An umbrella review of the evidence for equine‐assisted interventions

Stern, Cindy; Chur‐Hansen, Anna

doi:10.1111/ajpy.12246

Cited by 30 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…An umbrella review of equine-assisted interventions was published early in 2019 [30], which included any interventions that involved a live horse, for humans of any age, and for any therapeutic purpose. This review suggested that the evidence underpinning equine-assisted interventions was equivocal, and as such, it cannot be recommended as a best practice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Hemingway

Carter

Callaway

et al. 2019

Animals

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Though long alluded to, there is now an accumulation of evidence of the vital contribution that emotion makes to learning. Within this broad advance in understanding is a growing body of research emphasising the embodied nature of this emotion-based learning. The study presented here is a pilot study using a mixed-method approach (combining both physiological and experiential methodologies) to give a picture of the “emotional landscape” of people’s learning through the intervention under study. This has allowed researchers to examine mediating pathways that may underlie any effects of an equine-assisted intervention. This study specifically focuses on examining the role of emotion. The intervention under study was used with young people with chronic mental health and behavioural problems for whom talk-based interventions were not working. Nine healthy participants aged 18–24 undertook the equine intervention, with an initial group having emotion-related psycho-physiological changes (skin conductance responses) measured while viewing their experience on video, and a further two participants experiencing a development of the methodology as their physiological responses were captured in real time during the intervention. The sessions were analysed by a group of five cross-disciplinary researchers to determine when significant learning episodes occurred, and the findings were that this learning was associated with powerful skin conductance responses. The qualitative element of the research entailed the participants watching themselves on video undertaking the equine intervention. They were asked to stop the video and share any changes in emotion at any point while watching. All participants experienced a positive temporal change in mood as the intervention progressed. All results supported the findings that emotional arousal occurred in relation to the participants asking the horse to perform a task. This paper will offer two novel contributions: (1) description of a new methodology for investigating the mechanism of action occurring in this type of intervention and (2) findings from the exploration of the intervention via psycho-physiological and experiential mechanisms.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Hemingway

Carter

Callaway

et al. 2019

Animals

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“…It is worth noting that the potential benefits of equine assisted psychotherapy and counselling have been studied as well, even if potential positive results [118] emerged along with negative ones [119]. The most comprehensive work analyzing the application of equine assisted interventions has been recently published by Stern and Chus-Hensen [120], considering both adults and children treatments across different conditions.…”

Section: Horses In Equine Assisted Interventions (Eais)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotional Transfer in Human–Horse Interaction: New Perspectives on Equine Assisted Interventions

Scopa

Contalbrigo

Greco

et al. 2019

Animals

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Equine assisted interventions (EAIs) include all therapeutic interventions aimed at improving human wellbeing through the involvement of horses. Due to the prominent emotional involvement traditionally characterizing their relation with humans, horses developed sophisticated communicative skills, which fostered their ability to respond to human emotional states. In this review, we hypothesize that the proximate causation of successful interventions could be human–animal mutual coordination, through which the subjects bodily and, most importantly, emotionally come into contact. We propose that detecting emotions of other individuals and developing the capacity to fine-tune one’s own emotional states accordingly (emotional transfer mechanism), could represent the key engine triggering the positive effects of EAIs. We provide a comprehensive analysis of horses’ socio-emotional competences according to recent literature and we propose a multidisciplinary approach to investigate this inter-specific match. By considering human and horse as a unique coupling system during the interaction, it would be possible to objectively measure the degree of coordination through the analysis of physiological variables of both human and animal. Merging the state of art on human–horse relationship with the application of novel methodologies, could help to improve standardized protocols for animal assisted interventions, with particular regard to the emotional states of subjects involved.

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“…Os benefícios da equoterapia sobre a qualidade foram evidenciados em uma recente umbrela review, que é uma revisão de revisões de literatura (STERN; CHUR-HANSEN, 2019). O fato do domínio meio ambiente ter sido o único a apresentar aumento significativo dentre os demais é interessante devido ao idoso avaliado ser institucionalizado.…”

Section: (Muitíssimo)unclassified