The main objective of this research is to measure the influence of equine-assisted
therapy sessions on the quality of life of children with ASD, using the PedsQL™ 4.0
questionnaire as an evaluation tool.
The secondary objectives of this study are to measure the influence of these equine
therapy sessions on the quality of life of parents of children with ASD, using the
PAR-DD-QOL questionnaire, and to qualitatively analyze the progress of children in terms
of communication, motor skills, social connections, etc., during equine therapy sessions,
through tracking sheets.
This interventional, prospective, and monocentric study aims to evaluate the effect of
equine therapy on the quality of life of children with ASD and their families. As a pilot
study, it aims to assess the feasibility of a larger-scale study with a rigorous
methodology, with the aim of including a control group and conducting a randomized,
multicentric, single-blind trial in future studies. It will take place at the La Musse
Hospital - La Renaissance Sanitaire, specifically within the equine therapy center of the
La Musse facilities. Recruiting 20 children (8-12 years old) with ASD is required for
this study. To do this, the inclusion criteria are as follows: participants must be
children aged 8 to 12, diagnosed with ASD by a doctor. They must be able to participate
in equine-assisted therapy sessions and understand instructions during these sessions. In
addition, they must be affiliated with the social security system. The primary and
secondary assessment criteria respectively include the average of the two scores obtained
from the PedsQL™ 4.0 child and parent report questionnaires; the overall score of the
PAR-DD-QOL questionnaire, as well as the qualitative analysis of the equine therapists'
tracking sheets. Measures are taken to minimize selection, recruitment, and confusion
biases, and specific eligibility criteria are defined. Each participant will benefit from
15 equine therapy sessions, twice a week, over 7 to 8 weeks. Each session will last 60
minutes.
The intervention of this study begins with the participant selection process, including
an initial contact by phone or during a medical consultation, followed by an oral
explanation and the provision of written information to parents and the child. After a
reflection period, and if they agree, the parents and the child sign a consent form. The
children then undergo 15 equine therapy sessions, including various activities such as
emotional expression, contact with the horse, grooming, activities on foot or on
horseback, and a debriefing time. Quality-of-life evaluations will be conducted five
times during the study using the PedsQL™ 4.0 child, PedsQL™ 4.0 parent report, and
PAR-DD-QOL questionnaires (before the first session, after the first session, at the 5th
session, at the 10th session, and at the 15th session). Additionally, a tracking sheet
will be completed by equine therapists during the sessions. The criteria for interrupting
or modifying interventions are established, allowing participants to withdraw at any time
for various reasons. Strategies are implemented to improve adherence to rehabilitation
protocols, such as regular reminders and the distribution of a schedule of appointments.
The individuals concerned are fully informed of the study and their rights.
The expected outcomes include an improvement in the average quality-of-life scores of
children with ASD, an improvement in the quality-of-life score of their parents, and
behavioral progress in the children. The sample size is set at 20 children with ASD, with
a detailed statistical analysis plan using Excel and SPSS.
