Equine Assisted Occupational Therapy for Children with Adhd (Astride): Protocol Development and Preliminary Study.

OBJECTIVE: Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are often referred to Equine-Assisted Services (EAS) for therapy despite lack of validated protocols in the field. This paper reports the development and validation of ASTride (ADHD Skills Therapy): a protocol of Equine-Assisted Occupational Therapy (EAOT) intervention for children aged 6-12 with ADHD. The intervention addresses deficits in cognitive-emotional functions and participation.

METHOD: Phase one of the intervention development includes theoretical framework and core content based on an in-depth review of existing literature. Subsequently, the intervention protocol was revised by a panel of experts. Phase two includes a pilot study, during which five children diagnosed with ADHD (mean age= 10.40 year, SD 2.966) participated in a 12-week EAOT intervention according to the suggested protocol, with pre- and post-assessments conducted.

RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements were found in executive functions, as reflected in the Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI) total score. Additionally, hope perception and everyday performance improved following the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS: Results support the feasibility of ASTride intervention protocol for the improvement of cognitive and emotional functions as well as everyday performance.