Social Developmental Benefits of Sustained Participation in Equine-Assisted Therapy in a Pediatric Special-Needs Population

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha K. Case ◽  
C. Ryan Kinlaw
Author(s):  
Alessandra Prieto ◽  
Kênnea Martins almeida Ayupe ◽  
Latife Nemetala Gomes ◽  
Ana Cristina Saúde ◽  
Paulo Gutierres Filho

Trials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Schmidt ◽  
Andrea Wartenberg-Demand ◽  
Simon Forstmeier

Abstract Background Equine-assisted therapy is more often practiced with children and adolescents than with the elderly, although individuals in the second half of life could also profit from it. This group, from the age of 50, is characterised by increasing emotional, social, health-related and cognitive changes; a critical life event, such as a neurological illness or loss of a family member, can increase the likelihood of subclinical depression. Individuals who exhibit depressive symptoms not necessarily diagnosed with a major depression may suffer from relevant losses of quality of life (e.g. sleep disorders, memory disorders, feelings of guilt, hopelessness). Despite the fact that the various healthcare systems are in general more frequently used, such individuals often do not receive adequate therapy. The processing of one’s biography (reminiscence) is an elementary component of most psychotherapy approaches and has been demonstrated to treat and prevent the development of major depression. In this study, equine-assisted biographical work (EABW), a combination of equine-assisted therapy and biographical work, will be applied with individuals with subclinical depression in the second half of their life. Methods This is a multicentre, prospective, randomised, controlled and open phase III study in enrolling participants with subclinical depression. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether a preventive, equine-assisted, age-specific treatment combining elements of equine-assisted intervention with those of biographical work offers better treatment potentials in comparison to a control group with no intervention. Study participants in the intervention group will receive weekly equine-assisted biographical work over a period of 8 weeks. The primary endpoint is the change in Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) in a pre-post comparison. Secondary endpoints include other health-related questionnaires including quality of life, reminiscence functions and anxiety. Discussion The present study is the first randomised study examining the efficacy of biographical work with a horse and has the potential to establish an empirically based treatment for individuals in the second half of life and improving the symptoms of subclinical depression. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00017010. Registered on 01 April 2019


2005 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
William C. Metz, PhD ◽  
Edward A. Tanzman, JD ◽  
Leslie A. Nieves, MS ◽  
Vanda Holt

A six-county region in northeastern Alabama put together one of the United States’ most progressive efforts to assist the special-needs population in preparing for and protecting themselves against emergencies. The region is host to a US Army depot that stores and incinerates an aging chemical weapons stockpile, the release of chemical weapons agent from which could pose a threat to the surrounding area. Almost a decade ago, the counties collectively agreed to provide their most vulnerable residents—those with physical, medical, or mental disabilities or those lacking transportation who have no family, neighbors, or friends nearby—with emergency preparedness assistance equal to or greater than that provided to the general population. Due to their immediate proximity to the depot, two counties faced the greatest challenge in providing “maximum protection” to their residents. These counties made substantial adjustments to the protective-equipment distribution process and to the public training process for those residents with special needs. Self-sufficiency is sustained through repeated, empathetic contact between emergency management personnel and the special-needs population with additional specialized resources deployed on a proactive basis throughout the region.


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