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)经常被寻求作为一种替代治疗方法，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研究用于指导临床医生和消费者。这项研究旨在扩大我们的初步研究结果，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有显著改善。这项拟议的研究将试图通过检验更大的样本并使用随机对照设计来复制这些先导发现以及最近的一项THR研究的社会动机发现。此外，它还将测试在试点研究中观察到的重大变化是否需要人与动物的相互作用。这个问题将通过比较ASD参与者每周10小时治疗性骑马(n=40)和谷仓活动对照组(n=40)进行比较，后者以相同的治疗目标和时间和注意力效应控制为目标，但没有人与动物的互动。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。这项研究的第二个目的是确定参与为期10周的治疗性骑马是否会在Thr干预后大约6个月持续改善。这项研究项目的优势包括使用随机对照设计、以活动为基础的控制组、从我们的试点项目开发的特定的THR干预课程、对参与者的干预条件、家长和教师的结果评级视而不见的结果评估者，以及先前与一个长期(29年)干预站点的合作。这个骑马中心被NARHA认证为“首屈一指”的中心，NARHA是一家全国性的认证机构，在治疗过程中涉及的所有生物的人类和动物安全以及道德标准方面遵守行业最高标准。 与公共卫生相关：有大量患有自闭症儿童的家庭寻求这种干预，尽管几乎没有证据基础。确定通过Thr的人与动物的互动是否以及如何对ASD患者有帮助，对ASD人群及其照顾者的生活质量具有深远的影响。与使用药物治疗易怒和多动等症状相比，THR侵入性较小，这些症状是影响儿童在家庭和学校环境中成功发挥功能的关键领域。

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.