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M. Psych. (Educational Psychology) / The high child sexual abuse rate in South Africa and all over the world makes these cases a reality for educational psychologists practising today. Equineassisted psychotherapy is a relatively new field in psychology, and research shows that this therapeutic intervention can have a very significant impact on people. Sexual abuse leaves children with psychological effects (Beitchman, Zucker, Hood, DaCosta & Akman, 1991) ranging from intrapersonal problems such as low self-esteem and feeling emotionally overwhelmed to interpersonal problems resulting in communication and relationship challenges (Mandrell, 2006). According to Kidson (2012), equine-assisted therapy deals very well with such issues as well as self-concept, self-efficacy and self-acceptance. These issues correlate well with the effects of child sexual abuse and the issues that the therapist needs to deal with in the therapeutic sessions (Conte & Scheumann, 2011). Seeing the possibilities that equine-assisted therapy held for a therapist working with a case of sexual abuse, I inquired in terms of the involved systemic influences and experiences. The study investigated the experiences of the therapist, the client and the parents when using equine-assisted psychotherapy in a case of sexual abuse. The study attempted to identify themes that could explain these experiences and maybe make a contribution to the field of equine-assisted psychotherapy, specifically pertaining to work with sexual abuse cases. I made use of a phenomenological, qualitative case study design to explore the experiences of the participants. The data collection methods included interviews, field notes and observations. Artefacts were used to aid the researcher in the observation process but also to help the researcher explain the findings in Chapter 4. Furthermore, creative expressive arts therapy tools were used in the interviews to assist the participants in expressing their experiences regarding the equine-assisted therapy process. Data was analysed using the phenomenological data analysis process. This process is al about “being true to the phenomenon”. The first step in this research was to transcribe the interview recordings. Using the transcribed text, the field notes and the observations, the researcher then identified units of general meaning. Out of the units of general meanings, themes were identified. In the findings, three themes were identified: equine-assisted therapy, an empowering life changing experience; the extent to which active engagement with horses assist in expressing emotions; and the equine-assisted therapy process and therapeutic experience. The limitations and strengths of the research were also explained and discussed. Subsequently, recommendations were made for possible future research that evolved from the study’s findings.

Thesis (M Social Work (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This study endeavours to understand the psychosocial functioning of primary school children involved in a therapeutic horse-riding program. A qualitative study was done using an exploratory research design. Much research has been documented regarding the physical benefits of equineassisted therapy. Little research has however been done regarding the psychosocial functioning of children involved in such projects, and in the field of social work, not much research has been conducted to the knowledge of the researcher. This study was thus motivated by the current lack of research in this area and by the desire to discover whether this form of therapy has a place within the social work field. The literature study firstly explored the various physical disabilities that are most commonly encountered in the therapeutic riding world, namely cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy and epilepsy. The developmental milestones of the primary school child were explored with a view to how these physical disabilities may effect the reaching of these developmental milestones. The concept of rehabilitation psychology was then explored, comparing it with various social work methods, popular theories and perspectives and it was found that there were many overlaps in the two fields. Lastly, the literature study looked at equine-assisted therapy and research that has already been done on this topic. The empirical investigation consisted of case studies on five primary school children from Astra School for the Physically Disabled. A qualitative investigation was done, by means of a focus group held with various key team players in the therapy such as the physiotherapists and riding instructors. Individual interviews were then held with each of the five children. An interview guide was used for both the focus group and the individual interviews. The findings of the investigation were in line with what was found in the literature study, namely that these physically disabled children struggled in reaching their psychosocial developmental milestones. The riding however was shown to have made a significant contribution in the areas of social participation, confidence, selfimage, emotional control, discipline and cognitive and educational stimulation in each of the five children concerned. Rehabilitation philosophy and psychology were found to be in line with much of what social work aims to achieve. In light of the fact that equine-assisted therapy was shown to be a viable means of rehabilitation, and therefore a viable means of reaching social work goals with physically disabled clients, recommendations were made in terms of social work practice, social work theory, social work training, social work research and social work policy regarding the physically disabled client.

There is currently a crisis in military veteran mental health care. At 5-30% of veterans receive a PTSD diagnosis. Veterans face a large gap that exists in accessing and receiving high quality care. One intervention that is becoming more popular is equine assisted counseling (EAC). The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of Relational Equine-Partnered Counseling (REPC) in reducing symptoms of PTSD in military veterans. I also examined specific PTSD symptom clusters including intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. The present study utilized a single-case design consisting of a baseline phase, intervention phase, and post-intervention phase. Participants included four military veterans presenting for war zone-related PTSD: four males and one female, aged 32-67 years, two White/European non-Hispanic, one African American non-Hispanic, and one mixed ethnicity. Symptoms were assessed weekly using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale and the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5). The data were analyzed by visual analysis and statistical effect size. The results were mixed across the participants. All participants experienced decreased means between the baseline and intervention phases. However, interpretation of the results indicated that the intervention was effective in some areas for some of the participants. All participants reported that the intervention was beneficial in targeting specific symptoms. Overall, the results indicated that REPC may have some benefit in reducing distress related to PTSD. More research is needed to further explore the effectiveness of REPC on the reduction of PTSD-related distress.

