An Exploration of the Mechanism of Action of an Equine-Assisted Intervention
- PMID: 31159199
- PMCID: PMC6616398
- DOI: 10.3390/ani9060303
An Exploration of the Mechanism of Action of an Equine-Assisted Intervention
Abstract
Though long alluded to, there is now an accumulation of evidence of the vital contribution that emotion makes to learning. Within this broad advance in understanding is a growing body of research emphasising the embodied nature of this emotion-based learning. The study presented here is a pilot study using a mixed-method approach (combining both physiological and experiential methodologies) to give a picture of the "emotional landscape" of people's learning through the intervention under study. This has allowed researchers to examine mediating pathways that may underlie any effects of an equine-assisted intervention. This study specifically focuses on examining the role of emotion. The intervention under study was used with young people with chronic mental health and behavioural problems for whom talk-based interventions were not working. Nine healthy participants aged 18-24 undertook the equine intervention, with an initial group having emotion-related psycho-physiological changes (skin conductance responses) measured while viewing their experience on video, and a further two participants experiencing a development of the methodology as their physiological responses were captured in real time during the intervention. The sessions were analysed by a group of five cross-disciplinary researchers to determine when significant learning episodes occurred, and the findings were that this learning was associated with powerful skin conductance responses. The qualitative element of the research entailed the participants watching themselves on video undertaking the equine intervention. They were asked to stop the video and share any changes in emotion at any point while watching. All participants experienced a positive temporal change in mood as the intervention progressed. All results supported the findings that emotional arousal occurred in relation to the participants asking the horse to perform a task. This paper will offer two novel contributions: (1) description of a new methodology for investigating the mechanism of action occurring in this type of intervention and (2) findings from the exploration of the intervention via psycho-physiological and experiential mechanisms.
Keywords: equine assisted; mechanism of action.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare that there were no conflicts of interest in the undertaking of this research or publication of this paper.
Figures
![Figure 1](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/6616398/bin/animals-09-00303-g001.gif)
![Figure 2](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/6616398/bin/animals-09-00303-g002.gif)
Similar articles
-
Folic acid supplementation and malaria susceptibility and severity among people taking antifolate antimalarial drugs in endemic areas.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Feb 1;2(2022):CD014217. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD014217. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022. PMID: 36321557 Free PMC article.
-
Letter to the Editor: CONVERGENCES AND DIVERGENCES IN THE ICD-11 VS. DSM-5 CLASSIFICATION OF MOOD DISORDERS.Turk Psikiyatri Derg. 2021;32(4):293-295. doi: 10.5080/u26899. Turk Psikiyatri Derg. 2021. PMID: 34964106 English, Turkish.
-
Behavioral and Pharmacotherapy Weight Loss Interventions to Prevent Obesity-Related Morbidity and Mortality in Adults: An Updated Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force [Internet].Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2018 Sep. Report No.: 18-05239-EF-1. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2018 Sep. Report No.: 18-05239-EF-1. PMID: 30354042 Free Books & Documents. Review.
-
The Effectiveness of Integrated Care Pathways for Adults and Children in Health Care Settings: A Systematic Review.JBI Libr Syst Rev. 2009;7(3):80-129. doi: 10.11124/01938924-200907030-00001. JBI Libr Syst Rev. 2009. PMID: 27820426
-
Participation in environmental enhancement and conservation activities for health and well-being in adults: a review of quantitative and qualitative evidence.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 May 21;2016(5):CD010351. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010351.pub2. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016. PMID: 27207731 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Equine-assisted therapy effectiveness in improving emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem of patients suffering from substance use disorders.BMC Complement Med Ther. 2023 Oct 13;23(1):363. doi: 10.1186/s12906-023-04191-6. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2023. PMID: 37833688 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
Reducing the incidence of domestic violence: An observational study of an equine-assisted intervention.Fam Process. 2022 Jun;61(2):549-570. doi: 10.1111/famp.12768. Epub 2022 Mar 30. Fam Process. 2022. PMID: 35355260 Free PMC article.
-
Animal-Assisted Interventions for the Improvement of Mental Health Outcomes in Higher Education Students: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Oct 14;18(20):10768. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182010768. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021. PMID: 34682513 Free PMC article. Review.
-
The Potential of Human-Horse Attachment in Creating Favorable Settings for Professional Care: A Study of Adolescents' Visit to a Farm.Animals (Basel). 2020 Sep 21;10(9):1707. doi: 10.3390/ani10091707. Animals (Basel). 2020. PMID: 32967140 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Hemingway A., Meek R., Ellis Hill C. An Exploration of an Equine-Facilitated Learning Intervention with Young Offenders Society Animals. Volume 23. Brill Publisher; London, UK: 2015. pp. 544–568.
-
- Haehl V. The influence of hippotherapy on the kinematics and functional performance of two children with cerebral palsy. Ped. Phys. Ther. 1996;11:89–101. doi: 10.1097/00001577-199901120-00006. - DOI
-
- MacPhail H.E.A., Edwards J., Golding J., Miller K., Mosier C., Zwiers T. Trunk postural reactions in children with and without cerebral palsy during therapeutic horseback riding. Ped. Phys. Ther. 1998;10:143–147. doi: 10.1097/00001577-199801040-00002. - DOI
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources