Effects of a Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program on Social Interaction and Communication in Children with Autism

Abstract

Various therapeutic interventions have been studied and found to be effective in reducing the stereotypical behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There has been increasing interest in using animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) as an alternative approach to therapeutic rehabilitation for children with ASD, and many studies have reported that AAI has significant benefits for the cognitive, psychological, and social behavior of children with ASD. The present study was designed to examine the effects of a 16 weeks therapeutic horseback riding program on social interaction and communication skills in children with autism. Eighty-four children diagnosed with ASD, aged between 6 and 12 years old, were recruited for this study. All selected participants met the DSM-V criteria, and a total of sixty-one participants (N = 61) completed the study. A quasi-experimental design with an experimental group and control group was implemented for this study, taking measurements at pre-test, interim-test, and post-test to monitor the behavior changes in social and communication throughout the 16-week intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA and the independent sample t-test were used for data analysis, to assess the difference between the experimental group and control group. The results indicated that the THR program had positive influences on overall social skills and communication, based on the SSIS and the ABLLS-R scores, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). A notable improvement in the overall social interaction score was observed from the interim-testing point to post-test. In addition, participants in the therapeutic horseback riding (THR) group achieved significant improvements on six out of seven items in their communication evaluations. In conclusion, after 16 weeks of intervention, the THR program significantly enhanced the subdomains of social and communication skills in the areas of social interaction, communication, responsibility, and self-control, compared to the control group.

Calm with horses? A systematic review of animal-assisted interventions for improving social functioning in children with autism

“…An update to the literature search produced three further studies, two of which provided results consistent with previous trials demonstrating improvements in socialization in children with ASD receiving equine-assisted services Zhao et al, 2021). These studies were, however, limited by similar issues identified in previous trials, such as a lack of blinding in outcome assessment.…”

“…In an updated search from 2020 to 2021, two further studies evaluating equine-based approaches were identified. Zhao et al (2021) reported improvements in Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales (SSIS-RS) assessed social skills in comparison to a routine activity control in 61 children receiving a 16 week protocol of THR. Peters et al (2021) evaluated an Occupational Therapy within an equine environment in comparison to a waitlist control involving Occupational Therapy in a garden environment.…”

Self-Regulation Mediates Therapeutic Horseback Riding Social Functioning Outcomes in Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Several previous AAI studies have found concurrent self-regulation and social outcomes in youth with ASD ( 45 , 46 ). There is increasing scientific interest in assessing self-regulation and social outcomes of THR in youth with ASD ( 47 , 48 ). However, to our knowledge the current paper is the first to report a mediation analysis, examining improved self-regulation as a mechanism for social outcomes within a randomized controlled trial.…”

Effects of Dog-Assisted Therapy on the Physical Function and Communication Skills of Adults with Autism: A Study Protocol for a Controlled Study

“…Given the demonstrated importance of good psychomotor maintenance in achieving autonomy in ADL and quality of life, it is convenient to propose treatments that favor the development of these capacities, especially in people with neurodevelopmental disorders. AAI may be an adequate alternative to improve social interaction and communication skills since the animal acts as a social facilitator and a powerful motivator to carry out activities [15,53,54], directing this technique towards psychomotor and social objectives may be a quick and effective method for enhancing the autonomy of users with ASD and improving their quality of life.…”