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ERIC Number: EJ1218649
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1555-6913
EISSN: N/A
Therapeutic Horseback Riding and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Al-Hmouz, Hanan; Arabiat, Ahmed
Journal of the International Association of Special Education, v16 n1 p42-50 Spr 2015
Recent research indicates that Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THR), as a part of animal-assisted therapy, yields several positive results. THR is an intervention utilizing horses to improve behaviors of individuals with disabilities. The current study attempted to add to the research regarding THR effectiveness on children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) by evaluating an existing program with the use of a standardized assessment. Forty-five children diagnosed with ASDs (ages 10-14 years) participated in the study. It was hypothesized that participants in the experimental group (n = 23), compared to those on the control group (n = 22), would demonstrate significant improvement on subscales of Stereotyped Behaviors, Communication, Social Interaction, and overall Autism Index following a 12-weeks THR intervention. The results indicated that children in the experimental group presented reduction in stereotyped behaviors, and improvements in communication and social interaction domains. The results of this study suggest that THR may be an effective therapeutic option for children with ASDs.
International Association of Special Education. c/o College of Education, Northern Arizona University, P.O. Box 5774, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5774. Tel: 928-523-8979; Fax: 928-523-1929; Web site: http://www.iase.org/publications.htm
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Jordan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A