American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience

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Equine-Assisted Therapy as a Complementary Approach for Adolescents with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Preliminary Study After a Terrorist Attack

Received: 06 January 2022    Accepted: 21 January 2022    Published: 28 January 2022
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Abstract

Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) is a complementary therapeutic approach for children and adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and recent scientific studies show the benefits. Therapy with the mediation of the horse facilitates the therapeutic alliance and improves social skills, emotional regulation, and resilience. The purpose of this study is to describe goals, modalities, and benefits of equine-assisted therapy for adolescents with PTSD, and to analyze how and why these results are obtained. Ten EAT sessions were offered to two adolescents with PTSD following a terrorist attack. According to the observed symptoms, the therapeutic objectives and modalities are established and described. The evaluation is based on a self-evaluation by the adolescents, and on an EAT observation grid. The results show a positive evolution, with a very strong alliance and participation. Equine-assisted therapy facilitated adherence to care, improved socio-emotional and cognitive functioning, helped regulation in behavior and emotions, restored confidence and self esteem, and provided wellness. Understanding the action of EAT for children and adolescent with posttraumatic stress disorder helps to explain the benefits and effectiveness of this complementary therapy. The factors involved are analyzed according to several approaches: psycho-affective, cognitive, social, neurobiological, and therapeutic. Studies need to be continued with larger samples to obtain evidence-based data and to validate the results of equine-assisted therapy in adolescents with PTSD.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajpn.20221001.13
Published in American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2022)
Page(s) 13-19
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Equine Assisted Therapy, Adolescent, Complementary Therapy

References
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[3] Dégeilh, F., Viard, A., Dayan, J., Guénolé, F., Egler, P. J., Baleyte, J. M., Eustache, F., & Guillery-Girard, B. (2013). Memory alterations in posttraumatic stress disorder: behavioral and imaging findings. Altérations mnésiques dans l’état de stress post-traumatique: résultats comportementaux et imagerie. Rev. de Neuropsychol, 5, 45-55. doi: 10.1684/NRP.2013.0252.
[4] Faure, P., & Prieto, N. (2018). Use of equine mediation in post-traumatic stress. Equine mediation, what do scientists think about it? Recours à la médiation équine dans le stress post-traumatique. La médiation équine, Qu’en pensent les scientifiques. IFCE, 82-89.
[5] Gagnepain, P. (2020). Post-traumatic stress: new insights into trauma resilience. Stress post-traumatique: Nouvelles pistes pour comprendre la résilience au trauma. INSERM. available from: https://presse.inserm.fr/stress-post-traumatique-nouvelles-pistes-pour-comprendre-la-resilience-au-trauma/38240/.
[6] Ghorban, H., Sedighegh, R. D., Marzieh, G., & Yaghoob, G. (2013). Effectiveness of Therapeutic Horseback riding on social skills of children with autism spectrum disorders in Shiraz, Iran. Journal of Education and Learning, 2-3, doi: 10.5539/jel. v2n3p79.
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[10] Hameury, L., & Rossetti, L. (2021). A complementary approach for child stress posttraumatic disorder: Equine-assisted therapy. Une approche complémentaire dans le trouble de stress post-traumatique chez l’enfant: la médiation équine thérapeutique. Neuropsychiatr Enfance Adolesc, in Press, available online 18 May 2021. doi.org/10.1016/j.neurenf.2021.04.011.
[11] IFCE. (2018). Equine mediation, What do scientists think about it? La médiation équine: qu’en pensent les scientifiques. Le Pin: Les Haras Nationaux.
[12] Kemp, K., Signal, T., Botros, H., Taylor, N., & Prentice, K. (2014). Equine facilitated therapy with children and adolescents who have been sexually abused: A program evaluation study. J Child Fam Stud, 23 (3), 558-66. doi: 10.1007/s10826-013-9718-1.
[13] Lentini, J. A., & Knox, M. (2009). A qualitative and quantitative review of equine facilitated psychotherapy (EFP) with children and adolescents. Open Complement Med, 1, 51-7. doi: 10.2174/1876391X00901010051.
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[16] Rossetti, L. (2019). Contribution of equine mediation in the management of pediatric post-traumatic stress disorder. Apport de la médiation équine dans la prise en charge de l'état de stress ost-traumatique pédiatrique. Thesis for Psychotraumatology UD, Nice Sophia Antipolis University.
[17] Schultz, P., Remick-Barlow, G., & Robbins, L. (2007). Equine-assisted psychotherapy: A mental health promotion/intervention modality for children who have experienced intra-family violence. Health Soc Care Community, 15 (3), 265–71. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2524. 2006.00684. x.
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Author Information
  • Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Tours, Tours, France

