The Effect of Contact with a Horse During a Three-day Hippotherapy Session on Physiotherapy Students’ Emotions.
Abstract: Activities with horses cause many emotional reactions in their recipients, the measurement and analysis of which can provide information about positive or negative attitudes toward hippotherapy activities. The purpose of the study was to explore how horse contact affects the emotions of female and male students experiencing horseback riding during a three-day hippotherapy session. Unassigned: The study included 252 physiotherapy students from the Medical University of Wrocław who participated in hippotherapy classes during a three-day didactic and scientific course implemented in the years 2014-2019. The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) and the Sanoquell automatic 766 pulse measuring device were used for the study. The SPANE took place at the beginning (study I) and at the end (study II) of the camp. Pulse was measured daily before and after hippotherapy (6 times). Unassigned: Analysis of variance proved the existence of statistically significant difference between the intensity of positive feelings (SPANE-P, p=0.000) and negative feelings (SPANE-N, p=0.000) and in the outcome of overall satisfaction/happiness balance (SPANE-B, p=0.000) in I and II study in the group of women. No such difference was noted for the men. The pulse in women measured on the third day was statistically significantly higher than in men (p=0.0345). Unassigned: Hippotherapy classes bring physiotherapy students an increase in positive feelings and a decrease in negative feelings. Personal experience seems to be the best way to understand and consciously use hippotherapy as a therapeutic method.
© 2022 Choińska et al.
Publication Date: 2022-06-03 PubMed ID: 35844829PubMed Central: PMC9281609DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S332046Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- 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 investigates the emotional effects of contact with horses during a three-day hippotherapy session on physiotherapy students. The study uncovers significant positive emotional impact on female participants, but not on male participants.
Research Purpose and Methodology
- The central goal of this research was to discover how horse contact during a three-day hippotherapy session affects the emotional state of physiotherapy students.
- The study’s sample consisted of 252 physiotherapy students from the Medical University of Wrocław who participated in hippotherapy classes during a three-day course implemented from 2014 to 2019.
- The researchers used the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) to measure emotional response. They administered this twice, once at the beginning of the course (study I) and once at the end (study II).
- The research team also used the Sanoquell automatic 766 pulse measuring device to track physiological arousal, measuring pulse rates before and after each day’s hippotherapy session.
Key Findings
- The researchers found a statistically significant difference between the intensity of positive feelings (SPANE-P, p=0.000) and negative feelings (SPANE-N, p=0.000) between study I and II in the group of women.
- Moreover, the study showed a significant change in the overall satisfaction and happiness balance (SPANE-B, p=0.000) of females from the first to the second time of testing.
- However, no such difference was observed for men in the course either in terms of positive or negative emotions or overall happiness.
- Pulse rates in women were also found to be statistically significantly higher on the third day compared to men (p=0.0345), potentially reflecting greater emotional arousal.
Conclusion and Implications
- Hippotherapy activities were associated with an increase in positive feelings and a decrease in negative feelings among female physiotherapy students.
- These findings suggest that personal experience with therapeutic methods such as hippotherapy can aid in comprehending and consciously using these treatment options.
Cite This Article
APA
Choińska AM, Bajer W, Żurek A, Gieysztor E.
(2022).
The Effect of Contact with a Horse During a Three-day Hippotherapy Session on Physiotherapy Students’ Emotions.
Psychol Res Behav Manag, 15, 1385-1396.
https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S332046 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
- SKN15 Child and Adolescent Developmental Disorders, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
- Department of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.
- Department of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
- SKN15 Child and Adolescent Developmental Disorders, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.
References
This article includes 38 references
- Choińska AM, Żurek A, Gieysztor E, Górna S, Trafalska A, Selwa D. The influence of contact with a horse on emotions of physiotherapy students. Hippotherapeutic review 2017/1 (18). Warsaw; 2017.
- Guindos-Sanchez L, Lucena-Anton D, Moral-Munoz JA, Salazar A, Carmona-Barrientos I. The Effectiveness of Hippotherapy to Recover Gross Motor Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. Children (Basel) 2020 Aug 19;7(9).
- Lucena-Antón D, Rosety-Rodríguez I, Moral-Munoz JA. Effects of a hippotherapy intervention on muscle spasticity in children with cerebral palsy: A randomized controlled trial.. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2018 May;31:188-192.
- Dominguez-Romero JG, Molina-Aroca A, Moral-Munoz JA, Luque-Moreno C, Lucena-Anton D. Effectiveness of Mechanical Horse-Riding Simulators on Postural Balance in Neurological Rehabilitation: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019 Dec 25;17(1).
- Koca TT, Ataseven H. What is hippotherapy? The indications and effectiveness of hippotherapy.. North Clin Istanb 2015;2(3):247-252.
- Smith AV, Proops L, Grounds K, Wathan J, McComb K. Functionally relevant responses to human facial expressions of emotion in the domestic horse (Equus caballus).. Biol Lett 2016 Feb;12(2):20150907.
- Sabiniewicz A, Białek M, Tarnowska K, Świątek R, Dobrowolska M, Sorokowski P. A Preliminary Investigation of Interspecific Chemosensory Communication of Emotions: Can Humans (Homo sapiens) Recognise Fear- and Non-Fear Body Odour from Horses (Equus ferus caballus).. Animals (Basel) 2021 Dec 8;11(12).
- Bizub AL, Joy A, Davidson L. "It's like being in another world": demonstrating the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding for individuals with psychiatric disability.. Psychiatr Rehabil J 2003 Spring;26(4):377-84.
