| Literature DB >> 26210515 |
Marta Borgi1, Dafne Loliva2, Stefania Cerino3, Flavia Chiarotti4, Aldina Venerosi4, Maria Bramini5, Enrico Nonnis5, Marco Marcelli6, Claudia Vinti7, Chiara De Santis8, Francesca Bisacco9, Monica Fagerlie10, Massimo Frascarelli2, Francesca Cirulli11.
Abstract
In this study the effectiveness of an equine-assisted therapy (EAT) in improving adaptive and executive functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was examined (children attending EAT, n = 15, control group n = 13; inclusion criteria: IQ > 70). Therapeutic sessions consisted in structured activities involving horses and included both work on the ground and riding. Results indicate an improvement in social functioning in the group attending EAT (compared to the control group) and a milder effect on motor abilities. Improved executive functioning was also observed (i.e. reduced planning time in a problem-solving task) at the end of the EAT program. Our findings provide further support for the use of animal-assisted intervention programs as complementary intervention strategies for children with ASD.Entities:
Keywords: Animal-assisted interventions; Autism spectrum disorder; Horses; Rehabilitation
Mesh：
Year: 2016 PMID： 26210515 DOI： 10.1007/s10803-015-2530-6
Source DB: PubMed Journal: J Autism Dev Disord ISSN： 0162-3257