WithdrawnNot Applicable

Equine Assisted Services in Children and Adolescents With Mental Illness

Stopped: due to methodological problems with the recruitment.

Sweden0Started 2023-03-01

Plain-language summary

Due to an increasing amount of children and adolescents are suffering from mental illnesses i Sweden. Early preventive psychological interventions are important to avoid a long-time use of medicines. Animal assisted therapy and especially equine assisted services (EAS) has shown to be a good complementary method to decrease anxiety and/or depression in children and adolescents. The main aim is to study the effect of a specific EAS program regarding symptoms of mental illness and in long-term follow-up of future healthcare consumption. We will conduct interviews with both participants and their parents besides the questionnaires at follow-ups (12 weeks, and 1 year) The intervention will be EAS at a farm following a detailed program, the staff at the farm are specially trained with a certification to practice EAS. Each session will last for about 60 minutes, once a week. Participants will get information of the study by the child and youth psychiatry in the region of Skane, and from student´s health team at elementary schools. Those who want ti participate will contact the study coordinator for full information and informed consent. The EAS model has been used in treatment of adult with mental illness for many years, and the result are very positive. This project provides an opportunity to evaluate the effect of EAS to promote health and prevent severe manifest mental illness among children and adolescents. There are no previous studies of the long-term effect of EAS regarding health consumption.

Who can participate

Age range7 Years – 17 Years

SexALL

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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age between 7 to 17 * Depression * Anxiety * School refusers * Eating disorders * Established contact with the child and youth psychiatry in the region of Skane * Established contact wit the student´s health team at elementary schools in the region of Skane Exclusion Criteria: * Severe allergy to horses * Do not speak, or do not understand Swedish, spoken and written. * Do not speak, or do not understand English spoken and written. * Those who cannot understand the intervention * Those who do not understand what it means to be in control group

What they're measuring

Change in mood and feelings

Timeframe: 1 time each week during 14 weeks and after 12 months

Mindfulness

Timeframe: at baseline after 14 weeks and after 12 moths

Resilience

Timeframe: Baseline, after 12 weeks and after 12 months

Anxiety

Timeframe: At baseline after 14 weeks and after 12 months

Strengths and difficulties

Timeframe: At baseline, after 12 weeks and after 12 months.

Photovoice

Timeframe: 12 weeks after intervention start i.e. when the intervention ends.

Trial details

NCT IDNCT05670990

SponsorPeter Nymberg

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2024-01-10

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Mental Disorders, Child trials