An evaluation of the effect of equine-facilitated psychotherapy on patients with substance use disorders.
Authors: Machová Kristýna, Juríčková Veronika, Kasparová Anna, Petrová Kamila, Sládková Barbora, Svobodová Ivona
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Equine-facilitated psychotherapy and psychology (EFPP) represents a promising non-pharmacological intervention for patients recovering from substance use disorders, yet robust clinical evidence supporting its efficacy remains limited. Researchers in this 2023 study recruited 57 hospitalised psychiatric patients (39 receiving EFPP alongside standard care, 18 in the control group) and tracked changes in quality of life, functional health outcomes, and mood across four treatment sessions using the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL), Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS), and Human-Animal Interaction Scale (HAIS). The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in three of four HoNOS domains and seven of eight AQoL dimensions, whilst human-animal interaction scores and self-reported mood both increased substantially over time (p<0.001), with gains persisting in longer-term follow-up. These findings suggest EFPP may meaningfully enhance emotional regulation and social engagement during inpatient addiction treatment, though the modest control group size and short intervention window warrant cautious interpretation. For equine professionals involved in therapeutic programmes, the data supports the potential value of structured human-horse interaction as a complementary tool within multidisciplinary substance misuse services, though further rigorous trials with larger cohorts and extended follow-up periods would strengthen clinical recommendations.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •EFPP shows measurable clinical benefit for substance use disorder patients, supporting integration as adjunctive therapy alongside standard psychiatric care
- •Regular horse interaction (at least 4 sessions) appears necessary to achieve meaningful improvements in mood and social functioning
- •EFPP may be particularly valuable for non-pharmacological engagement of patients resistant to conventional treatment modalities
Key Findings
- •Equine-facilitated psychotherapy (EFPP) produced significant positive shifts in 3 of 4 HoNOS scale domains in 39 patients with substance use disorders
- •EFPP improved 7 of 8 AQoL quality of life dimensions between first and fourth treatment sessions
- •Human-Animal Interaction Scale (HAIS) scores increased significantly (p<0.001) over time with measurable mood improvement after each session
- •Patient mood improvements in EFPP group were sustained from acute (per-session) to long-term perspectives