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Home / Equine Research Bank / Children (Basel) / Effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies fo...
Children (Basel, Switzerland)2024; 11(12); 1494; doi: 10.3390/children11121494

Effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Update.

Abstract: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition requiring personalised therapeutic approaches. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAATs) in 86 children with varying ASD severity levels (levels 1-3). Methods: Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales and the Parenting Stress Index were used. Between May 2022 and October 2023, participants completed 20 weekly sessions of 45 min each, tailored to their individual needs. Results: Children with level 3 ASD demonstrated greater challenges in communication (level 1: 67.1 ± 29.0 vs. level 3: 30.0 ± 12.6; < 0.001), daily living skills (81.0 ± 26.8 vs. 42.6 ± 18.1; < 0.001), and socialisation (72.2 ± 23.2 vs. 37.3 ± 14.2; < 0.001). Parental distress was higher in cases of greater ASD severity. Nevertheless, significant improvements were observed across the entire cohort in daily living skills (58.3 ± 25.5 vs. 67.8 ± 29.0; = 0.023), with particularly notable outcomes in children with level 1 ASD (65.7 ± 26.9 vs. 81.0 ± 26.8; = 0.010). While increases in socialisation were noted among children with level 1 ASD, these were not statistically significant ( = 0.073). Conclusions: EAAT fosters improvements in daily living skills, particularly in children with level 1 ASD, and has a positive impact on socialisation. For children with more severe ASD, targeted interventions are required.
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Publication Date: 2024-12-08 PubMed ID: 39767923PubMed Central: PMC11674094DOI: 10.3390/children11121494Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 study investigated the impact of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAATs) on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), particularly focusing on improvements in adaptive behaviors and parental stress across different ASD severity levels.
  • The findings demonstrated that EAAT can enhance daily living skills and socialization, especially in children with milder ASD, while children with more severe ASD may require additional targeted therapies.

Background and Objectives

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges in social communication, behavior, and adaptive functioning.
  • Therapeutic interventions often need to be personalized due to the heterogeneity in ASD severity and symptoms.
  • Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAATs) involve therapeutic interactions with horses and are increasingly explored as supportive interventions for ASD.
  • This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of EAAT in children with ASD ranging from level 1 (mild) to level 3 (severe), focusing on adaptive behavior changes and parental stress.

Methods

  • Participants: 86 children diagnosed with ASD spanning all three severity levels (levels 1 through 3).
  • Interventions: Participants completed 20 weekly sessions of EAAT, each lasting 45 minutes, tailored to individual needs, between May 2022 and October 2023.
  • Assessments:
    • Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS): Assesses communication, daily living skills, and socialization.
    • Parenting Stress Index (PSI): Measures parental distress and stress levels.
  • Comparisons were made before and after the completion of the 20 sessions to determine changes in children’s adaptive functioning and parental stress.

Key Findings

  • Baseline Differences by ASD Severity:
    • Children with level 3 ASD showed significantly lower functioning in communication, daily living skills, and socialization compared to those with level 1 ASD. For example:
      • Communication: Level 1 mean score 67.1 vs. Level 3 mean score 30.0
      • Daily living skills: Level 1 mean 81.0 vs. Level 3 mean 42.6
      • Socialization: Level 1 mean 72.2 vs. Level 3 mean 37.3
    • Parental distress measured via the Parenting Stress Index was higher as the severity of ASD increased.
  • Improvements after EAAT Intervention:
    • Overall cohort showed significant improvement in daily living skills post-intervention:
      • Mean scores increased from 58.3 to 67.8.
    • Children with level 1 ASD showed more pronounced gains in daily living skills:
      • Increased from 65.7 to 81.0, which was statistically significant.
    • There were increases in socialization scores among level 1 ASD children, but these changes did not reach statistical significance.
    • Overall, the intervention fostered adaptive improvements largely in daily living skills and to some extent socialization.

Interpretation and Conclusions

  • The study supports EAAT as an effective supportive therapy to improve daily living skills in children with ASD, especially those with milder forms (level 1).
  • While benefits in socialization were observed, these were less robust and may require more intensive or specific interventions to be statistically significant.
  • Children with severe ASD (level 3) present greater challenges in adaptive functioning and parental stress levels, indicating that EAAT alone may not be sufficient.
  • Targeted, possibly multi-modal interventions are suggested for severe ASD cases to address the broader and more complex needs.
  • Parental stress correlates with ASD severity, emphasizing the importance of including family support in therapeutic plans.

Clinical and Research Implications

  • EAAT can be integrated as a complementary therapy for ASD children to enhance daily functioning, especially in less severe cases.
  • Further research could explore combining EAAT with other targeted interventions for children with moderate to severe ASD to maximize benefits.
  • Long-term studies could assess sustainability of improvements and impact on overall quality of life for children and families.
  • Clinicians should consider ASD severity when recommending EAAT and tailor therapy goals accordingly.

Cite This Article

APA
Zoccante L, Sabaini S, Bonatti SM, Rigotti E, Lintas C, Marconi M, Zaffanello M. (2024). Effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Update. Children (Basel), 11(12), 1494. https://doi.org/10.3390/children11121494

Publication

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
ISSN: 2227-9067
NlmUniqueID: 101648936
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 12
PII: 1494

Researcher Affiliations

Zoccante, Leonardo
  • Childhood, Adolescence, Families and Family Health Center, Provincial Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, 37122 Verona, Italy.
Sabaini, Sara
  • Section of Physiology and Psychology, Department of Neurosciences Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Bonatti, Sophia Marlene
  • Section of Physiology and Psychology, Department of Neurosciences Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Rigotti, Erika
  • Department of Paediatrics, Woman's & Child's, University Hospital of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy.
Lintas, Camilla
  • Department of Mental Health, ULSS 9 Scaligera, 37122 Verona, Italy.
Marconi, Michele
  • Childhood, Adolescence, Families and Family Health Center, Provincial Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, 37122 Verona, Italy.
  • Corte Molon-ASD Horse Valley, 37124 Verona, Italy.
Zaffanello, Marco
  • Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology, University of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Martínez Moreno CM, Hernández Garre JM, Echevarría Pérez P, Morales Moreno I, Vegue Parra E, Valero Merlos E. Effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Intervention as a Therapeutic Strategy for Improving Adaptive Behaviour in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.. Healthcare (Basel) 2025 Aug 15;13(16).
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