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Journal of autism and developmental disorders2017; 48(3); 759-769; doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3399-3

Parent Perceptions of Psychosocial Outcomes of Equine-Assisted Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Abstract: This research explored parents' perceptions of the psychosocial outcomes of their children's experience of receiving equine-assisted interventions (EAI). Participants were the parents of six children (aged 3-14) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Five semi-structured interviews were conducted and the transcript data was analysed using Interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four super-ordinate themes emerged from the analysis: (1) child's improved self-concept and enhanced emotional well-being, (2) child's improved self-regulatory ability, (3) social benefits for the child, and (4) unexpected outcomes. EAI was perceived by the parents as having several levels of psychosocial benefits for their children. These benefits may also extend to parents and family through ecopsychological and "flow on" effects associated with the children's involvement in EAI programs.
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Publication Date: 2017-12-03 PubMed ID: 29196865DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3399-3Google 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.

The research conducted attempts to understand if equine-assisted interventions (EAI) have any positive psychological and social effects on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), based on the perception of their parents. Interviews with parents revealed improvements in their children’s emotional well-being, regulatory ability, and social benefits, with additional unanticipated outcomes also observed.

Research Methodology

  • The research included parents of six children aged between 3 and 14 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. These children were recipients of equine-assisted interventions.
  • To understand the effects of EAI, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the parents, creating a dialogue where parents could provide subjective feedback about their observations and experiences.
  • The data collected from these interviews were analysed using an approach known as Interpretative phenomenological analysis. This method is often used in qualitative research to explore how individuals perceive their personal and social world.

Findings of the Research

  • The interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed four main themes:
    • Improved self-concept and emotional well-being: Parents noticed improvements in children’s self-image and emotional health, indicating a positive psychological impact of EAI.
    • Enhanced self-regulatory ability: The intervention helped children to have better control over their behaviors and impulses, which is often a challenge in individuals with ASD.
    • Social benefits: Parents observed improvements in their children’s socialization skills. Increased interaction with horses could have translated into better interaction with humans.
    • Unexpected outcomes: Some benefits not primarily aimed for in the EAI were also observed, though the study does not further explain what these were.
  • The study suggests that not only was EAI beneficial for the children, these advantages ‘flowed on’ and were also experienced by the parents and other family members. This demonstrates the wider influence of EAI on the family ecosystem.

Conclusion

  • The research suggests that equine-assisted interventions hold substantial promise for children with autism spectrum disorder in terms of their psychological and social development.
  • Given the perceived benefits as per the parents’ observations, EAI can not only positively impact the child but also induce beneficial effects on the family overall.

Cite This Article

APA
Tan VX, Simmonds JG. (2017). Parent Perceptions of Psychosocial Outcomes of Equine-Assisted Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord, 48(3), 759-769. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3399-3

Publication

Journal of autism and developmental disorders
ISSN: 1573-3432
NlmUniqueID: 7904301
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 48
Issue: 3
Pages: 759-769

Researcher Affiliations

Tan, Vanessa Xue-Ling
  • Psychology Programs, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Simmonds, Janette Graetz
  • Psychology Programs, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Janette.Simmonds@monash.edu.

MeSH Terms

  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / psychology
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / therapy
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Equine-Assisted Therapy / methods
  • Equine-Assisted Therapy / trends
  • Female
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Parents / psychology
  • Perception / physiology
  • Treatment Outcome

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Citations

This article has been cited 15 times.
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