Effects of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Children and Adolescents with Autism S

描述（由申请人提供）：治疗性骑马（THR）经常被用作一种替代治疗，以解决经常损害自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）患者日常生活质量的行为障碍;然而，只有少数已发表的循证THR研究可指导临床医生和消费者。这项研究旨在扩大我们的试点研究结果，即与10周的等待名单对照组相比，参与10周治疗性骑马的ASD参与者在自我调节，沟通和运动技能方面的显着改善。这项拟议的研究将试图复制这些试点的结果，以及社会动机的结果，从最近的THR研究，通过检查一个更大的样本，并使用随机对照设计。此外，还将测试人-动物相互作用是否是初步研究中观察到的显著变化所必需的。这个问题将通过比较ASD参与者参与每周10小时的治疗性骑马（n = 40）与谷仓活动对照组（n = 40）来检查，该对照组针对相同的治疗目标并控制时间和注意力效应，但没有人-动物互动。干预前后的评估将评估参与者的自我调节，沟通，社交和运动功能。该研究的第二个目的是确定10周治疗性骑马所带来的改善是否在THR干预后持续约6个月。该研究项目的优势包括使用随机对照设计，基于活动的对照组，从我们的试点项目开发的特定THR干预课程，对参与者的干预条件，家长和教师结果评级不知情的结果评估人员，以及以前开发的与长期（29年）干预网站的合作。这个骑行中心被NARHA认证为“Premiere”中心，NARHA是一个国家认证机构，坚持行业中对人类和动物安全的最高标准，以及对参与治疗过程的所有生物的道德标准。 公共卫生相关性：有大量的ASD儿童家庭寻求这种干预，尽管几乎没有证据基础。确定通过THR的人与动物的相互作用是否以及如何对ASD患者有帮助，这对ASD人群及其护理人员的生活质量具有深远的影响。THR比使用药物治疗易怒和多动等症状的侵入性更小，这些症状是影响儿童在家庭和学校环境中成功发挥作用的关键领域。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Therapeutic horseback riding (THR) is frequently sought out as an alternative treatment to address the behavioral disturbances that often impair the quality of daily life for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, there are only a few published evidence-based THR studies to guide clinicians and consumers. This study aims to expand on our pilot study findings of significant improvements in self-regulation, communication, and motor skills for ASD participants involved in 10-weeks of therapeutic horseback riding compared to a 10-week waitlist control group. This proposed study will attempt to replicate these pilot findings as well as the social motivation findings from a recent THR study by examining a larger sample and using a randomized control design. Furthermore, it will test whether the human-animal interaction is necessary for the significant changes observed in the pilot study. This question will be examined by comparing ASD participants' involvement in 10 hours of weekly therapeutic horseback riding (n = 40) to a barn activity control group (n = 40) that targets the same therapeutic goals and controls for time and attention effects, but has no human-animal interaction. Pre-and post intervention evaluations will assess participants' self-regulation, communication, socialization, and motor functioning. A secondary aim of the study is to determine if improvements made as a result of involvement in 10-weeks of therapeutic horseback riding persist approximately six months beyond the THR intervention. The strengths of this research project include the use of a randomized controlled design, an activity-based control group, a specific THR intervention curriculum developed from our pilot project, outcome evaluators blinded to participants' intervention condition, parent and teacher outcome ratings, and previously-developed collaboration with a long-standing (29 years) intervention site. This riding center site is certified as a "Premiere" center by the NARHA, a national accrediting agency that adheres to the highest standards in the industry for human and animal safety and ethical standards for all living beings involved in the treatment process. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: There are a large number of families of children with an ASD that seek this intervention, even though there is little evidence base. Determining if and how the human-animal interaction via THR is helpful to individuals with an ASD has far-reaching implications for the quality of life in this ASD population and their caregivers. THR is less invasive than the use of medications to treat symptoms such as irritability and hyperactivity, critical areas that impact the child's ability to function successfully in home and school environments.