Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2025

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills
Published on: April 23, 2014
Investigating the Effects of Equine-Assisted Therapy in Individuals With Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Zeynep Öztürk1, Elif Özcan Tozoğlu2, Musa Eymır3
1Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Erzurum, Türkiye.
Purpose:
To examine the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy on symptoms, quality of life, anxiety, and loneliness in individuals with schizophrenia.
Method:
A randomized controlled trial was conducted with individuals with schizophrenia registered at a community mental health center. The study involved 61 participants (30 in the intervention group, 31 in the control group). An 8-week equine-assisted therapeutic intervention was implemented for the intervention group. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI), Quality of Life Scale for Schizophrenia Patients (QLS), and UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS). Data were analyzed using means, frequencies, percentage distributions, chi-square test, and dependent and independent samples t tests.
Results:
Statistically significant differences were found between pre- and post-test mean scores of the PANSS, TAI, UCLA-LS, and QLS in the intervention group (p < 0.05), and none were found in the control group (p > 0.05).
Conclusion:
Equine-assisted therapy effectively reduced symptoms, anxiety, and loneliness in individuals with schizophrenia, while improving their quality of life.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes...
Schizophrenia
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.

