Equine-Assisted Therapy with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Serbia and the United States: A Pilot Intervention

Updated: Aug 19

A Pilot Intervention

Shay Dawson | Bryan P. McCormick | Daniela Tamas | Cedomir Stanojevic

Lori Eldridge | Jordan McIntire | Ashley Bowen | H. Blair McKissock

Adolescent and young adults with a diagnosed autism

spectrum disorder (ASD) in the severe to moderate

functioning range were recruited for this study in Serbia

and the United States (U.S.). A total of ten participants,

five from each respective country, participated in a 15-

week equine-assisted therapy (EAT) intervention that

utilized ground-based learning through a manualized

program approach. The purpose of the study was to test

the effects of a manualized 15-week EAT intervention

on the social functioning of individuals with severe to

moderate ASD across two cultures using a single subject

research design. Nine out of 10 participants displayed

improved social functioning over the course of the 15-

week EAT intervention in both cultures.

This study adds to the literature on evidence-based equine-assisted therapy pro-

grams (EAT) by reporting on the effect of participation in the Galloping Towards Suc-

cess EAT intervention specifically designed for individuals with moderate to severe

autism spectrum disorder (ASD). e research addresses a scarcity of studies designed

to test the effect of a manualized evidence-based intervention across two unique and

different cultures. Taken together, this study fills an important gap in the equine-as-

sisted therapy and recreational therapy literature in providing a cross cultural perspec-

tive on an equine-assisted therapy program designed specifically for participants with

moderate to severe ASD.

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