FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / MethodsX / Best practices for physiological data collection in youth wi...
MethodsX2025; 14; 103284; doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2025.103284

Best practices for physiological data collection in youth with autism and co-occurring mental health diagnoses: Implications for human-animal intervention research.

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to serve as a catalyst for the human-animal interaction research field to improve scientific rigor and accelerate the knowledge of field-based physiological responses during equine-assisted services in youth with autism spectrum disorder. This paper outlines the best practices for collecting and analyzing electrocardiogram and electrodermal activity in youth with autism spectrum disorder, utilized during a 10-week therapeutic horseback riding intervention.•Motivation strategies such as device choice, reward systems, and a visual schedule should be implemented to improve participant compliance. In addition, devices should be secured to the participant following implementation of appropriate desensitization techniques.•Time-domain heart rate variability analyses are more appropriate during therapeutic horseback riding data collection compared to frequency-domain approaches. For electrodermal activity, tonic responses should be assessed as opposed to phasic analyses.•An effective data monitoring team including the Data Collection Research Personnel, Site Principal Investigator, Physiologist, and Therapeutic Riding Center Intervention Lead are key to increasing the quality of usable data in equine-assisted service research environments.
© 2025 The Author(s).
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2025-03-27 PubMed ID: 40236803PubMed Central: PMC11999311DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2025.103284Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

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.

Overview

  • This research article focuses on improving methods for collecting and analyzing physiological data, specifically electrocardiogram (ECG) and electrodermal activity (EDA), in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during therapeutic horseback riding interventions.
  • The goal is to enhance scientific rigor in the field of human-animal interaction research, particularly when studying physiological responses in this population with co-occurring mental health diagnoses.

Purpose and Context

  • The study aims to serve as a catalyst for advancing research on physiological responses to equine-assisted services (EAS) in youth with ASD.
  • It addresses the challenge of collecting valid and reliable physiological data in a field-based, real-world setting during a 10-week therapeutic horseback riding program.
  • Co-occurring mental health diagnoses in youth with ASD create additional complexity, highlighting the need for specialized best practices in data collection and analysis.

Best Practices for Data Collection

  • Motivational Strategies: Techniques to encourage compliance include:
    • Careful device selection to ensure comfort and usability.
    • Use of reward systems to motivate participation and reduce resistance.
    • Implementation of a visual schedule to prepare participants and reduce anxiety about the process.
  • Desensitization Techniques: Before attaching physiological monitoring devices, participants undergo gradual exposure to the equipment and procedures to minimize sensory discomfort or distress.
  • Device Attachment: Ensuring devices are securely fitted to maintain data quality and prevent removal during horseback riding sessions.

Data Analysis Recommendations

  • Heart Rate Variability (HRV):
    • Time-domain analysis methods are preferred for HRV because they better handle the dynamic, movement-rich environment of horseback riding.
    • Frequency-domain approaches are less suitable due to the noise and movement artifacts typical in field settings.
  • Electrodermal Activity (EDA):
    • Focus on assessing tonic responses (the baseline level of skin conductance) rather than phasic responses (short-term fluctuations) for more stable and interpretable data.

Team Structure to Enhance Data Quality

  • Successful collection and analysis rely on a multidisciplinary, collaborative team including:
    • Data Collection Research Personnel: Responsible for hands-on device setup, monitoring participants, and ensuring data integrity during sessions.
    • Site Principal Investigator: Oversees research protocol adherence, ethical considerations, and overall project coordination.
    • Physiologist: Provides expertise in interpreting physiological data, advising on analysis approaches, and troubleshooting measurement issues.
    • Therapeutic Riding Center Intervention Lead: Bridges clinical intervention with research needs, supporting participant engagement, and ensuring that interventions proceed smoothly alongside data collection.
  • This team approach enhances data quality and usability by addressing logistical, technical, and participant-centered challenges effectively.

Implications for Human-Animal Interaction Research

  • Applying these best practices can increase validity and reliability of physiological measurements in youth with ASD during animal-assisted interventions.
  • Improved data quality supports stronger scientific conclusions about the therapeutic effects and mechanisms underpinning equine-assisted services.
  • The outlined approaches encourage rigorous methodology in a growing field, advancing knowledge and informing clinical practice for youth with autism and co-occurring mental health conditions.

