Term of Award
Fall 2017
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.)
Document Type and Release Option
Dissertation (open access)
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Department
Department of Psychology
Committee Chair
Jeff Klibert
Committee Member 1
Shauna Joye
Committee Member 2
Lawrence Locker
Abstract
The unique benefits of Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP) such as the human-horse bond, a non-traditional therapy setting, and performing altruistic acts are thought to facilitate positive change in humans. One mechanism by which positive changes occur is through improved coping and resilience in the face of stress. To date, only a handful of correlational studies speak to the potential effects of EFP on resilience-based outcomes. Thus, this study sought to address this gap in the literature by exploring the benefits of EFP compared to traditional Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) in an experimental context. Specifically, we examined the effects of different intervention (EFP vs. AAT vs. control) on three resilience-based outcomes (i.e., positive affect, well-being, and altruism). In addition, we wanted to ascertain whether participation in specific types of psychological interventions may buffer the negative effects of stress on these resilience-based outcomes. In an online study, participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions and asked to listen to a 10-minute audio guided imagery exercise depicting an EFP, AAT, or control group intervention. Participants were then asked to complete a number of surveys, including measures of stress, affect, well-being, and altruism. Overall, results did not reveal any significant differences in stress reduction, mood, or well-being across conditions. Additionally, analyses did not reveal any moderating effects of intervention type on the relationship between stress and resilience-based outcomes. One significant finding indicates that, contrary to our prediction, participants in the EFP group reported lower levels of altruism than the other two groups. Overall, the results of the current study do not lend significant support for the use of EFP as an effective approach in managing stress and increasing resilience-based outcomes. A number of notable limitations in the current study are discussed as well as suggestions for addressing these issues in future research.
Recommended Citation
Jones, C. J. V. (2017). Differentiating the Effects of Animal-Assisted Versus Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy on Positive Psychological Outcomes Through a Stress Induction Context.
Research Data and Supplementary Material
No
Included in
Animal Studies Commons, Biological Psychology Commons, Clinical Psychology Commons, Health Psychology Commons, Social Psychology Commons
