Equine-assisted Intervention on Psychosocial Adjustment in Patients With Psychiatric Disorders

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of a brief equine-assisted intervention on the social adjustment, assertiveness, self-esteem and coping strategies in adult patients with psychosocial dysfunction, hospitalized and followed in psychiatry, as compared to standard care.

Official Title
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Evaluation of the Efficacy of an Equine-assisted Intervention on the Psychosocial Adjustment of Adult Patients Hospitalized and Monitored in Psychiatry: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Conditions
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Equine-assisted Therapy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Equine-assisted intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients hospitalized in psychiatry with mental disorders lasting for more than 6 months with an EGF score on the Global Evaluation of Psychosocial Functioning scale of between 31 and 60 at the time of inclusion. Exclusion Criteria: acute psychiatric crisis severe comorbidities (such as mental retardation, mental deterioration) which could invalidate informed consent or limit patient compliance with the study protocol. medical contraindication to equine-assisted therapy (allergy, immunocompromised patients) pregnancy no affiliation to a social security scheme deprivation of liberty by a judicial decision wardship horse phobia

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Equine-assisted intervention<br>Brief program (3 sessions) | Behavioral: Equine-assisted intervention<br>* Usual care including an equine-assisted intervention carried out on foot, next to the horse, in 3 sessions of 3 hours each, spread over 4 weeks. This program is based on self-awareness, communication, assertiveness and adaptability.<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>Standard care with treatments as usual | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Social adjustment (self reported) | Change in the score of the SAS-SR (social adjustment scale -self report) (from 1 (excellent adjustment) to 5 (bad adjustment)) | Baseline and 6 months | 
| Social adjustment | Change in the score of the SAS (social adjustment scale) (from 1 (excellent adjustment) to 5 (bad adjustment)) | Baseline and 6 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Assertiveness | Change in the score of the Rathus assertiveness schedule (from -90 (difficulties of assertivity) to +90 (good assertivity)) | Baseline, 2 and 6 months | 
| Self-esteem | Change in the score of the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem scale (from 10 to 40). | Baseline, 2 and 6 months | 
| Ways of coping | Change in the score of the Ways of coping checklist (from 27 to 108). | Baseline, 2 and 6 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Psychiatry, Psychosocial adjustment