Cite This Article

APA
Smith CM, Weimann K, Widick M, Merritt T, Christensen H, Siegel M, Pan Z, Gabriels RL. (2025). Best practices for physiological data collection in youth with autism and co-occurring mental health diagnoses: Implications for human-animal intervention research. MethodsX, 14, 103284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2025.103284

Publication

MethodsX
ISSN: 2215-0161
NlmUniqueID: 101639829
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 14
Pages: 103284
PII: 103284

Researcher Affiliations

Smith, Cory M
  • Baylor University Waco, TX Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, United States.
Weimann, Katharine
  • University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Children's Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO, United States of America.
Widick, Madison
  • University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Children's Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO, United States of America.
Merritt, Tamara
  • Hearts & Horses, Inc. Loveland, CO, United States of America.
Christensen, Hannah
  • University of Montana Missoula, MT, United States of America.
Siegel, Matthew
  • Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, United States of America.
  • Tufts University School of Medicine, Departments of Psychiatry & Pediatrics, United States of America.
Pan, Zhaoxing
  • University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Children's Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO, United States of America.
Gabriels, Robin L
  • University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Children's Hospital Colorado Aurora, CO, United States of America.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

References

This article includes 33 references
  1. Maenner MJ. Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years—Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2020. MMWR. Surveillance Summaries Vol. 72; 2023.
    doi: 10.15585/mmwr.ss7202a1pmc: PMC10042614pubmed: 36952288google scholar: lookup
  2. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed.; 2022.
  3. Mazefsky CA, Borue X, Day TN, Minshew NJ. Emotion regulation patterns in adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: comparison to typically developing adolescents and association with psychiatric symptoms. Autism Res 2014;7(3):344–354.
    doi: 10.1002/aur.1366pmc: PMC4136477pubmed: 24610869google scholar: lookup
  4. Mazefsky CA, Day TN, Siegel M, White SW, Yu L, Pilkonis PA. Development of the emotion dysregulation Inventory: a PROMIS®ing method for creating sensitive and unbiased questionnaires for Autism spectrum disorder. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2018;48(11):3736–3746.
    doi: 10.1007/s10803-016-2907-1pmc: PMC5378674pubmed: 27699685google scholar: lookup
  5. Chen S, Zhang Y, Zhao M, Du X, Wang Y, Liu X. Effects of therapeutic horseback-riding program on social and communication skills in children with Autism Spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022;19(21) Article 21.
    doi: 10.3390/ijerph192114449pmc: PMC9655675pubmed: 36361327google scholar: lookup
  6. Madigand J, Rio M, Vandevelde A. Equine assisted services impact on social skills in autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis. Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry 2023;125.
    doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110765pubmed: 37031948google scholar: lookup
  7. McDaniel Peters BC, Wood W. Autism and Equine-assisted interventions: a systematic mapping review. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2017;47(10):3220–3242.
    doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3219-9pubmed: 28733851google scholar: lookup
  8. O'Haire ME. Animal-assisted Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder: a systematic literature review. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2013;43(7):1606–1622.
    doi: 10.1007/s10803-012-1707-5pubmed: 23124442google scholar: lookup
  9. Rodriguez KE, Herzog H, Gee NR. Variability in Human-animal interaction research. Front. Veterin. Sci. 2021;7.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.619600pmc: PMC7843787pubmed: 33521092google scholar: lookup
  10. Srinivasan SM, Cavagnino DT, Bhat AN. Effects of equine therapy on individuals with Autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. Rev. J. Autism Develop. Disord. 2018;5(2):156–175.
    doi: 10.1007/s40489-018-0130-zpmc: PMC6178825pubmed: 30319932google scholar: lookup
  11. Borgi M, Loliva D, Cerino S, Chiarotti F, Venerosi A, Bramini M, Nonnis E, Marcelli M, Vinti C, De Santis C, Bisacco F, Fagerlie M, Frascarelli M, Cirulli F. Effectiveness of a standardized Equine-assisted therapy program for children with Autism spectrum disorder. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2016;46(1):1–9.
    doi: 10.1007/s10803-015-2530-6pubmed: 26210515google scholar: lookup
  12. Collacchi B, Pinchaud N, Borgi M, Cirulli F. Equine-assisted activities (EAAs) for children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): positive effects revealed using an ethological approach. Appl. Sci. 2023;13(13) Article 13.
    doi: 10.3390/app13137417google scholar: lookup
  13. Dawson S, McCormick BP, Tamas D, Stanojevic C, Eldridge L, McIntire J, Bowen A, McKissock HB. Equine-assisted therapy with Autism spectrum disorder in Serbia and the United States. Ther. Recreation J. 2022;56(1):17–38.
    doi: 10.18666/TRJ-2022-V56-I1-10387google scholar: lookup
