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Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Wheel Running and Environmental Complexity as a Therapeutic Intervention in an Animal Model of FASD
Published on: February 2, 2017
More Than Just a Break from Treatment: How Substance Use Disorder Patients Experience the Stable Environment in
Ann Kern-Godal1, Ida Halvorsen Brenna2, Espen Ajo Arnevik3
1Department of Addiction Treatment, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.; Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research (SERAF), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract:
Inclusion of horse-assisted therapy (HAT) in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is rarely reported. Our previous studies show improved treatment retention and the importance of the patient-horse relationship. This qualitative study used thematic analysis, within a social constructionist framework, to explore how eight patients experienced contextual aspects of HAT's contribution to their SUD treatment. Participants described HAT as a "break from usual treatment". However, four interrelated aspects of this experience, namely "change of focus", "activity", "identity", and "motivation," suggest HAT is more than just a break from usual SUD treatment. The stable environment is portrayed as a context where participants could construct a positive self: one which is useful, responsible, and accepted; more fundamentally, a different self from the "patient/self" receiving treatment for a problem. The implications extend well beyond animal-assisted or other adjunct therapies. Their relevance to broader SUD policy and treatment practices warrants further study.
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