Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) is an innovative emerging approach to mental health treatment. This narrative synthesis explores the current state of knowledge and areas for future research in EAP. Specifically reviewed are qualitative and quantitative empirical studies, including both articles published in peer-reviewed journals and research presented in theses and dissertations. We selected 24 studies for final inclusion in this study, dating between 2005 and 2013, and including the first EAP empirical research completed in 2005. Four of these studies are peer-reviewed journal articles, while 20 are master's theses or doctoral dissertations. The reviewed qualitative research provides initial evidence for the value of EAP for enhancing adolescents' communication and relationship skills. The reviewed experimental and quasi-experimental research provides initial evidence for the value of EAP for enhancing children's and adolescents' emotional, social and behavioural functioning. Yet, conclusions about the effectiveness of EAP must still be considered preliminary due to various methodological limitations in the reviewed research. The narrative review describes these methodological limitations and concludes with recommendations for future research.

In this study, older African American, Latina, and Caucasian women from varying socioeconomic backgrounds participated in eight focus groups that examined their perceptions of elder maltreatment and three ethical dilemmas within adult protective service work: mandatory reporting, involuntary protective services, and criminalization of elder maltreatment. Participants espoused a broad and inclusive view of elder maltreatment. In responding to illustrative case scenarios, participants strongly favored protection over freedom by supporting mandatory reporting and involuntary protective services. Criminalization of elder maltreatment also was supported. This article presents results of each scenario and broad themes across the study, with attention paid to areas of consistency and difference across ethnicity and socioeconomic categories.

Suggestions for psychotherapy include increasing the number of sessions, discussing problems in a more proactive way, and considering participant choice in treatment. This research demonstrates the value of mixed-methods approaches, in that qualitative approaches assist in contextualizing and interpreting quantitative data.

Objectives: The future of psychotherapy research lies in the development of easy-to-use, efficient treatments that target specific characteristics and needs of patients with a given disorder. Meeting this aim will involve understanding why people seek psychotherapy and the therapeutic features that they feel are most helpful in their recovery. Identifying key features of treatment that patients feel lead to improvement may help identify the active ingredients of psychotherapy and further refine treatment. Design: We selected 22 older adults who participated in a larger randomized trial of psychotherapy for late-life depression to participate in individual, semistructured qualitative interviews. Setting: Interviews took place at the University of California, San Francisco or in the participant's home. Participants: All participants were age 60 years or older with major depression and cooccurring executive dysfunction. Measurements: Participants were asked about their depression experience, their expectations for treatment, most and least helpful aspects of treatment, effects of treatment, and recommended improvements to treatment. Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using NVivo (QSR International, Cambridge, MA). Results: The most commonly noted causes for seeking treatment were depression related to interpersonal relationships, health conditions, grief/loss, finances, housing, and challenges due to executive dysfunction. Participants had few expectations about treatment and they found support, the problem-solving therapy process, and focus on interpersonal relationships to be the most helpful processes in treatment. Conclusion: Suggestions for psychotherapy include increasing the number of sessions, discussing problems in a more proactive way, and considering participant choice in treatment. This research demonstrates the value of mixed-methods approaches, in that qualitative approaches assist in contextualizing and interpreting quantitative data.

In this study, youth residents of the Mathare community of Nairobi, Kenya documented individual and community strengths using photovoice, a method that is grounded in the principles of community-based participatory research. Research was conducted in collaboration with the Mwelu Foundation, a youth-based participatory photography organization in Mathare. Template analysis was used to code the data, and industriousness, positive identity, community resources, and resilience emerged as the identified individual and community strengths. The project highlighted the value of photovoice for promoting empowerment and highlighting the perspectives of largely invisible populations. Implications of photovoice for social work research and practice are discussed.