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Frontiers in veterinary science2019; 5; 312; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00312

Replication Pilot Trial of Therapeutic Horseback Riding and Cortisol Collection With Children on the Autism Spectrum.

Abstract: We aimed to determine whether results of our prior randomized control trial [RCT; NCT02301195, (1)] of Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THR) for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could be at a different riding center and if treatment effects also included differences in the expression of associations between problem behavior and the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Participants with ASD ( = 16) ages 6-16 years were randomized by nonverbal intelligence quotient to either a 10-week THR group ( = 8) or no horse interaction barn activity (BA) control group ( = 8). Outcome measures were a standard speech-language sample and caregiver-report of aberrant and social behaviors. Participants' saliva was sampled weekly at a consistent afternoon time immediately pre- and 20 min' post-condition (later assayed for cortisol). Intent-to-treat analysis revealed that compared to controls, THR participants had significant improvements in hyperactivity, and social awareness, and significant improvements at the 0.1 significance level in irritability and social communication behaviors. There were no significant improvements in number of words or new words spoken during the standard language sample. Linear mixed effects model analysis indicated that greater weekly pre-lesson irritability levels were associated with smaller post-lesson reduction in salivary cortisol levels, and greater weekly pre-lesson hyperactivity levels were associated with smaller cortisol reduction in the THR group, but not in the BA control group. The findings represent a partial replication of prior results (1), extend prior observations to include THR effects on biobehavioral relationships and suggest that cortisol could be a target mediator for THR effects on irritability and hyperactivity behaviors in youth with ASD. Trial of Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder; http://clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT02301195.
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Publication Date: 2019-01-14 PubMed ID: 30693284PubMed Central: PMC6339889DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00312Google 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 article reports on a trial investigating the effects of Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THR) on children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The researchers particularly focused on whether THR could bring about improvements in problem behaviors and, correspondingly, changes in the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis as indicated by cortisol levels in saliva.

Research Background

  • The research builds on a prior randomized control trial (RCT) that looked into the benefits of THR for children and adolescents with ASD.
  • The main objective in this pilot study was to find out whether the results of the previous RCT could be replicated in a different riding center, with a focus on whether there were treatment effects on the HPA axis’ activity, linked to problem behaviors.

Research Method

  • Participants were young individuals with ASD, aged between 6 to 16 years.
  • They were randomly split into two groups, with eight of them participating in a 10-week THR program and the remaining eight serving as the control group with no horse interaction but undertaking barn activities instead.
  • Outcome measures listed were speech-language samples and assessments of aberrant and social behaviours reported by caregivers. Saliva samples were also collected weekly for determination of cortisol levels.

Findings

  • Results illustrated that those in the THR group exhibited significant improvements in hyperactivity and social awareness, as well as notable improvements in irritability and social communication behaviors at the 0.1 significance level.
  • However, the study didn’t find any significant improvements in the number of words or new words spoken during the standard language trial.
  • The study observed that higher weekly pre-lesson irritability levels correlated with smaller post-lesson reductions in salivary cortisol levels. Similarly, higher pre-lesson hyperactivity levels correlated with smaller cortisol reductions – these associations were specific to the THR group only.

Implications

  • The findings broadly correlate with past studies, indicating a partial replication of previous results. The study also provides fresh insights into the impact of THR on biobehavioral relationships in individuals with ASD.
  • Specifically, the results suggest that cortisol, as a biomarker of stress response, could be a concrete target mediator for THR effects on hyperactivity and irritability behaviors in ASD youth.
  • Thus, THR may be a viable and beneficial treatment method for managing certain behavioral challenges in children and teenagers with ASD.

Cite This Article

APA
Pan Z, Granger DA, Guérin NA, Shoffner A, Gabriels RL. (2019). Replication Pilot Trial of Therapeutic Horseback Riding and Cortisol Collection With Children on the Autism Spectrum. Front Vet Sci, 5, 312. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00312

Publication

Frontiers in veterinary science
ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 5
Pages: 312
PII: 312

Researcher Affiliations

Pan, Zhaoxing
  • Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.
  • Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States.
Granger, Douglas A
  • Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States.
  • Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Guérin, Noémie A
  • Center for the Human-Animal Bond of Purdue, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.
Shoffner, Amy
  • Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.
Gabriels, Robin L
  • Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.
  • Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States.

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Citations

This article has been cited 18 times.
  1. Nieforth LO, Schwichtenberg AJ, O'Haire ME. Animal-Assisted Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of the Literature from 2016 to 2020. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 2023 Jun;10(2):255-280.
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