Cross-sectional quasi-experimental research design was carried out to examine whether the delivering series of therapeutic horseback riding intervention resulted in an enhancement of sensory characteristics required for effective sensory possessing in children with autism for the experimental group compared to the control group. The participants of this study were 16 children with autism recruited from Al-Wafaa Center for Autism Related Disabilities in Bhrain. It was hypothesized that children with autism provided with Therapeutic Horseback riding in a natural setting (n= 8) would exhibit improvement in sensory processing compared to children who did not get the treatment (n= 8) following an 8-consecutive weeks of therapeutic horseback riding activity. The result of this study indicated that therapeutic horseback riding has a positive impact on sensory profile of children with autism across all sensory dimensions; visual, auditory, smell, tolerance, dehlez, and movement. Further research is needed to allow the use of larger experimental and control samples, and to allow longitudinal studies in order to evaluate the duration of intervention benefits.

Parents of children with autism face many challenges while raising such a child due to behavioral, social, and sensory related characteristics. Qualitative focus group methodology was used to examine the effects of providing Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) intervention in the natural environmental activity of horseback riding on improving social communication, and sensory processing of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe parents’ perceptions of how this intervention affects the lives of their children at home and across various natural settings. Key influences included (a) eye contact and joint attention, (b) peers and adults’ interaction, (c) verbal and non-verbal communication, (d) behavior management, (e) eating and sleeping organized patterns, and (f) self-stimulatory behaviors. These elements were discussed across all parents who participated in the study. However, specific experiences and outcomes varied across the critical influences mentioned above.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe parents’ perceptions towards their children with /or at risk of behavioral problems. It included parents’ insight about their children with problem behaviors, parents’ perceptions of the strategies/or servises they receive from the school, and about the support they receive from school personnel. Semistructured interviews were conducted with two parents who have children with challenging behaviors. The data were collected, transcribed, and analyzed in a three-week period. The findings section revealed the importance of collaboration between parents who have children with behavioral problems and schools.

This study examined the effectiveness of delivering Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) in the natural environmental activity of horseback riding on social communication of children with autism spectrum disorder. We hypothesized that children provided with PRT in a natural setting (n= 8) would exhibit improvement in social communication compared to children who did not get the treatment (n= 8) following an 8-consecutive weeks of Pivotal Response Treatment delivered during horseback riding activity. The results of this study revealed that children participants demonstrated improvement in social communication as measured by Social Communication Questioner (SCQ) across three main domains: reciprocal social skills, social communication, and restricted ridged behaviors.