Psy. D., Antioch University, 2021, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

This qualitative study on Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP) utilized a combined methodology incorporating elements from phenomenology and grounded theory to contribute to the existing body of research on equine therapeutic practices by (a) clarifying foundational understandings its mechanisms of therapeutic action and (b) exploring barriers to the growth of the field from a practitioner point of view. Five phenomenological categories were identified and described as interwoven mechanisms of therapeutic action within the practice of EFP: observation, communication, mindfulness, embodiment and connection. Additionally, six phenomena were identified and explored as challenges to the field's growth: funding, awareness, cohesion, clarity, accessibility and measurability. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Committee: Allen Bishop PhD (Committee Chair); Elizabeth Bates Freed PsyD (Committee Co-Chair); Brenda Murrow PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Cognitive Therapy; Counseling Psychology; Mental Health; Occupational Psychology; Physiological Psychology; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Social Psychology

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

The following dissertation presents a proposal for a program developed on theoretical concepts of the False Self and Persona. Integrative treatment approaches, such as Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, surfing, equine therapy, and wilderness therapy combined with individual and group psychotherapy, may be helpful in diminishing adolescent substance abuse by increasing connection to their internal resources and exposure to healthy external support. Although there are various programs that have proven to be effective in the treatment of substance abuse in adolescence, they tend to neglect the subjective experience of the individual and fail to address the why, behind the desire to self-negate in adolescence. Thus, the focus of this program is to move towards true self functioning by increasing subjective well-being and fostering a greater connection to self. This program proposal will discuss the underlying goals and proposed implementation of these integrative approaches in the treatment of adolescent substance abuse. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, https://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu

Committee: Johanna Hays Psy.D (Committee Chair); Christopher Howard Psy.D (Committee Co-Chair); Bonnie Goldstein Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology; Psychotherapy; Spirituality

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-progressive motor disorder resulting from injury to the brain. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social interaction and adaptive behavior. Together, CP and ASD are the second- and third-most-common developmental disabilities. While ASD is not primarily a motor disorder, up to 80% of children with ASD have motor delays. Impairments in upper extremity coordination are present in many children with CP and ASD. Physical therapy is often utilized for children with CP and ASD to improve motor function. Participation outcomes are often the most important element of PT to children with CP and ASD and their families. Participation is a component of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health framework, which refers to participation in life situations. Upper extremity function can play a major role in participation, as the upper extremities are commonly involved in leisure, play, and school activities. Physical therapy (PT) using hippotherapy and the equine environment shows promise for improving function and participation in children with CP and ASD. There is also preliminary evidence that hippotherapy might be effective in improving upper extremity function in children with CP. Hippotherapy is the use of equine movement in therapy, and PT in the equine environment refers to any other therapeutic activities involving equines or aspects of the equine environment. While reach and grasp are inherent to many upper extremity activities, there are few outcome measures to evaluate reach and grasp abilities. The measures that are available involve clinical observation and subjective scoring of performance which could be affected by rater bias. Three-dimensional (3D) motion capture offers an objective and quantitative measurement of human movement and is the gold standard for evaluating gait in motor-impaired populations. A few studies have used 3D motion capture to evaluate (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jill Heathcock PT, MPT, PhD (Advisor); Deborah Larsen PT, PhD (Committee Member); Laura Schmitt PT, MPT, PhD (Committee Member); Ajit Chaudhari PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Biomechanics; Physical Therapy; Rehabilitation

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2018, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