  14. Gabriels RL, Pan Z, Dechant B, Agnew JA, Brim N, Mesibov G. Randomized controlled trial of therapeutic horseback riding in children and adolescents with Autism spectrum disorder. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2015;54(7):541–549.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2015.04.007pmc: PMC4475278pubmed: 26088658google scholar: lookup
  15. Lanning BA, Baier MEM, Ivey-Hatz J, Krenek N, Tubbs JD. Effects of equine assisted activities on Autism spectrum disorder. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2014;44(8):1897–1907.
    doi: 10.1007/s10803-014-2062-5pubmed: 24526337google scholar: lookup
  16. Zhao M, Chen S, You Y, Wang Y, Zhang Y. Effects of a therapeutic horseback riding program on social interaction and communication in children with autism. Int J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021;18(5) Article 5.
    doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052656pmc: PMC7967314pubmed: 33800787google scholar: lookup
  17. Zhao M, You Y, Li J, Healy S, Taylor A, Zhang Z, Li L, Zou L. The effects of therapeutic horseback riding program on motor skills in children with autism spectrum disorder. Int. J. Mental. Health Prom. 2022;24(4):475–489.
    doi: 10.32604/ijmhp.2022.021361google scholar: lookup
  18. Zoccante L, Marconi M, Ciceri M.L, Gagliardoni S, Gozzi L.A, Sabaini S, Di Gennaro G, Colizzi M. Effectiveness of equine-assisted activities and therapies for improving adaptive behavior and motor function in Autism spectrum disorder. J. Clin. Med. 2021;10(8) Article 8.
    doi: 10.3390/jcm10081726pmc: PMC8073280pubmed: 33923582google scholar: lookup
  19. Kemeny B, Burk S, Hutchins D, Gramlich C. Therapeutic riding or mindfulness: comparative effectiveness of two recreational therapy interventions for adolescents with Autism. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2022;52(6):2438–2462.
    doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05136-zpmc: PMC8204925pubmed: 34131850google scholar: lookup
  20. Wijker C, Kupper N, Leontjevas R, Spek A, Enders-Slegers M.-J. The effects of Animal Assisted Therapy on autonomic and endocrine activity in adults with autism spectrum disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry 2021;72:36–44.
    doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.05.003pubmed: 34237553google scholar: lookup
  21. García-Gómez A, Guerrero-Barona E, García-Peña I, Rodríguez-Jiménez M, Moreno-Manso J.M. Equine-assisted therapeutic activities and their influence on the heart rate variability: a systematic review. Complement. Ther. Clin. Pract. 2020;39.
    doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101167pubmed: 32379693google scholar: lookup
  22. Teo J.T, Johnstone S.J, Römer S.S, Thomas S.J. Psychophysiological mechanisms underlying the potential health benefits of human-dog interactions: a systematic literature review. Int. J. Psychophysiol. 2022;180:27–48.
    doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.07.007pubmed: 35901904google scholar: lookup
  23. Shoffner A, Gabriels R. Therapeutic Horseback Riding Intervention Manual. .
  24. Lord C, Rutter M, diLavore P, Risi S, Gotham K, Bishop S. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. 2nd ed. Western Psychological Services; Los Angeles: 2012.
  25. Rutter M, Bailey A, Lord C. Social Communication Questionnaire. Western Psychological Services; 2003.
  26. Gadow K, Sprafkin J. Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory. Checkmate Plus; 2005.
  27. Bansal D, Khan M, Salhan A.K. A review of measurement and analysis of heart rate variability. 2009 International Conference on Computer and Automation Engineering. 2009; pp. 243–246.
    doi: 10.1109/ICCAE.2009.70google scholar: lookup
  28. Pham T, Lau Z.J, Chen S.H.A, Makowski D. Heart rate variability in psychology: a review of HRV indices and an analysis tutorial. Sensors 2021;21(12) Article 12.
    doi: 10.3390/s21123998pmc: PMC8230044pubmed: 34207927google scholar: lookup
  29. Greenlee J.L, Lorang E, Olson R.H, Rodriquez G, Yoon D.M, Hartley S. Comparative analysis of electrodermal activity metrics and their association with child behavior in autism spectrum disorder. Dev. Psychobiol. 2024;66(2).
    doi: 10.1002/dev.22461pmc: PMC10901449pubmed: 38388193google scholar: lookup
  30. McGuire K, Erickson C, Gabriels R.L, Kaplan D, Mazefsky C, McGonigle J, Meservy J, Pedapati E, Pierri J, Wink L, Siegel M. Psychiatric hospitalization of children with Autism or intellectual disability: consensus statements on best practices. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2015;54(12):969–971.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2015.08.017pmc: PMC4847534pubmed: 26598469google scholar: lookup
  31. Grandgeorge M, Masataka N. Atypical color preference in children with Autism spectrum disorder. Front. Psychol. 2016;7:1976.
    doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01976pmc: PMC5179595pubmed: 28066297google scholar: lookup
  32. Nair A.S, Priya R.S, Rajagopal P, Pradeepa C, Senthil R, Dhanalakshmi S, Lai K.W, Wu X, Zuo X. A case study on the effect of light and colors in the built environment on autistic children's behavior. Front. Psychiatry 2022;13.
    doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1042641pmc: PMC9748440pubmed: 36532166google scholar: lookup
  33. Waters M.B, Lerman D.C, Hovanetz A.N. Separate and combined effects of visual schedules and extinction plus differential reinforcement on problem behavior occasioned by transitions. J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 2009;42(2):309–313.
    doi: 10.1901/jaba.2009.42-309pmc: PMC2695333pubmed: 19949517google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 0 times.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,000 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.