Adolescents' Affective and Physiological Regulation Shape Negative Behavior During Challenging Equine Assisted Learning Activities.
Authors: Pendry Patricia, Carr Alexa M, Vandagriff Jaymie L
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Researchers tracked how 59 adolescents' stress physiology—specifically their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity via salivary cortisol—predicted emotional responses and behaviour during their first mounted equine assisted learning (EAL) session in week five of an 11-week programme. Participants provided baseline cortisol samples before the programme began, then additional samples on their riding day to capture pre-ride stress levels and physiological reactivity to 10 minutes of mounted work; behaviour was independently observed throughout the 90-minute session and emotional states measured before and after mounting. Adolescents exhibiting elevated cortisol immediately before mounting reported significantly higher negative emotion and lower positive emotion; those showing greater cortisol reactivity during riding displayed heightened negative emotion and reduced positive emotion afterwards, with this increased stress reactivity—combined with higher pre-ride negative affect—strongly predicting disruptive behaviour during the session. For equine professionals facilitating EAL with at-risk youth, these findings underscore the importance of recognising that negative behaviour often reflects dysregulated physiological stress responses rather than willful misbehaviour, pointing to the need for preparatory techniques to reduce arousal before mounting and support emotional regulation during challenging activities.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Assess adolescents' emotional state and stress levels before mounting; those showing signs of high anxiety or negative emotion may need calming strategies or postponement of mounted work.
- •Use the first 10 minutes of riding as a critical window to monitor behavioral responses—excessive stress reactivity during this period predicts problematic behavior throughout the session.
- •Incorporate physiological and emotional down-regulation techniques (e.g., breathing exercises, ground work, desensitization) before mounted activities, particularly for at-risk youth who may have dysregulated stress responses.
Key Findings
- •Adolescents with higher pre-ride cortisol levels reported significantly higher negative emotion (B=0.350, p=0.041) and lower positive emotion (B=-0.697, p=0.013).
- •Greater cortisol reactivity during the first 10 minutes of riding predicted higher negative emotion post-ride (B=2.95, p=0.001) and lower positive emotion (B=-3.73, p=0.007).
- •Pre-ride negative emotion, post-ride positive emotion deficit, and cortisol reactivity increase were significant predictors of negative behavior during the 90-minute EAL session (B=0.242, p=0.049).
- •HPA axis physiological activity and affective regulation are key factors shaping behavioral outcomes during mounted equine assisted learning activities.