Hi all,I am a second year Trainee Clinical Psychologist, currently undertaking my doctorate at the University of Hertfordshire. As part of my course, I am undertaking research about Equine Assisted Therapy and females with a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). As a keen equestrian, I feel very fortunate to be able to conduct research about a subject very close to my heart!The ratio of males to females with an ASC stands at 4:1. There have been many theories as to why this may be, but most prominently it has been argued that females display different behaviours (e.g. masking) when compared with males. Diagnostic procedures and interventions have relied highly on a male evidence base, and therefore, are not tailored to females. The result of this leads to late diagnosis and a higher proportion of mental health difficulties for females. Equine Therapy has started to gain recognition as an intervention for neurodevelopmental disorders, however studies are limited in nature. Therefore, I am interested in exploring this intervention in relation to adolescent females with an ASC diagnosis. Service user feedback and involvement is very important to this project. Therefore, whilst I have started an interview schedule, I would really appreciate your views on what feels relevant to ask and explore in the interviews. If you have any experience of undertaking Equine Therapy (or attended an RDA centre), or yourself or a female family member has been diagnosed with an ASC, I would be interested in hearing your views.Please feel free to PM me for more information about the project if you wish.Thank you!Kate
01-26-2018, 12:15 AM
Equine Assisted Therapy and Autism
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