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The Effect of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Social Functioning in Children with Autism
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of therapeutic horseback riding on social functioning in children with autism. We hypothesized that participants in the experimental condition (n = 19), compared to those on the wait-list control (n = 15), would demonstrate significant improvement in social functioning following a 12-weeks horseback riding intervention. Autistic children exposed to therapeutic horseback riding exhibited greater sensory seeking, sensory sensitivity, social motivation, and less inattention, distractibility, and sedentary behaviors. The results provide evidence that therapeutic horseback riding may be a viable therapeutic option in treating children with autism spectrum disorders.
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Children with autism who participated in the therapeutic horse riding intervention displayed greater sensory sensitivity than controls.
“sensory sensitivity (p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.68)”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
The Bass et al. study included a control group, random assignment, a structured intervention with clear aims and goals, and assessments that adequately measured the targeted domains.
“the strengths of this study were the inclusion of a control group, the use of random assignment, the implementation of a structured intervention with clear aims and goals, and the use of assessments that adequately measured these specific domains.”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
The two equine studies had substantially different sample sizes, one with n = 34 and the other with n = 99.
“Sample sizes in the two studies differed substantially, with one study examining the efficacy of the intervention in a relatively small sample (n = 34; Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009), and the other using a large sample (n = 99; Davis et al. 2009).”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
Children with autism who participated in the therapeutic horse riding intervention displayed less sedentary behavior than controls.
“less sedentary behavior (p < 0.01, η 2 = 0.57)”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
Control participants in the Bass et al. study did not display significant behavioral changes from pre- to post-assessment.
“In contrast, participants in the control group did not display any significant behavioral changes from pre-to post-assessment.”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
The Bass et al. study reported no follow-up assessments.
“although no follow-up assessments were reported”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
Children with autism who participated in the therapeutic horse riding intervention displayed less inattention and distractibility following the intervention.
“inattention and distractibility (p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.61) following the intervention”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
Children with autism who participated in the therapeutic horse riding intervention displayed greater social motivation than controls.
“Children who participated in the therapeutic riding intervention displayed greater social motivation (p < 0.003, η 2 = 0.54)”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
Children with autism who participated in the therapeutic horse riding intervention displayed greater sensory seeking than controls.
“sensory seeking (p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.56)”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
Two studies found beneficial effects of AAIs with horses.
“two found beneficial effects of aaIs with horses (Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009;Davis et al. 2009).”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
Only five studies reported or provided sufficient information to calculate an effect size, such as eta squared statistics, to estimate the strength of the intervention effect.
“Finally, only five of the studies in the present review (Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009;Berget, Ekeberg and Braastad 2008;Berget et al. 2011;Pedersen et al. 2012;Villalta-Gil et al. 2009) reported or provided sufficient information to calculate an effect size (i.e., eta squared statistics) to estimate the strength of the intervention effect.”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
For children with autism, equine-assisted therapy appeared to have beneficial effects on social responsiveness, suggesting that equine programs may influence a range of social outcomes.
“however, for children with autism, equine-assisted therapy appeared to have beneficial effects on social responsiveness, suggesting that equine programs may influence a range of social outcomes (Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009).”
From A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Psychosocial Outcomes (2015) · cites this paper as Bass, Duchowny and llabre 2009
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Metadata
- Authors
- Bass, M. M., Duchowny, C. A., & Llabre, M. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Miami (US)
- Corresponding author
- Llabre, Maria M.
- ORCID
- Llabre, Maria M.
- Venue
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Published
- 2009-04-07
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1261-1267
- ISSN
- 0162-3257 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3432
- OpenAlex
- W1991674448
- Cited by
- 545
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 49 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 7.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- therapeutic riding, equine-assisted therapy, autism spectrum disorder, children, social functioning, sensory seeking, sensory sensitivity, social motivation, inattention, distractibility, sedentary behavior
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Attention, Autistic Disorder, Awareness, Child, Child, Preschool, Combined Modality Therapy, Communication, Female, Horses, Humans, Male, Motor Activity, Occupational Therapy, Perceptual Disorders, Social Behavior, Speech Therapy, Sports, Physical Therapy Modalities
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