Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy Promotes Resilience in Children and Adolescents Impacted by Interpersonal Trauma
Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy Promotes Resilience in Children and Adolescents Impacted by Interpersonal Trauma
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Issue Date
2021-12
Authors
Barnstable, Jill
Journal Title
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Abstract
In this research project the author theorises that equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) improves the biopsychosocial symptoms associated with interpersonal trauma (IT) in childhood and adolescence and promotes positive development and resilience in children and adolescents impacted by IT. The author discusses the implications of the research to better understand the developmental effects of IT during childhood and adolescence and the implications of these effects for psychotherapy with children and adolescents impacted by IT. She also analyses and synthesises the research on the use of EAP with children and adolescents impacted by IT during their sensitive developmental years. Methodological limitations observed in the research of EAP with children and adolescents impacted by IT discussed include the lack of experimental research in the field to date, that few children under the age of 8 have been included in the research, and the under-representation of males in the qualitative research. Despite the current methodological weaknesses in the literature for EAP with children and adolescents impacted by IT, the existing findings related to this topic have shown that EAP is an effective, comprehensive treatment approach that improves the biopsychosocial ramifications of IT during childhood and adolescence. More important, the author discusses how the relational experiences during EAP promotes positive development and resilience in children and adolescents impacted by IT. She also critically considers the research and professional ethics with regard to studying EAP with children and adolescents impacted by IT. Finally, she discusses practical applications and makes recommendations for future research to improve EAP for children and adolescents impacted by IT.
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Keywords
equine-assisted psychotherapy , children , adolescents , youth , interpersonal trauma , development , resilience , attachment theory
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess