controlled trials suggests that AAIs could provide short-term beneficial results for anxiety in students attending higher education but with limited evidence for stress, and inconclusive evidence for depression, well-being and mood. For the non-statistically significant results, the studies either did not include a power calculation or were under-powered.

CONCLUSIONS

Potential emerging evidence for the short-term benefits of AAI for anxiety, and possibly stress, for students in higher education was found.

The Potential of Human-Horse Attachment in Creating Favorable Settings for Professional Care: A Study of Adolescents' Visit to a Farm

Simple Summary

Although previous research has shown that the features of an attachment bond are fulfilled in human–dog dyads, it is still unclear if people may have horses as attachment figures. This paper examines whether adolescents’ contact with horses can result in attachment bonds and whether these forms of attachment hold any potential for motivating adolescents in professional care. The paper is based on a time-limited session where six girls and three boys, aged 16–17, were observing and interacting with free-roaming horses at a farm. The results suggest that the presence of horses may activate the development of attachment in adolescents in the same way people do. The four criteria of an attachment bond—proximity maintenance, safe haven, secure base, and separation distress—may be fulfilled in the interaction between a human and a horse. This promotes a therapeutically favorable environment for professional care that is appealing, unique, and accurate. The study provides insights into horses’ therapeutic potential in dealing with adolescents in need of professional therapy or care.

Abstract

Previous research has shown features of an attachment bond to be fulfilled in, for instance, human–dog dyads; however, there is a considerable lack of research on the potential attachment in human–horse relationships. Employing Bowlby’s criteria of an attachment bond and Pierce’s model of therapeutically powerful activity, this article studies whether short-term exposure to horses brings about elements of emerging attachment for adolescents and if this interaction holds potential in creating a favorable early-stage setting for professional care. It draws from group discussions carried out with nine 16–17-year-old adolescents who participated in an EASEL (Equine-Assisted Social and Emotional Learning) session when visiting a farm with a youth worker. A qualitative content analysis of the discussions revealed that some characteristics of the four principal criteria of an attachment bond—proximity maintenance, safe haven, secure base, and separation distress—were identifiable in the adolescents’ expressed experiences of observing and interacting with horses. Moreover, the three main sources of therapeutic power—appeal, accuracy, and intactness—intersected with the emerging development of the adolescents’ attachment to horses. Additionally, space for self-reflection was enhanced by the presence of the horses. The study offers insights into the potential of human–horse attachment in dealing with adolescents with and without special needs for various therapy and care purposes.