Equine-Assisted Therapy in Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Abstract: Alternative treatments for Post-traumatic-Stress Disorder (PTSD) have attracted attention, especially Equine-Assisted Services (EAS) including psychotherapy and occupational therapy involving horses. In this work, we measured the effectiveness of EAS in PTSD through a meta-analysis. An intensive bibliography search focusing in EAS and PTSD was conducted following the PRISMA recommendations. The search was not restricted by date. For the quantitative analyses, 5 works were selected. They were chosen based on the instrument utilized for the assessment of PTSD symptoms: the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). A random effects model was carried out, showing significant results in the reduction of PTSD symptoms. In the qualitative synthesis, 10 studies were included which showed interesting results in the improvement of PTSD symptoms and other variables. In conclusion, EAS are beneficial for post-traumatic symptoms in the short term follow-up period. However, EAS require further research and major standardization.
Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2023-06-22 PubMed ID: 37355148DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104871Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Meta-Analysis
- Systematic Review
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article investigates the effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Services (EAS), which include therapeutic methods involving horses, as an alternative treatment for Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Overview of the Study
- The researchers carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to measure the effectiveness of EAS in treating PTSD symptoms.
- The research was guided by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) recommendations, which are an established class of guidelines that help in enhancing the reliability and validity of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
- The study did not have any date restrictions, thereby allowing a broad consideration of past literature.
Methods of Study Selection
- The researchers filtered the studies for their meta-analysis based on the PTSD assessment instrument used – the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), a highly-regarded tool for diagnosing PTSD and measuring symptom severity.
- Five studies that utilized PCL-5 for assessing PTSD symptoms were selected for a quantitative analysis.
Analytical Techniques and Findings
- The researchers implemented a random effects model for their meta-analysis, a tool that accommodates the presence of variation or heterogeneity among the different studies.
- This quantitative assessment revealed significant results, pointing to a positive impact of EAS on reducing PTSD symptoms.
- Moreover, for the qualitative synthesis, additional 10 studies were incorporated that demonstrated an improvement in PTSD symptoms and other variables post-treatment through EAS.
Conclusions
- The research concluded that EAS could be beneficial for patients suffering from post-traumatic symptoms in the short term.
- However, they also mentioned that further research is necessary to validate this claim, along with a need to establish standards for EAS, to bring uniformity and consistency in its implementation as a therapy for PTSD.
Cite This Article
APA
Palomar-Ciria N, Bello HJ.
(2023).
Equine-Assisted Therapy in Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
J Equine Vet Sci, 128, 104871.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104871 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Psychiatry Service, Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Soria, Soria, Spain. Electronic address: npalomar@saludcastillayleon.es.
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Valladolid (Campus Duques de Soria), Soria, Spain.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / therapy
- Equine-Assisted Therapy / methods
- Psychotherapy / methods
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest for the elaboration of this work. No external economic funding was needed.
Citations
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