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Family process2022; 61(2); 549-570; doi: 10.1111/famp.12768

Reducing the incidence of domestic violence: An observational study of an equine-assisted intervention.

Abstract: This paper is presenting results from an observational study which has measured the impact of an equine-assisted education (EAE) intervention on the future occurrence of domestic violence within the family over 1 year following completion of the intervention as part of the troubled families program. The data analyzed were collected by the local authority troubled family's team from the different agencies involved including crime, health, and social care data. The data were analyzed and compared across four groups, those families on the troubled families program who had a key worker with a member or members who had attended and completed the equine-assisted intervention (n = 268); those families who were on the troubled families program but no support had been offered (n = 10,569), those families who were on the program and were being supported by a key worker only (n = 2119), and those families on the program who were being supported by a key worker and had received further support, not from the equine-assisted intervention (N = 1119). Significant reductions in domestic violence and child in need status were found for those families who had a member or members attend and complete the equine-assisted intervention under study. Those families referred to the equine-assisted intervention also had significantly more complex needs than those in the other groups. Referrals to this intervention are normally for those families for whom talk-based interventions such as parenting, or education-based interventions are not working. 马匹辅助教育 (EAE) 干预是本研究关注的某问题家庭计划的一部分。本文介绍了观察性研究的结果, 衡量马匹辅助教育完成后一年内, 对家庭中未来发生的家庭暴力的影响。所分析的数据是由地方当局的问题家庭事务小组从不同的相关机构收集而来的, 包括犯罪、健康和社会护理方面的数据。所有数据进行了分析, 并对参加了问题家庭计划的家庭的四大组别进行了比较。第一组: 家庭中有一个或多个成员参加并完成了马术辅助干预 (N=268), 配备了一个关键工作人员; 第二组: 参加了问题家庭计划但没有提供支持的家庭 (N=10569); 第三组: 参加了计划并得到关键工作者支持的家庭 (N=2119); 第四组: 参加了计划并得到了进一步支持的家庭, 不是来自马术辅助干预 (N=1119) 。对于那些有成员参加并完成研究中的马术辅助干预的家庭, 研究发现其家庭暴力和需要帮助的儿童状况明显减少。那些被转介到马匹辅助干预的家庭也比其他组的家庭有更复杂的需求。转介到这种马匹教育干预措施的家庭通常是那些以往以谈话为基础的干预措施, 如父母教育, 或以教育为基础的干预措施没有效果的家庭。.
© 2022 The Authors. Family Process published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Family Process Institute.
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Publication Date: 2022-03-30 PubMed ID: 35355260PubMed Central: PMC9310829DOI: 10.1111/famp.12768Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Observational Study

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 study explores the impacts of an equine-assisted educational intervention on the prevalence of family domestic violence for families within a troubled families program. The investigation showed that the intervention significantly reduced instances of domestic violence and poor child conditions in intervened families.

Research Overview

  • The authors conducted an observational study to evaluate the effectiveness of equine-assisted education (EAE), used in treating troubled families, on the future occurrence of domestic violence.
  • The research is particularly focused on families who completed EAE as part of a troubled families program within a year.
  • The data used in the analysis were obtained from multiple sources, including crime records, healthcare agencies, and social services, and collated by the local authority team managing the troubled families program.

Data Analysis

  • Families under study were categorized into four groups to facilitate comparison.
  • The first group had a key worker and a member or members who completed the equine-assisted intervention. The second group participated in the troubled families program but received no support. The third had a key worker as their only support and the fourth category had a key worker and received further support not tied to the equine-assisted intervention.
  • The families had a significantly diverse range of needs, – with families referred to the equine-assisted intervention having more complex ones.
  • Analysis of data showed a significant reduction in instances of domestic violence and needy child conditions in families where a member or members had completed the EAE intervention.

Findings

  • The paper highlights the efficiency of the EAE intervention as a viable solution to domestic violence, chiefly among troubled families.
  • The authors assert that equine-assisted intervention is an appropriate referral for families who haven’t shown positive responses to conventional talk-based or education-based interventions.
  • The authors acknowledge that families deemed suitable for the EAE intervention usually presented with more complex needs – a factor that could have enhanced the interventions’ significance in the observed positive outcome.

Conclusion

  • Overall, the research strengthens the proposal that equine-assisted interventions can provide an effective approach to alleviating domestic violence, particularly for complex or troubled family structures.

Cite This Article

APA
Hemingway A, Sullivan K. (2022). Reducing the incidence of domestic violence: An observational study of an equine-assisted intervention. Fam Process, 61(2), 549-570. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12768

Publication

Family process
ISSN: 1545-5300
NlmUniqueID: 0400666
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 61
Issue: 2
Pages: 549-570

Researcher Affiliations

Hemingway, Ann
  • Department of Medical Science & Public Health, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK.
Sullivan, Kezia
  • Department of Medical Science & Public Health, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Domestic Violence / prevention & control
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Parenting
  • Social Support

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. No funding was received for this research.

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