- Choińska AM, Sadowska L, Filipowski H. Występowanie stresu u studentów fizjoterapii realizujących program dydaktyczny z zakresu specjalnych metod hipoterapii [The occurrence of stress in physiotherapy students implementing a didactic program in the field of special methods of hippotherapy]. Przegląd Hipoterapeutyczny 2011;1(12).
- Eyler J, Giles DE Jnr. Where's the Learning in Service-Learning?. San Francisco (CA): Jossey-Bass; 1999.
- Buswell D, Leriou F. Perceived Benefits of Students’ Service-Learning Experiences with Hippotherapy. Faculty Publication 15.
- Emes C, Velde BP. racticum in adapted physical activity. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2005.
- Sherrill C. Service-learning, practicums, internships: issues in professional preparation. Palaestra 2006;22(4):55–56.
- Eyler JS, Giles DE Jr, Stenson CM, Gray CJ. At a glance: What we know about the effects of service-learning on college student, faculty, institutions and communities, 1993-2000 (3rd ed.). Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University; 2000.
- Diener E, Tov W, Kim-Prieto C. New well-being measures: short scales to assess flourishing and positive and negative feelings. Soc Indic Res 2010;97(2):143–156.
- Daniel-González L, de la Rubia JM, Valle de la O A, García-Cadena CH, Martínez-Martí ML. Validation of the Mexican Spanish Version of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience in a Sample of Medical and Psychology Students.. Psychol Rep 2020 Oct;123(5):2053-2079.
- vera-Villarroel P, Pavez P, Silva J. El rol predisponente del optimismo: hacia un modelo etiologico del bienestar [The causal role of the optimism: towards an etiological model of well-being]. Terapia Psicologica 2012;30(2):77–84.
- Pakenham KI, Stafford-Brown J. Stress in clinical psychology trainees: current research status and future directions. Aust Psychol 2012;47(3):147–155.
- Ruiz-Aranda D, Extremera N, Pineda-Galán C. Emotional intelligence, life satisfaction and subjective happiness in female student health professionals: the mediating effect of perceived stress.. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2014 Mar;21(2):106-13.
- Cassaretto M, Martinez P. Validacion de las escalas de bienestar, de florecimiento y afectividad [Validation of the scales of well-being of flourishing and feelings]. Pensamiento Psicologico 2017;15(1):19–31.
- Carmona-Halty M, Villegas-Robertson M. Escala de experiencias positivas y negativas (SPANE): adaptacion y validacion en un contexto escolar chileno [Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE): adaptation and validation in a Chilean school context]. Revista de Ciencia y Tecnologia de America 2018;43(5):317–321.
- Silva AJ, Caetano A. Validation of the flourishing scale and Scale of Positive and Negative Experience in Portugal. Soc Indic Res 2013;110(2):469–478.
- Howell AJ, Buro K. Measuring and predicting student well-being: further evidence in support of the flourishing scale and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences. Soc Indic Res 2015;121(3):903–915.
- Jovanović V. Beyond the PANAS: incremental validity of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) in relation to well-being. Pers Individ Dif 2015;86:487–491.
- Telef BB. The positive and negative experience scale adaptation for Turkish university students. Eur Sci J 2015;11(14):49–59.
- Rahm T, Heise E, Schuldt M. Measuring the frequency of emotions-validation of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) in Germany.. PLoS One 2017;12(2):e0171288.
- Giuntoli L, Ceccarini F, Sica C, Caudek C. Validation of the Italian versions of the flourishing scale and of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience. SAGE Open 2017;7(1):1–12.
- Li F, Bai X, Wang Y. The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE): psychometric properties and normative data in a large Chinese sample.. PLoS One 2013;8(4):e61137.
- Sumi K. Reliability and validity of Japanese versions of the flourishing scale and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience. Soc Indic Res 2014;118(2):601–615.
- Singh K, Junnarkar M, Jaswal S. Validating the flourishing scale and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience in India. Ment Health Relig Cult 2016;19(8):943–954.
- Tilešová- Rychlewska Stanislava. Good Practices in Hippoterapy what every hippotherapist should know psycho-pedagogically and psychotherapeutically. Association 'Strapete Ranch'. Bełchatow; 2016.
- Earles JL, Vernon LL, Yetz JP. Equine-assisted therapy for anxiety and posttraumatic stress symptoms.. J Trauma Stress 2015 Apr;28(2):149-52.
- Kern-Godal A, Brenna IH, Kogstad N, Arnevik EA, Ravndal E. Contribution of the patient-horse relationship to substance use disorder treatment: Patients' experiences.. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2016;11:31636.
- Strauß I, Transl from German, Elżbieta Karpińska-Pawlak. Hippotherapy: physiotherapy on and with the horse. Wyd. 4. Krakow: Hippotherapy Foundation - for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Children; 2012.
- Cabiddu R, Silva AB, Trimer R. Hippotherapy effects on the autonomic cardiac control in children with neurological disorders. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2016;48(5S):981–982.
- Smith D. Hippotherapy and Therapeutic Riding: Practicing Social Workers and Undergraduate Social Work Students. Social Work Theses 2010:59.
- Little PMD, Harris E. A Review of Out-of-School Time Program Quasi-Experimental and Experimental Evaluation Results. Out-of-School Time Evaluation Snapshot Harvard Family Research Project; 2003.
- Astin AW, Sax LJ. How undergraduates are affected by service participation. J Coll Stud Dev 1998;39:251–263.
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Kocyigit BF, Adilbekov E, Zharmenov S, Akyol A, Yessirkepov M. Evaluating the efficacy of hippotherapy: a promising ıntervention in rheumatology, pain medicine, and geriatrics.. Rheumatol Int 2023 Sep 12;.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