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of equine assisted group counseling as compared to in-school curriculum group guidance/counseling. Research examined externalizing, internalizing, maladaptive, and adaptive behaviors of elementary and middle school students who were considered at-risk of academic or social failure. Two types of behavior instruments, the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC)-Self-Rating, Parent-Rating, and Teacher-Rating Scales; and the Animal Assisted Therapy-Psychosocial Session Form (AAT-PSF), were used in a pretest-posttest comparison group quasi experimental design. Results of the paired sample t-test analysis of the BASC Self-Report indicated that the equine assisted counseling group showed statistically significant improvement in five behavior areas, and the in-school curriculum group guidance/counseling group showed statistically significant improvement in four areas, with only one behavior area the same as the equine assisted counseling group. Results of the paired sample t-test analysis of the BASC Parent-Report indicated that the equine assisted counseling group showed statistically significant improvement in twelve behavior areas, whereas the in-school curriculum group guidance/counseling showed statistically significant improvement in only one behavior area. Results of the paired sample t-test analysis of the BASC Teacher-Report indicated that the equine assisted counseling group showed no statistically significant improvement; however the in-school curriculum group guidance/counseling group showed statistically significant improvement in one area. An ANCOVA comparison of equine assisted counseling group verses in-school curriculum guidance/counseling group using the BASC Self, Parent, and Teacher-Reports indicated that the equine assisted counseling group showed statistically significant improvement in seven behavior areas that the in-school curriculum guidance/counseling group did not. Results of the repeated measures ANOVA of the AAT-PSF (equine assisted counseling group only) showed statistically significant improvement in all 3-scale scores: 1) overall total behaviors; 2) increased positive behaviors; and 3) decreased negative behaviors.

This dissertation employs a case study research design and reviews literature from the field of animal assisted therapy (AAT) with an emphasis on equine facilitated psychotherapy (EFP), as a possible therapeutic alternative for treating inappropriate aggressive behaviour in a young boy. The research suggests that Horse Whispering can indeed be regarded as a viable therapeutic technique when intent on breaking the aggressive behaviour cycle. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.

