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BMC complementary medicine and therapies2023; 23(1); 363; doi: 10.1186/s12906-023-04191-6

Equine-assisted therapy effectiveness in improving emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem of patients suffering from substance use disorders.

Abstract: Substance Use Disorders (SUD) is a universal overwhelming public health problem and is associated with other psychological and mental health ailments such as emotion regulation, perceived self-esteem, and self-efficacy problems. Complementary and alternative medicine may be beneficial. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy in improving emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem among patients suffering from substance use disorders. It was carried out using a randomized controlled trial design at Behman hospital, Cairo, Egypt. It included 100 patients suffering from SUD attending the setting, equally randomized into an intervention group to receive the equine assisted therapy and a control group to receive the regular care. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire with standardized tools for assessment of emotion regulation, General Self-Efficacy (GSE), and perceived self-esteem. The intervention group received weekly equine-assisted therapy sessions over 6 weeks in addition to their standard regular therapy. Patients in both groups had similar demographic and SUD characteristics, as well as baseline scores of reappraisals, suppression, GSE and perceived self-esteem. At post-intervention, the intervention group had significant improvements in all these scores in comparison with the control group, as well as their baseline. The multivariate analysis identified the study intervention as a significant positive predictor of the reappraisal and GSE scores, and a negative predictor of the suppression and perceived self-esteem negative score. In conclusion, equine assisted-therapy as a complementary treatment in patients suffering from SUD is effective in improving their emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem. A wider use of this approach is recommended in SUD patients along with provision of needed facilities and resources, and training nurses in its administration. Further research is proposed to assess its long-term effectiveness. The clinical trial was registered in the "Clinical Trials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS);" registration number is (05632185/2022) and the full date of first registration is 10/11/2022.
© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
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Publication Date: 2023-10-13 PubMed ID: 37833688PubMed Central: PMC10576391DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04191-6Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • 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.

This study explored how equine-assisted therapy can help increase emotion regulation, self-efficacy and perceived self-esteem in patients suffering from Substance Use Disorders. Conducted in Egypt, the study found that patients who underwent equine-assisted therapy showed significant improvements compared to those who only received regular care.

Research Methodology

  • The setting of this research was in Behman Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. This study utilized a randomized controlled trial design in which 100 patients with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) were equally divided into two groups. One group received equine-assisted therapy as an intervention while the other group received regular care as the control.
  • The data was gathered using self-administered questionnaires with standardized tools to measure emotion regulation, General Self-Efficacy (GSE), and perceived self-esteem.
  • The intervention group had weekly equine-assisted therapy sessions for six weeks in addition to their regular therapy. Pre-existing conditions and demographics were similar for both groups, creating an even baseline for assessing progress.
  • Upon completion of the intervention, the outcomes for each group were compared, primarily focusing on reappraisals, emotion suppression, GSE, and perceived self-esteem.

Research Findings

  • Results showed that equine-assisted therapy greatly improved the patients’ ability to regulate emotions, increase self-efficacy, and enhance perceived self-esteem. These improvements were significantly higher in comparison with the control group, which received standard regular therapy.
  • The statistical analysis of the findings revealed that the intervention was a positive predictor of improving the reappraisal and GSE scores. Conversely, it was a negative predictor of suppression and perceived self-esteem negative scores.
  • In essence, the findings suggest that equine-assisted therapy can be an effective complimentary treatment for patients dealing with SUD.

Conclusion and Recommendations

  • The researchers concluded that equine-assisted therapy could effectively assist SUD patients in managing their condition. The improvements in emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem are notable and promising.
  • On the basis of this study, the researchers recommend a broader adoption of equine-assisted therapy in treating SUD. They also push for the provision of the necessary facilities and resources, as well as the training for nurses who will administer this type of therapy.
  • In order to fully understand the therapy’s potential, the researchers propose further research, particularly in assessing its long-term effectiveness. This scientific inquiry was registered in the Clinical Trials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System with registration number 05632185/2022 and the first registration date as 10/11/2022.

Cite This Article

APA
Souilm N. (2023). Equine-assisted therapy effectiveness in improving emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem of patients suffering from substance use disorders. BMC Complement Med Ther, 23(1), 363. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-023-04191-6

Publication

BMC complementary medicine and therapies
ISSN: 2662-7671
NlmUniqueID: 101761232
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 23
Issue: 1
Pages: 363
PII: 363

Researcher Affiliations

Souilm, Nagwa
  • Faculty of Nursing, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt. nagwamohamed@rocketmail.com.

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Equine-Assisted Therapy
  • Emotional Regulation
  • Self Efficacy
  • Anxiety
  • Substance-Related Disorders / therapy
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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