Evaluation of an equine-assisted therapy program for veterans who identify as 'wounded, injured or ill' and their partners.
Authors: Romaniuk Madeline, Evans Justine, Kidd Chloe
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Romaniuk, Evans and Kidd (2018) investigated whether equine-assisted therapy could measurably improve psychological outcomes in Defence Force veterans and their partners, hypothesising that the relational context of the intervention might influence effectiveness. Forty-seven participants completed either an Individual program (veterans only; n=25) or a Couples program (n=22), with psychological assessment using validated instruments (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire) at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in depression, anxiety, stress and PTSD symptoms alongside increased happiness and quality of life immediately after the program; however, the crucial finding was that only participants in the Couples program maintained these psychological gains at the three-month follow-up, and they reported significantly lower depression, stress and PTSD symptoms compared to the Individual program group. This non-controlled longitudinal study suggests that equine-assisted interventions may derive their therapeutic benefit partly through relational mechanisms—the inclusion of partners appears necessary to sustain improvements in mental health outcomes beyond the immediate treatment period. For equine professionals involved in therapeutic work with military personnel and their families, this evidence indicates that programme design incorporating family members may be more clinically effective than individual sessions alone, potentially justifying the additional complexity and resource investment required for couples-based approaches.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Equine-assisted therapy shows promise for supporting veterans' mental health, but including partners in the intervention appears essential for sustained symptom reduction beyond the program
- •If implementing equine-assisted therapy for veteran populations, design programs to include partners rather than veterans alone for better long-term outcomes
- •Benefits appear most durable for depression, stress, and PTSD when relationships are therapeutically involved, suggesting equine work may facilitate emotional connection and support
Key Findings
- •Both Individual and Couples equine-assisted therapy programs significantly reduced psychological symptoms and increased happiness and quality of life at post-intervention (p<0.05)
- •Couples program participants maintained reduced psychological symptoms at three-month follow-up, while Individual program participants did not
- •Couples program participants showed significantly greater reductions in depression, stress, and PTSD symptoms at follow-up compared to Individual program participants