In this study, the intersections between Equine Assisted Psychotherapeutic interventions and adolescence are explored. Equine Assisted therapeutic work has recently gained much popularity in the field of psychology, due to many reported benefits, which include the value of the use of the horse as a tool in psychotherapy. Adolescence is acknowledged to be a difficult transitional phase, punctuated with many challenges, such as identity development. As this study is conducted by a trainee psychotherapist and researcher, the work also contains a reflexive exploration of these fields, with personal reflections regarding the researcher‟s own experience in the fields. This study is framed as a transtheoretical bricolage, which includes elements of reflexivity, heuristics, transpersonal, and phenomenological research approaches. Data was gathered from individual interviews with co-researchers, focus group interviews, personal reflections, and inclusion of non-verbal information from the horses who formed part of this study. Data analysis was done by means of a Thematic Data Analysis. The research findings reflect themes on different levels, which are: content themes, process themes, meta-reflections on the research process, and a meta-analysis of the research and individual developmental process which took place in the production of this work / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Thesis (MEd(Psych))-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The background experiences of adolescents removed from their families and placed in residential care are often characterised by trauma, abuse and neglect, resulting in significant psychological and developmental implications. However, as a result of their negative past experiences, many of these individuals view other people, including helping professionals, with mistrust or apprehension, influencing their openness to and thus the effectiveness of traditional psychotherapeutic interventions. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is explored within this study as an alternative non-invasive approach which aims to meet the emotional and developmental needs of vulnerable and difficult-to-reach adolescents. Innate characteristics of horses seem to encourage individuals to engage fully in the psychotherapeutic process making them well-suited to the role of co-therapist within the therapeutic team. This study aimed to explore the experiences of adolescents living within residential care who had participated in an EAP program for approximately eight months, and the affects their participation had within their lives. A qualitative study founded within the interpretive paradigm was used to gain insight into the research questions. Participants were selected using purposive and convenient sampling techniques. Following this, data was obtained through semi-structured interviews, the researcher’s reflective journal, and a focus group discussion. Inductive data segmentation and reassembling techniques were utilised to analyse the data. The findings were integrated and presented as a case study. The research findings indicated that the participants experienced various learning and development opportunities through their participation in EAP. They were able to establish connections which led to improved psychological, social, and physical well-being. The implicit integration of the Circle of Courage principles of mastery, belonging, generosity and independence within the EAP process was also explored and documented for the first time within this text. The findings were related to resilience theory in order to depict EAP as a psychotherapeutic approach which serves to foster resilience for vulnerable adolescents, namely those placed within residential care in this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die agtergrond ervaringe van adolessente wat verwyder is uit hul ouerhuise en in residensiële sorg geplaas is, word dikwels gekenmerk deur trauma, mishandeling en verwaarlosing, met beduidende gepaardgaande sielkundige - en ontwikkelingsimplikasies. Voortvloeiend uit hul negatiewe ervaringe van die verlede, is dit moeilik vir sommige van hierdie individue om ander mense, en dit sluit professionele mense in die hulp-professies in, te vertrou en sonder bedugtheid te benader. Dit beïnvloed hul openlikheid en dus die effektiwiteit van tradisionele psigoterapeutiese intervensies. Perd-ondersteunde psigoterapie (Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, EAP) word ondersoek in hierdie studie as ‘n alternatiewe, nie-indringende benadering, waarvan die doel is om die emosionele - en ontwikkelingsbehoeftes van weerlose en moeilik-bereikbare adolessente mee aan te spreek. Dit wil voorkom asof ingebore eienskappe van perde individue aanmoedig om ten volle deel te neem aan die psigoterapeutiese proses, en dit maak die perde baie geskik om as hulp-terapeute op te tree binne die terapeutiese span. Hierdie studie beoog om die ervaringe van adolessente in residensiële sorg, en wat vir agt maande deelgeneem het aan ‘n EAP program, te ondersoek, sowel as die effek wat hierdie deelname op hul lewens gehad het. ‘n Kwalitatiewe studie gebaseer op die interpretatiewe paradigma is gebruik om insig te verkry in die navorsingsvrae. Deelnemers is geselekteer deur doelgerigte - en gerieflikheidstegnieke te gebruik. Hierna is data verkry deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, die navorser se reflektiewe joernaal en ‘n fokusgroep onderhoud. Induktiewe data segmentasie en hersamestellingstegnieke is gebruik om die data te analiseer. Die bevindinge is geïntegreer en aangebied as ‘n gevallestudie. Die bevindige van die studie dui aan dat die deelnemers verskeie leer- en ontwikkelingsgeleenthede ervaar het deur hul deelname aan EAP. Hulle was in staat om konneksies te maak wat bygedra het tot sielkundige, sosiale en fisiese welsyn. The research findings indicated that the participants experienced various learning and development opportunities through their participation in EAP. Die implisiete integrasie van die beginsels van die ‘Circle of Courage’, naamlik bemeestering, behoort aan, ruimhartigheid en onafhanklikheid, is binne die EAP proses ondersoek en vir die eerste keer in hierdie teks gedokumenteer. Die bevindinge is vergelyk met veerkragtigheid teorie om EAP as ‘n psigoterapeutiese benadering te beskryf wat veerkragtigheid aanmoedig by weerlose adolessente, naamlik dié wat in residensiële sorg geplaas is en aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het.

This dissertation employs a case study research design and reviews literature from the field of animal assisted therapy (AAT) with an emphasis on equine facilitated psychotherapy (EFP), as a possible therapeutic alternative for treating inappropriate aggressive behaviour in a young boy. The research suggests that Horse Whispering can indeed be regarded as a viable therapeutic technique when intent on breaking the aggressive behaviour cycle. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.

In this study, the intersections between Equine Assisted Psychotherapeutic interventions and adolescence are explored. Equine Assisted therapeutic work has recently gained much popularity in the field of psychology, due to many reported benefits, which include the value of the use of the horse as a tool in psychotherapy. Adolescence is acknowledged to be a difficult transitional phase, punctuated with many challenges, such as identity development. As this study is conducted by a trainee psychotherapist and researcher, the work also contains a reflexive exploration of these fields, with personal reflections regarding the researcher‟s own experience in the fields. This study is framed as a transtheoretical bricolage, which includes elements of reflexivity, heuristics, transpersonal, and phenomenological research approaches. Data was gathered from individual interviews with co-researchers, focus group interviews, personal reflections, and inclusion of non-verbal information from the horses who formed part of this study. Data analysis was done by means of a Thematic Data Analysis. The research findings reflect themes on different levels, which are: content themes, process themes, meta-reflections on the research process, and a meta-analysis of the research and individual developmental process which took place in the production of this work / Psychology / M. A. (Clinical Psychology)