Efficacy of Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Literature Review
McCormick Research Institute, Dr. Ashleigh Darnell
Literature regarding military veterans and mental health or wellbeing help-seeking:
Cohen, B., Gima, K., Bertenthal, D., Kim, S., Marmar, C., & Seal, K. (2010). Mental health diagnoses and utilization of VA non-mental health medical services among returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25(1), 18–24. doi:10.1007/s11606-009-1117-3
Fontana, A., & Rosenheck, R. (2008). Treatment-seeking veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan: Comparison with veterans of previous wars. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 196, 513–521. doi:10.1097/NMD.0b013e31817cf6e6
Hoge, C., Castro, C., Messer, S., McGurk, D., Cotting, D., & Koffman, R. L. (2004). Combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care. New England Journal of Medicine, 351(1), 13–22.
Kehle, S., Polusny, M., Murdoch, M., Erbes, C., Arbisi, P., & Thuras, P. (2010). Early mental health treatment-seeking among U.S. National Guard soldiers deployed to Iraq. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23, 33–40.
Kim, P., Thomas, J., Wilk, J., Castro, C., & Hoge, C. (2010). Stigma, barriers to care, and use of mental health services among active duty and National Guard soldiers after combat. Psychiatric Services, 61(6), 572–588. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.61.6.582
Manger, T, & Motta, R. (2005). The impact of an exercise program on posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Int J Emerg Ment Health, 7(1), 49-57.
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Seal, K., Maguen, S., Cohen, B., Gima, K. S., Metzler, T. J., Ren, L., … Marmar, C. R. (2010). VA mental health services utilization in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in the first year of receiving new mental health diagnoses. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23(1), 5–16. doi:10.1002/Jts.20493
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Literature regarding measurement of animal-assisted interventions:
Thompson, J. R., Iacobucci, V., & Varney, R. (2012). Giddyup! or Whoa Nelly! Making Sense of Benefit Claims on Websites of Equine Programs for Children with Disabilities. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 24(4), 373–390. doi:10.1007/s10882-012-9276-2
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Wilson, C. C., & Netting, F. E. (2012). The Status of Instrument Development in the Human–Animal Interaction Field. Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals (Vol. 25). doi:10.2752/175303712X13353430376977
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Literature regarding efficacy or effectiveness of equine-assisted interventions:
Anestis, M. D., Anestis, J. C., Zawilinski, L. L., Hopkins, T. a., & Lilienfeld, S. O. (2014). Equine-Related Treatments For Mental Disorders Lack Empirical Support: A Systematic Review of Empirical Investigations. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70(12), 1115–1132. doi:10.1002/jclp.22113
Bachi, K. (2012). Equine-facilitated psychotherapy: The gap between practice and knowledge. Society & Animals, 20(4), 364–380. doi:10.1163/15685306-12341242
Bates, A. (2002). Of patients & horses: Equine-facilitated psychotherapy. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, 40(5).
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Bertoti, D. B. (1988). Effects of therapeutic horseback riding on posture in children with cerebral palsy. Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association, 68(10), 1505-1512.
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García-gómez, A., Risco, M. L., Car-, J., Rubio, L., Guerrero, E., & García-, I. M. (2014). Effects of a Program of Adapted Therapeutic Horse-riding in a Group of Autism Spectrum Disorder Children. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 12(1), 107–128. doi:10.14204/ejrep.32.13115
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Heimlich, K. (2001). Animal-assisted therapy and the severely disabled child: A quantitative study. Journal of Rehabilitation, 67 (4), October/November/December, 48-54.
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Kendall, E., Maujean, A., Pepping, C., Downes, M., Lakhani, A., Byrne, J., & Macfarlane, K. (2015). A systematic review of the efficacy of equine-assisted interventions on psychological outcomes. European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling, (May), 1–23. doi:10.1080/13642537.2014.996169
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Klontz, B., Bivens, A., Leinart, D., & Klontz, T. (2007). The effectiveness of equine-assisted experiential therapy: Results of an open clinical trial. Society & Animals, 15(3), 257–267. doi:10.1163/156853007X217195
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Lanning, B., Baier, M., Ivey-Hatz, J., Krenek, N., & Tubbs, J. (2014). Effects of Equine Assisted Activities on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1–11. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2062-5
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Maujean, A., Kendall, E., Roquer, L., Sharp, T., & Pringle, G. (2013). Connecting for health: Playing with horses as a therapeutic tool. Journal of Community Psychology, 41(4), 515–522. doi:10.1002/jcop.21547
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Muñoz-Lasa, S, Ferriero, G, Valero, R, Gomez-Muñiz, F, Rabini, A, Varela, E. (2011) Effect of therapeutic horseback riding on balance and gait of people with multiple sclerosis. G Ital Med Lav Ergon, 33(4), 462-7.
