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Effects of a Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program on Social Interaction and Communication in Children with Autism

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  • Mengxian Zhao

    (School of Physical Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China)

  • Shihui Chen

    (Department of Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, Texarkana, TX 75503, USA)

  • Yonghao You

    (Department of Sports Science, Hefei Normal University, Hefei 230061, China)

  • Yongtai Wang

    (College of Health Sciences and Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA)

  • Yanjie Zhang

    (School of Humanities and Social Science, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518060, China)

Abstract

Various therapeutic interventions have been studied and found to be effective in reducing the stereotypical behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There has been increasing interest in using animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) as an alternative approach to therapeutic rehabilitation for children with ASD, and many studies have reported that AAI has significant benefits for the cognitive, psychological, and social behavior of children with ASD. The present study was designed to examine the effects of a 16 weeks therapeutic horseback riding program on social interaction and communication skills in children with autism. Eighty-four children diagnosed with ASD, aged between 6 and 12 years old, were recruited for this study. All selected participants met the DSM-V criteria, and a total of sixty-one participants ( N = 61) completed the study. A quasi-experimental design with an experimental group and control group was implemented for this study, taking measurements at pre-test, interim-test, and post-test to monitor the behavior changes in social and communication throughout the 16-week intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA and the independent sample t -test were used for data analysis, to assess the difference between the experimental group and control group. The results indicated that the THR program had positive influences on overall social skills and communication, based on the SSIS and the ABLLS-R scores, compared to the control group ( p < 0.05). A notable improvement in the overall social interaction score was observed from the interim-testing point to post-test. In addition, participants in the therapeutic horseback riding (THR) group achieved significant improvements on six out of seven items in their communication evaluations. In conclusion, after 16 weeks of intervention, the THR program significantly enhanced the subdomains of social and communication skills in the areas of social interaction, communication, responsibility, and self-control, compared to the control group.

Suggested Citation

  • Mengxian Zhao & Shihui Chen & Yonghao You & Yongtai Wang & Yanjie Zhang, 2021. "Effects of a Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program on Social Interaction and Communication in Children with Autism," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-11, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:5:p:2656-:d:511799
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Androulla Harris & Joanne M. Williams, 2017. "The Impact of a Horse Riding Intervention on the Social Functioning of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-19, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shihui Chen & Yanjie Zhang & Mengxian Zhao & Xiru Du & Yongtai Wang & Xiaolei Liu, 2022. "Effects of Therapeutic Horseback-Riding Program on Social and Communication Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Ningkun Xiao & Khyber Shinwari & Sergey Kiselev & Xinlin Huang & Baoheng Li & Jingjing Qi, 2023. "Effects of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-47, February.

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