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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Autism Dev Disord / Autism and Equine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Mappi...
Journal of autism and developmental disorders2017; 47(10); 3220-3242; doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3219-9

Autism and Equine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Mapping Review.

Abstract: This systematic mapping review mapped current knowledge of equine-assisted interventions for people with autism to help guide future practice and research. Thirty-three studies including children and adolescents with autism, 3 of which confirmed diagnoses, were reviewed. Five types of equine-assisted activities were identified across 25 studies, with reported improvements in behavior, social interaction, and communication. Four types of equine-assisted therapies were identified across 8 studies, with reported improvements in motor control and self-care. Different approaches to therapeutic riding and hippotherapy, the most studied interventions, were evident. While this literature reflected early scientific development, it offered broad proof of concept that equine-assisted interventions can benefit children and adolescents with autism. Promising outcomes support continued investigation focused on standardization, appropriateness, and efficacy.
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Publication Date: 2017-07-25 PubMed ID: 28733851DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3219-9Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study reviews the current knowledge on horse-assisted therapy for individuals with autism. The data suggests that these types of interventions can have beneficial effects on behavior, social interaction, and motor control.

Research Topic and Methodology

  • The research is a systematic mapping review, which is a broad type of study intended to investigate, describe, and categorize existing literature on a certain topic. In this case, the topic is equine-assisted interventions (horse-based therapy) for people with autism.
  • The researchers reviewed 33 studies on the topic, which mainly involved children and adolescents with autism. Interestingly, only three of these studies confirmed the diagnoses of autism.

Key Findings

  • Five main types of horse-assisted activities resulted in noticeable improvements in behavior, social interactions, and communication among youths with autism.
  • Four main types of horse-assisted therapies showed improvements in motor control and self-care.
  • Therapeutic riding and hippotherapy (a type of physical, occupational, and speech therapy that uses horse movement) were the most researched interventions.
  • Despite the differing approaches to these therapies, both provided a broad proof of concept that horse-assisted interventions can indeed have positive effects on children and adolescents with autism.

Implications and Recommendations

  • Given the promising outcomes, the research supports the continuation of studies focused on various aspects of horse-assisted therapies for people with autism.
  • Specific areas suggested for further investigation include efforts to standardize these interventions, determine their appropriateness for different cases, and further validate their efficacy.
  • This review will be of value to practitioners in the field of equine-assisted therapy and researchers investigating potential benefits for people with autism. Despite the early stage of scientific development noted in the literature, this review offers a promising body of evidence that these interventions may indeed be beneficial.

Cite This Article

APA
McDaniel Peters BC, Wood W. (2017). Autism and Equine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Mapping Review. J Autism Dev Disord, 47(10), 3220-3242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3219-9

Publication

Journal of autism and developmental disorders
ISSN: 1573-3432
NlmUniqueID: 7904301
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 47
Issue: 10
Pages: 3220-3242

Researcher Affiliations

McDaniel Peters, B Caitlin
  • Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, 200 Occupational Therapy Building, 1573 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA. caiti@rams.colostate.edu.
Wood, Wendy
  • Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, 200 Occupational Therapy Building, 1573 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Autistic Disorder / diagnosis
  • Autistic Disorder / psychology
  • Autistic Disorder / therapy
  • Child
  • Communication
  • Equine-Assisted Therapy / methods
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Self Care / methods
  • Self Care / psychology

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Citations

This article has been cited 21 times.
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