Pendry, P., Carr, A. M., Smith, A. N., & Roeter, S. M. (2014). Improving Adolescent Social Competence and Behavior: A Randomized Trial of an 11-Week Equine Facilitated Learning Prevention Program. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 35(4), 281–293. doi:10.1007/s10935-014-0350-7
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Roberts, F., Bradberry, J., & Williams, C. (2004). Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy Benefits Students and Children. Holistic Nursing Practice, 18(1).
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Selby, A., & Smith-Osborne, A. (2013). A systematic review of effectiveness of complementary and adjunct therapies and interventions involving equines. Health Psychology, 32(4), 418–32. doi:10.1037/a0029188
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Sockalingam, S, Li, M, Krishnadev, U, Hanson, K, Balaban, K, Pacione, L, Bhalerao, S. (2008) Use of animal-assisted therapy in the rehabilitation of an assault victim with a concurrent mood disorder. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 29(1), 73-84.
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Sterba J.A. (2007) Does horseback riding therapy or therapist-directed hippotherapy rehabilitate children with cerebral palsy? Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 49(1), 68-73.
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Vidrine, M., Owen-Smith, P., & Faulkner, P. (2002). Equine Facilitated group psychotherapy: Applications for therapeutic vaulting. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 23, 587–603.
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Wharton, T., Sercu, C., Malone, M., & Macauley, B. (2005). An Analysis of Equine Stress Levels after Participation in Therapy Sessions. Scientific and Educational Journal of Therapeutic Riding, December.
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Zadnikar, M Kkastrin, A. (2011), Effects of hippotherapy and therapeutic horseback riding on postural control or balance in children with cerebral palsy: a meta-analysis. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 53, 684–691.
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Literature regarding human-animal bond and other types of animal-assisted therapy:
Allen, K., Shykoff, B., & Izzo, J. (2001). Pet ownership, but not ACE inhibitor therapy blunts home blood pressure response to mental stress. Hypertension, 38, 815-820.
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Altschuler, E. (1999). Pet-facilitated therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 11(1), 29-30.
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Barker, S.B., Rogers, C.S., Turner, J.W., Karpf, A.S, & Suthers-McKabe, H.M. (Sept 2003). Benefits of interacting with Companion animals: A bibliography of articles published in refereed journals during the past 5 years. The American Behavioral Scientist, 47(1), 94.
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Barker, S.B. (1999). Therapeutic aspects of the human-companion animal interaction. Psychiatric Times, February, 45-46.
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Brickel, C. A. (1986). Pet-facilitated therapies: A review of the literature and clinical implementation considerations. Clinical Gerontologist, 5(3-4), 309-332.
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Casey, H.M. (1996). A survey of occupational therapists using pet-facilitated therapy. Home Health Care Management & Practice, 8, 10-17.
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Netting. F. E., Wilson, C. C., New, J. C. (1987). The human-animal bond: Implications for practice. Social Work, 32(1), 60-64.
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Raina, P., Waltner-Toews, D., Bonnett , B. Woodward, C. & Abernathy, T. (1999). Influence of companion animals on the physical and psychological health of older people: An analysis of a one-year longitudinal study. JAGS: Journal of Am Geriatr Soc, 47(3):323-9.
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Literature related to theoretical supports:
Bachi, K. (2013). Application of attachment theory to equine-facilitated psychotherapy. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 43(3), 187–196. doi:10.1007/s10879-013-9232-1
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Barsalou, L. (1999). Perceptual symbol systems. Behavioral Brain Science, 22, 577-660.
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Casasanto, D. (2009). Embodiment of Abstract Concepts: Good and Bad in Right- and Left-Handers. Journal of Exploratory Psychology, 138, 351-367.
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Casasanto, D. & Dijkstra, K. (2010). Motor action and emotional memory. Cognition, 115, 179-185.
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Dijkstra, K., et al. (2007). Body posture facilitates retrieval of autobiographical memories. Cognition, 102, 139-149.
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Garner, B., & Rigby, B. (2015). Human pelvis motions when walking and when riding a therapeutic horse. Human Movement Science, 39, 121–137. doi:10.1016/j.humov.2014.06.011
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Kahn, P. (1997). Developmental Psychology and the Biophilia Hypothesis: Children’s Affiliation with Nature, Developmental Review, 17(1), 1–61. doi:10.1006/drev.1996.0430
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Links to reports, non-peer reviewed articles, reviews, editorials, or websites that may be of interest:
Burgess L. Wounded veterans get back in the saddle - Pilot program uses horseback riding as physical therapy. Stars and Stripes (2006).
CADTH. (2012). Therapy dogs and horses for mental health: A review of the clinical effectiveness. Canadian Association for Drugs and Technology in Health.
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Zane T. A Horse of a Different Color: A Review of the Effectiveness of Hippotherapy.
Department Of Veterans Affairs. (2014). U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Mental Health: PTSD.
Returning Home from Iraq and Afghanistan: Assessment of Readjustment Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families. (2013). The National Academies Press. Retrieved from
Tanielian, T., & Jaycox, L. (2008). Invisible wounds of war: Psychological and cognitive injuries, their consequences, and services to assist recovery. RAND: Santa Monica, CA.
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