Psychodynamic Based Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy in Adults with Intertwined Personality Problems and Traumatization: A Systematic Review

Overview

Journal Int J Environ Res Public Health

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Environmental Health
Public Health

Date 2020 Aug 9

PMID 32764468

Citations 2

Authors

Geza Kovacs

Annemiek van Dijke

Marie-Jose Enders-Slegers

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The growing field of equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), a subfield of animal-assisted psychotherapy (AAP), needs theoretically-based clinical studies. This systematic review examines the existing clinical studies in adult populations on psychodynamic psychotherapy combined with equine-assisted psychotherapy. An electronic database search was divided in two studies to identify publications on 1) EAP combined with psychodynamic psychotherapy and 2) EAP combined to personality problems and traumatization in order to compile studies by population, intervention, outcome and therapeutic assets. Study 1 revealed no relevant clinical studies on EAP with a psychodynamic background with an adult population. Study 2 revealed 12 publications to review predominantly addressing veterans with PTSD. The methodological limitations of most of the studies restrain the overall findings on outcome. However, overall positive effects for EAP, specifically on its experiential features and on finding interpersonal trust for patients, can be discerned. There is an apparent need for clinical studies meeting methodological standards on psychodynamic underpinned EAP methodologies in adults with intertwined personality problems and traumatization.

Citing Articles

Equine-assisted services for individuals with substance use disorders: a scoping review.

Diaz L, Gormley M, Coleman A, Sepanski A, Corley H, Perez A Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2022; 17(1):81.

PMID: 36517823 PMC: 9749232. DOI: 10.1186/s13011-022-00506-x.

The Relevance of Internal Working Models of Self and Others for Equine-Assisted Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.

Kovacs G, van Dijke A, Leontjevas R, Enders-Slegers M Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(17).

PMID: 36078534 PMC: 9518159. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710803.

References

Leichsenring F, Abbass A, Hilsenroth M, Luyten P, Munder T, Rabung S . "Gold Standards," Plurality and Monocultures: The Need for Diversity in Psychotherapy. Front Psychiatry. 2018; 9:159. PMC: 5928423. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00159. View

OHaire M . Animal-assisted intervention for autism spectrum disorder: a systematic literature review. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012; 43(7):1606-22. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-012-1707-5. View

Liberati A, Altman D, Tetzlaff J, Mulrow C, Gotzsche P, Ioannidis J . The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate healthcare interventions: explanation and elaboration. BMJ. 2009; 339:b2700. PMC: 2714672. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.b2700. View

Hoagwood K, Acri M, Morrissey M, Peth-Pierce R . Animal-Assisted Therapies for Youth with or at risk for Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review. Appl Dev Sci. 2017; 21(1):1-13. PMC: 5546745. DOI: 10.1080/10888691.2015.1134267. View

van Dijke A, Ford J . Adult attachment and emotion dysregulation in borderline personality and somatoform disorders. Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2015; 2:6. PMC: 4579502. DOI: 10.1186/s40479-015-0026-9. View

Steinert C, Munder T, Rabung S, Hoyer J, Leichsenring F . Psychodynamic Therapy: As Efficacious as Other Empirically Supported Treatments? A Meta-Analysis Testing Equivalence of Outcomes. Am J Psychiatry. 2017; 174(10):943-953. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17010057. View

Kazdin A, Blase S . Rebooting Psychotherapy Research and Practice to Reduce the Burden of Mental Illness. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015; 6(1):21-37. DOI: 10.1177/1745691610393527. View

Taylor P, Rietzschel J, Danquah A, Berry K . Changes in attachment representations during psychological therapy. Psychother Res. 2014; 25(2):222-38. DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2014.886791. View

Earles J, Vernon L, Yetz J . Equine-assisted therapy for anxiety and posttraumatic stress symptoms. J Trauma Stress. 2015; 28(2):149-52. DOI: 10.1002/jts.21990. View

10.

Abbass A, Town J, Driessen E . The efficacy of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for depressive disorders with comorbid personality disorder. Psychiatry. 2011; 74(1):58-71. DOI: 10.1521/psyc.2011.74.1.58. View

11.

Town J, Abbass A, Hardy G . Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for personality disorders: a critical review of randomized controlled trials. J Pers Disord. 2012; 25(6):723-40. DOI: 10.1521/pedi.2011.25.6.723. View

12.

Truijens F, Zuhlke-van Hulzen L, Vanheule S . To manualize, or not to manualize: Is that still the question? A systematic review of empirical evidence for manual superiority in psychological treatment. J Clin Psychol. 2018; 75(3):329-343. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22712. View

13.

Bamelis L, Evers S, Spinhoven P, Arntz A . Results of a multicenter randomized controlled trial of the clinical effectiveness of schema therapy for personality disorders. Am J Psychiatry. 2013; 171(3):305-22. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.12040518. View

14.

Anestis M, Anestis J, Zawilinski L, Hopkins T, Lilienfeld S . Equine-related treatments for mental disorders lack empirical support: a systematic review of empirical investigations. J Clin Psychol. 2014; 70(12):1115-32. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22113. View

15.

Kamioka H, Okada S, Tsutani K, Park H, Okuizumi H, Handa S . Effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med. 2014; 22(2):371-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2013.12.016. View

16.

Johnson R, Albright D, Marzolf J, Bibbo J, Yaglom H, Crowder S . Effects of therapeutic horseback riding on post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans. Mil Med Res. 2018; 5(1):3. PMC: 5774121. DOI: 10.1186/s40779-018-0149-6. View

17.

Gabbard G, Westen D . Rethinking therapeutic action. Int J Psychoanal. 2003; 84(Pt 4):823-41. DOI: 10.1516/002075703768284605. View

18.

Romaniuk M, Evans J, Kidd C . Evaluation of an equine-assisted therapy program for veterans who identify as 'wounded, injured or ill' and their partners. PLoS One. 2018; 13(9):e0203943. PMC: 6160012. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203943. View

19.

Bartak A, Soeteman D, Verheul R, Busschbach J . Strengthening the status of psychotherapy for personality disorders: an integrated perspective on effects and costs. Can J Psychiatry. 2008; 52(12):803-10. DOI: 10.1177/070674370705201208. View

20.

Putnam K, Harris W, Putnam F . Synergistic childhood adversities and complex adult psychopathology. J Trauma Stress. 2013; 26(4):435-42. DOI: 10.1002/jts.21833. View