Physiological Mechanisms of Therapeutic Horseback Riding Intervention Effects in a Psychiatric Population of ASD Youth
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mental Disorders
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Autism Spectrum Disorder focused on measuring human-animal intervention, physiology, mechanisms of action, children, adolescents, emotion regulation, cortisol, heart rate, electrodermal activity
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- documented ASD diagnosis and a co-occurring psychiatric disorder
- ABC Irritability subscale score ≥8
- Leiter-III Nonverbal IQ ≥ 40
- meet Symptom Criterion score (minimum number of symptoms necessary for a DSM-V (mood, anxiety, or ADHD diagnosis) on CASI-5)
- meet ASD cut-offs on the SCQ (≥ 11) and on ADOS-2
- Only one child with ASD per family to maintain independent observations
- a consistent caregiver (i.e., parent or legal guardian) to complete study outcome measures
Exclusion Criteria:
- medical or behavioral issues that prevent participation
- ward of the state
- judged during riding center screen to have significant riding experience
- smoking or regular use of oral, inhaled, or topical steroids on a regular basis, factors known to affect cortisol levels
- Participants weighing 200 pounds or greater will be excluded due to the riding center's safety policies
- Participants will not be allowed to begin baseline assessments until at least six months have passed from the time they last engaged in mounted EAAT, given pilot evidence for the six-month maintenance of THR effects.
Sites / Locations
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusRecruiting
- Maine Health
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Arm 4
Experimental
Active Comparator
No Intervention
Experimental
Therapeutic Horseback Riding
Barn Activity
Waitlist
Hybrid
This Arm is a 10 week one hour small group (2-4 participants) led by a THR instructor. The group will include a 45-minute mounted activity to learn horsemanship skills as outlined in the study's THR manual. Participants will have an assigned horse and volunteer(s) Group times will be between 1:00-5:00 PM to collect salivary cortisol. Weekly, participants will follow a consistent routine of wearing both their electro dermal activity and heart rate monitoring devices, sit at a group art table for five minutes, after this, study personnel will instruct participants to place the 10cm long foam swab rod under their tongue for two minutes while watching a 1-minute sand timer, then, participants will then don their riding helmets and enter the riding arena. Each week after conclusion of the THR intervention, participants will again sit with their group at an art table for 20 minutes followed by doing another saliva sample.
This Arm is a 10 week one hour small group (2-4 participants) led by a THR instructor and co-led by a mental health counselor. Participants will have one assigned volunteer and will have no contact with horses at the riding center, just view horses at a distance. There will be a life-sized stuffed horse in for hands-on learning related to the weekly topic per the BA study manual. Group times will be between 1:00-5:00 PM to collect salivary cortisol. Weekly, participants will follow a consistent routine of wearing both their electro dermal activity and heart rate monitoring devices, sit at a group art table for five minutes, after this, study personnel will instruct participants to place the 10cm long foam swab rod under their tongue for two minutes while watching a 1-minute sand timer. Each week after conclusion of the BA intervention, participants will again sit with their group at an art table for 20 minutes followed by doing another saliva sample
Those assigned to the waitlist group will not have any horse-related intervention during a 10-week waiting period. Following this waiting period and the completion of post assessments, participants in this condition will begin a Hybrid group (see Hybrid Arm)
Participants who complete the Waitlist Arm and post assessments, will begin a Hybrid group that will consist of a 5- week one hour Barn Activity (BA) group condition that consists of a small group (2-4 participants) led by a THR instructor and co-led by a mental health counselor. Participants will have one assigned volunteer and will have no contact with horses at the riding center, just view horses at a distance. There will be a life-sized stuffed horse in for hands-on learning related to the weekly topic per the BA study manual. Group times will be between 1:00-5:00 PM. After the first 5 weeks of BA, participants will then complete 5-weeks of Therapeutic Horseback Riding small group (2-4 participants) led by a THR instructor. The group will include a 45-minute mounted activity to learn horsemanship skills as outlined in the study's THR manual. Participants will have an assigned horse and volunteer(s) Group times will be between 1:00-5:00 PM.