  • Départment of Life Sciences, University C?te d’Azur, Nice, France

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  • APA Style

    Laurence Hameury, Lina Rossetti. (2022). Equine-Assisted Therapy as a Complementary Approach for Adolescents with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Preliminary Study After a Terrorist Attack. American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 10(1), 13-19. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.20221001.13

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    ACS Style

    Laurence Hameury; Lina Rossetti. Equine-Assisted Therapy as a Complementary Approach for Adolescents with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Preliminary Study After a Terrorist Attack. Am. J. Psychiatry Neurosci. 2022, 10(1), 13-19. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpn.20221001.13

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    AMA Style

    Laurence Hameury, Lina Rossetti. Equine-Assisted Therapy as a Complementary Approach for Adolescents with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Preliminary Study After a Terrorist Attack. Am J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2022;10(1):13-19. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpn.20221001.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajpn.20221001.13,
      author = {Laurence Hameury and Lina Rossetti},
      title = {Equine-Assisted Therapy as a Complementary Approach for Adolescents with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Preliminary Study After a Terrorist Attack},
      journal = {American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience},
      volume = {10},
      number = {1},
      pages = {13-19},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajpn.20221001.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.20221001.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajpn.20221001.13},
      abstract = {Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) is a complementary therapeutic approach for children and adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and recent scientific studies show the benefits. Therapy with the mediation of the horse facilitates the therapeutic alliance and improves social skills, emotional regulation, and resilience. The purpose of this study is to describe goals, modalities, and benefits of equine-assisted therapy for adolescents with PTSD, and to analyze how and why these results are obtained. Ten EAT sessions were offered to two adolescents with PTSD following a terrorist attack. According to the observed symptoms, the therapeutic objectives and modalities are established and described. The evaluation is based on a self-evaluation by the adolescents, and on an EAT observation grid. The results show a positive evolution, with a very strong alliance and participation. Equine-assisted therapy facilitated adherence to care, improved socio-emotional and cognitive functioning, helped regulation in behavior and emotions, restored confidence and self esteem, and provided wellness. Understanding the action of EAT for children and adolescent with posttraumatic stress disorder helps to explain the benefits and effectiveness of this complementary therapy. The factors involved are analyzed according to several approaches: psycho-affective, cognitive, social, neurobiological, and therapeutic. Studies need to be continued with larger samples to obtain evidence-based data and to validate the results of equine-assisted therapy in adolescents with PTSD.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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    AU  - Laurence Hameury
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    AB  - Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) is a complementary therapeutic approach for children and adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and recent scientific studies show the benefits. Therapy with the mediation of the horse facilitates the therapeutic alliance and improves social skills, emotional regulation, and resilience. The purpose of this study is to describe goals, modalities, and benefits of equine-assisted therapy for adolescents with PTSD, and to analyze how and why these results are obtained. Ten EAT sessions were offered to two adolescents with PTSD following a terrorist attack. According to the observed symptoms, the therapeutic objectives and modalities are established and described. The evaluation is based on a self-evaluation by the adolescents, and on an EAT observation grid. The results show a positive evolution, with a very strong alliance and participation. Equine-assisted therapy facilitated adherence to care, improved socio-emotional and cognitive functioning, helped regulation in behavior and emotions, restored confidence and self esteem, and provided wellness. Understanding the action of EAT for children and adolescent with posttraumatic stress disorder helps to explain the benefits and effectiveness of this complementary therapy. The factors involved are analyzed according to several approaches: psycho-affective, cognitive, social, neurobiological, and therapeutic. Studies need to be continued with larger samples to obtain evidence-based data and to validate the results of equine-assisted therapy in adolescents with PTSD.
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