Trial of Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder

NCT02301195 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 07-11481R01NR012736
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 209
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study is being carried out to learn more about the effects of Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THR) for children and adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This treatment is very popular and horseback riding for children and adults with disabilities has been used as a form of therapy in the United States for over forty years. However, very little research has been done to find out whether or not THR is effective as a therapy for children with an ASD. This study is being done to see if THR will improve the agitation behaviors, coordination, and communication skills of children and adolescents with an ASD. This study is also being done to find out if the horse is necessary for children and adolescents with an ASD to improve.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive

Keywords

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community (Irritability subscale)

  The investigators hypothesize that social communication behaviors will increase and subjects will show a decrease in aberrant behaviors from pre to post THR lesson and over the course of the 10-week intervention, as observed in the brief periods captured (e.g., estimated 4 minutes before and 4 minutes after each THR lesson).

  One month pre-intervention, weekly for 10 weeks during intervention, and one month post intervention, and 6 months post intervention

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Change in Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community (Hyperactivity, Lethargy, Stereotypy subscale)

  One month pre-intervention, weekly for 10 weeks during intervention, and one month post intervention, and 6 months post intervention

• Change in Social Responsiveness

  One month pre-intervention, weekly for 10 weeks during intervention, and one month post intervention, and 6 months post intervention

• Change in Systematic Analysis of Language Transcript

  One month pre-intervention, weekly for 10 weeks during intervention, and one month post intervention, and 6 months post intervention

• Change in Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4

  One month pre-intervention, weekly for 10 weeks during intervention, and one month post intervention, and 6 months post intervention

• Change in Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2nd Ed. (Short form)

  One month pre-intervention, weekly for 10 weeks during intervention, and one month post intervention, and 6 months post intervention

Study Arms (2)

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

EXPERIMENTAL

Ten-weekly one-hour manualized small group Therapeutic Horseback Riding intervention led by certified THR instructor.THR intervention taught riding and horsemanship skills.

Other: Therapeutic horseback riding

Barn Activity Intervention

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Ten-weekly one-hour manualized small group Barn Activity Intervention led by THR instructor, teaching horsemanship skills without horses present.

Other: Barn Activity Intervention

Interventions

Therapeutic horseback riding OTHER

Inclusion of horses as part of the therapeutic experience

Also known as: Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies, Animinal-Assisted Intervention

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

Barn Activity Intervention OTHER

Equine-focused educational activities in small group setting without horses

Barn Activity Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 16 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Score ≥ 11 on the irritability and stereotypy subscales of Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community
• Nonverbal IQ ≥ 40
• Diagnosis of autistic or Asperger's disorder prior to study admission from a psychologist or psychiatrist in the community
• Meets diagnostic cut-off scores for autism spectrum on the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) (\> 15) and on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2)
• Meets DSM-IV-TR criteria for autistic or Asperger's disorder based on diagnostic information gathered for this study from the SCQ, ADOS-2, and Repetitive Behavior Scales-Revised (RBS-R)
• Absence of significant vision, hearing, or motor impairments
• Absence of genetic disorders known to be causative of or potentially resulting in a phenotype similar to autism: Fragile X Syndrome, Landau Kleffner, Rett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, or tuberous sclerosis, based on screening by clinical staff
• Must have a consistent school-based teacher (vs. a parent who is providing home schooling) willing to complete the ABC-C form twice during the study for each participant, as well as a parent/guardian who is willing to complete the designated outcome parent/guardian report forms during the study

You may not qualify if:

• Child has a medical or psychiatric disorder or behavioral issue that would prevent participation
• Child has had no more than 2 hours exposure to EAATs (equine assisted activities and therapies) in the past 6 months and is judged, during the evaluation at Hearts \& Horses by the research site coordinator, to not have significant riding experience (an individual with significant riding experience is defined here as one for whom the beginner curriculum would not be appropriately challenging), as the curriculum is designed for beginner riders
• The child has a history of animal abuse or phobia to horses
• Wards of the State

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Colorado, Denver: lead
• National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR): collaborator

Related Publications (4)

• Petty JD, Pan Z, Dechant B, Gabriels RL. Therapeutic Horseback Riding Crossover Effects of Attachment Behaviors with Family Pets in a Sample of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017 Mar 3;14(3):256. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14030256.

  PMID: 28273822 BACKGROUND

• Gabriels RL, Pan Z, Dechant B, Agnew JA, Brim N, Mesibov G. Randomized Controlled Trial of Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2015 Jul;54(7):541-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2015.04.007. Epub 2015 May 5.

  PMID: 26088658 RESULT

• Pan Z, Granger DA, Guerin NA, Shoffner A, Gabriels RL. Replication Pilot Trial of Therapeutic Horseback Riding and Cortisol Collection With Children on the Autism Spectrum. Front Vet Sci. 2019 Jan 14;5:312. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00312. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 30693284 DERIVED

• Gabriels RL, Pan Z, Guerin NA, Dechant B, Mesibov G. Long-Term Effect of Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Trial. Front Vet Sci. 2018 Jul 16;5:156. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00156. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 30062099 DERIVED

Related Links

• Related Info

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive

Interventions

Therapeutics

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Robin Gabriels, PsyD

  University of Colorado Denver/Children's Hosptial Colorado

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 19, 2014
• First Posted: November 25, 2014
• Study Start: October 1, 2010
• Primary Completion: June 19, 2014
• Study Completion: June 19, 2014
• Last Updated: October 8, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share