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Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.)2020; 27(1); 88-95; doi: 10.1089/acm.2020.0415

Optimal Terminology for Services in the United States That Incorporate Horses to Benefit People: A Consensus Document.

Abstract: To recommend (1) the adoption of optimal terminology for referring to services in the United States that incorporate horses and other equines to benefit people, and (2) the discontinuation of especially problematic terminology. A diverse multidisciplinary consortium of individuals, including representatives of relevant national organizations, participated in an inclusive, systematic, and comprehensive 2-year consensus-building process. Twelve specific types of services were identified that relate to one of three broad areas of professional work: therapy, learning, or horsemanship. Related to the area of therapy, five distinct types of therapies were identified: counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychotherapy, and speech-language pathology. Therapy-first language is recommended that foregrounds the exact therapy (e.g., ) and adds precise equine-related descriptors as warranted (e.g., ). Related to the area of learning, three distinct types of nontherapy services were identified. The recommended terminology for referring to these services is , , and . Related to the area of horsemanship, four distinct types of nontherapy services were identified. The recommended terminology for referring to these services is or , , and . The plural term, , is recommended as a concise shorthand for easily referencing multiple services that differ from each other, yet share the horse as a common thread. Terms recommended for discontinuation include and . The consensus-building process culminated in extensive but not unanimous endorsements of all terminology recommendations. Terminology recommended for adoption clearly describes and distinguishes 12 distinct types of services. Terminology recommended for discontinuation was found to be ambiguous, misleading, no longer useful, or to have adversely affected stakeholders. It is hoped that all recommendations will prove useful and serve to enhance the professionalism and viability of specific identified services. It is also hoped that improved precision and clarity in terminology for naming specific services will advance their future scientific development and reliable measurement of effectiveness. Not all terminology-related challenges were resolved, however, and new challenges will likely arise as services continue to evolve and diversify. Significant impacts, if any, of the terminology recommendations herein merit ongoing monitoring and the question of optimal terminology merits revisiting in the foreseeable future.
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Publication Date: 2020-11-26 PubMed ID: 33252244DOI: 10.1089/acm.2020.0415Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • 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.

The research paper focuses on refining terminology related to using horses for therapeutic, learning, and horsemanship services in the United States, and suggests discontinuing the use of certain ambiguous or misleading terms.

Consortium and Consensus Process

  • A multidisciplinary consortium comprising individuals from various national organizations underwent a systematic and comprehensive process over two years to derive consensus on optimal terminology for services involving horse for therapeutic benefits.

Classification of Services

  • The consensus process identified twelve specific types of services, divided into three categories: therapy, learning, and horsemanship.
  • Under therapy, five distinct types of therapies were recognized: counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychotherapy, and speech-language pathology.
  • Under learning, three nontherapy services were categorized.
  • Under horsemanship, four nontherapy services were grouped.

Terminology Recommendations

  • The research recommends “therapy-first” language, which highlights the exact therapy and provides specific equine-related descriptions where needed.
  • For learning and horsemanship services, the research paper provides specific terminologies recommended for each service.
  • A plural term is suggested as a concise way of referencing multiple services that differ in procedure but have a common usage of horses.

Terminology Discontinuation

  • Some terminologies were suggested for discontinuation due to their ambiguous, misleading nature, loss of utility, or negative impact on stakeholders.

Outcomes and Future Implications

  • The recommended terminologies clearly distinguish the 12 service types, positively contributing to the professionalism and viability of these services.
  • The precision and clarity of the terminologies are expected to aid future scientific developments and reliable effectiveness measurement.
  • While not all challenges related to terminology were resolved, the paper acknowledges that new challenges may emerge as the services evolve and diversify. The impact of the recommended terminologies will require continued monitoring, and the terminology question will need revisiting in the future.

Cite This Article

APA
Wood W, Alm K, Benjamin J, Thomas L, Anderson D, Pohl L, Kane M. (2020). Optimal Terminology for Services in the United States That Incorporate Horses to Benefit People: A Consensus Document. J Altern Complement Med, 27(1), 88-95. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2020.0415

Publication

Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.)
ISSN: 1557-7708
NlmUniqueID: 9508124
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 27
Issue: 1
Pages: 88-95

Researcher Affiliations

Wood, Wendy
  • Departments of Animal Sciences and Occupational Therapy, Temple Grandin Equine Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Alm, Kathy
  • Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, Denver, CO, USA.
Benjamin, Joann
  • American Hippotherapy Association, Inc., Denver, CO, USA.
Thomas, Lynn
  • Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association, Spanish Fork, UT, USA.
Anderson, Debbie
  • Strides to Success, Plainfield, IN, USA.
Pohl, Lissa
  • University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
  • Equine Experiential Education Association, Reno, NV, USA.
Kane, Michele
  • Hearts & Horses, Inc., Loveland, CO, USA.
  • My Heroes, LLC., Fort Collins, CO, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Consensus
  • Equine-Assisted Therapy
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Terminology as Topic

Citations

This article has been cited 39 times.
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