Therapies for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Evidence Table. Therapies for children with ASD (continued)
Study
Description Intervention
Author:
Bass et al., 2009
Country:
US
Practice
setting:
Academic
Intervention
setting:
Residential center
Enrollment
period:
NR
Funding:
NR
Author industry
relationship
disclosures:
NR
Design:
RCT
Intervention:
Therapeutic horseback
riding sessions, 1 hour
per week over the span of
12 weeks, consisting of:
• Mounting/dismounting:
5 minute instruction
sessions aimed at
stimulating verbal
communication
• Exercises: 10 minute
warm-up with stretches,
side walkers practice
giving verbal/modeled/
physical prompts
• Riding Skills: 15
minutes riding skill
practice aimed to
stimulate sensory
seeking, gross fine
motor domains
• Mounted Games: 20
minute segment
focusing on group and
individual games to
stimulate social and
communication skills
• Horsemanship: 10
minutes of taking part in
grooming activities
Assessment:
SRS and Sensory Profile,
pre- and post-intervention
Groups:
G1: therapeutic
horseback riding
G2: waitlist group
Provider:
Staff at the Good Hope
Equestrian Training
Center
Measure of treatment
fidelity reported:
No
Co-interventions held
stable during treatment:
Yes
Concomitant therapies,
n:
None:
G1: 8
G2: 3
Inclusion/ Exclusion
Criteria/ Population
Inclusion criteria:
• Met criteria for DSM-IV-
TR autism spectrum
diagnosis
• Parents had to consent
to pre-testing, 12 weeks
of therapeutic horseback
riding, and one post
testing session
• No previous exposure to
equine activities
Exclusion criteria:
• See inclusion criteria
Age, years ± SD (range):
G1: 6.95 ± 1.67 (5-10)
G2: 7.73 ± 1.65 (4-10)
Mental age:
NR
Gender, n:
Male:
G1: 17
G2: 12
Female:
G1: 2
G2: 3
Race/ethnicity:
NR
SES:
Maternal education: NR
Household income: NR
Diagnostic approach:
Referral
Diagnostic tool/method:
DSM-IV-TR
Diagnostic category, n:
Mild autism:
G1: 6 (18)
G2: 5 (15)
Moderate autism:
G1: 10(29)
G2: 6(18)
Severe autism:
G1: 2 (6)
G2: 3(9)
Aspergers:
G1: 1(3)
G2: 1(3)
C-36
Baseline
Measures Outcomes
Tachycardia:
G1: 7 (14.3)
G2: 11 (14.7)
G1/G2: P = 0.95
Social skills:
SRS score, mean ±
SD:
Total:
G1: 85.9 ± 37.5
G2: 89.3 ± 35.4
Social cognition:
G1: 20.8 ± 7.3
G2: 11.5 ± 3.6
Social awareness:
G1: 12.1 ± 4.7
G2: 11.5 ± 3.6
Social motivation:
G1: 17.3 ± 7.1
G2: 18.2 ± 7.1
Motor skills:
Sensory Profile
score, mean ± SD:
Fine motor/
perception:
G1: 8.9 ± 3.5
G2: 8.6 ± 2.9
Sedentary:
G1: 13.5 ± 5
G2: 11.9 ± 5.1
Sensory:
Sensory Profile
score, mean ± SD:
Total:
G1: 237.6 ± 55.9
G2: 240.9 ± 50.9
Sensory seeking:
G1: 58.4 ± 10.6
G2: 53.9 ± 10.9
Sensory sensitivity:
G1: 15.7 ± 3.6
G2: 16.1 ± 4.6
Educational/
cognitive/
academic
attainment:
Sensory Profile
inattention/distractibility
score, mean ±
SD:
G1: 21 ± 7.1
G2: 21.6 ± 4.6
Social skills:
SRS score, mean
± SD:
Total:
G1: 73.6 ± 24.1
G2: 94.4 ± 32.1
G1/BL: P < 0.017
G2/BL: P = NS
G1/G2: P < 0.05
Social cognition:
G1: 16.1 ± 5.8
G2: 18.9 ± 6.6
G1/G2: P = NS
Social awareness:
G1: 9.9 ± 2.7
G2: 11.1 ± 3.2
G1/G2: P = NS
Social motivation:
G1: 12.5 ± 5.9
G2: 16.2 ± 6.7
G1/BL: P < 0.003
G2/BL: P = NS
G1/G2: P < 0.05
Motor skills:
Sensory Profile
score, mean ±
SD:
Fine motor/
perception:
G1: 9.4 ± 3.0
G2: 8.7 ± 3.1
G1/G2: P = NS
Sedentary:
G1: 16 ± 3.3
G2: 11.3 ± 4.8
G1/BL: P < 0.001
G2/BL: P = NS
G1/G2: P < 0.01
Sensory:
Sensory Profile
score, mean ±
SD:
Total:
G1: 269.4 ± 51.6
G2: 245.7 ± 50.3
G1/BL: P < 0.001
G2/BL: P = 0.101
G1/G2: P < 0.01