This study examined the potential impact of equine-facilitated therapy (EFT) as an adjunct treatment for pre-adolescent girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Research on EFT has shown some promise in helping children develop a sense of self and greater awareness of their behavior and body language. It has also shown potential for increasing externalizing and internalizing behaviors. The rationale behind the use of EFT with children with ADHD is that by taking part in an EFT program, they will receive immediate feedback on their behavior and will therefore experience an increase in attentional control and a decrease in impulsivity. Two 11-year-old girls with a diagnosis of ADHD took part in a 12-week EFT program. They received 12 sessions and participated in this study for a total of 14 weeks. Measures were administered four times over the course of the study. Participants completed the BASC-2 Self-Report of Personality and the IVA-CPT-2, while the parents filled out the BASC-2 PRS. The focus of this research was to investigate whether EFT can be beneficial in reducing core symptoms of ADHD (i.e., attention problems, hyperactivity, internalizing and externalizing behavior) according to both participants and their parents. The results suggest that the potential benefits of EFT vary depending on the individual. Both parents and participants reported a decrease in symptoms associated with ADHD on the BASC-2. On the IVA-CPT-2, only the Response Control Auditory scale for Participant 1 showed some improvement throughout the program, while the other scales showed improvements until Time 3. These gains were not maintained on the last testing day. The results for Participant 2 showed a decrease in scores on both attention and response control scales throughout the program.

Committee: Theodore Ellenhorn Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Vincent Pignatiello Psy.D. (Committee Member); Amanda Hitchings Psy.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology

PHD, Kent State University, 2011, College of Nursing

Most mental health disorders begin in adolescence. Because earlier interventions result in better outcomes, the search for effective therapies for at-risk adolescents has intensified. There is anecdotal evidence that equine-assisted mental health therapy programs improve coping and build skills in adolescent girls with mental health problems. The value of working with horses in a therapeutic modality is presumed to be based on the adolescent girl-horse relationship, yet the nature of this relationship has not been described or explained. The purpose of this research was to describe the essence of the relationship between adolescent girls and horses in order to obtain a greater understanding of the potential benefits of equine-assisted therapies for adolescent girls. An interpretive qualitative approach, based on Heideggerian philosophy, was used to examine the nature of the relationship from the perspective of the adolescent girls. To provide a broad understanding of the relationship, two groups of adolescent girls were purposefully sampled (N = 19). One group consisted of girls who had a variety of behavioral and emotional problems and were participating in an equine assisted therapy program (n = 9). The second group included girls from local riding stables who were naturally attracted to horses and rode for pleasure (n = 10). Using open-ended questions, the girls were asked to describe their relationships with horses. The interviews were audio taped and transcribed. The data were analyzed in a disciplined and systematic manner according to procedures outlined by Diekelmann and Allen (1989). The themes identified were sharing physical affection, being there for each other, being connected, dealing with stress, being good at something, and being a better person. The findings illustrate that adolescent girls derive important benefits from their relationships with horses. The experiences of girls with their horses during equine-assisted therapy can provide a contex (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Barbara L. Drew PhD (Committee Chair); Claire B Draucker PhD (Committee Co-Chair); N. Margaret Wineman PhD (Committee Member); T. John Akamatsu PhD (Committee Member); Beth G Wildman PhD (Advisor) Subjects: Nursing

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2012, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

Therapeutic interventions with horses are increasing and utilized to treat a number of ailments, including psychological ones. Despite the growth of these interventions, there has been little research performed, particularly quantitative, to determine efficacy. One proposed benefit of therapeutic riding, a particular type of intervention involving horses, is that it enhances or improves emotional well-being. This construct has been poorly defined and operationalized in the literature. The current study sought to operationalize and measure emotional well-being using a multidimensional model. Three proposed sub-domains of emotional well-being: positive affect, life satisfaction, and self-esteem were measured in adults prior to and after participation in a 12 week therapeutic horseback riding program. No significant differences were found from pre-test to post-test in any of the three domains. Lack of participation and thus a low sample size of adults contributed to the lack of significance. The findings suggest a need for further studies on the impact of therapeutic riding on emotional well-being, and suggestions are made for evaluation to be an ongoing and inclusive part of therapeutic riding programs.

Committee: Victor Pantesco Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Barbara Belcher-Timme Psy.D. (Committee Member); Elaine Campbell Psy.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology