Irish youth, urban horses and Equine Assisted Activities (EAA): a critically appraised topic

Since the 1980’s, caring for horses has become an urban phenomenon, particularly for male youths, in many disadvantaged Irish communities, where high levels of social and occupational deprivation exist (Kelleher Associates and O’Connor 2007). Limited evidence on this occupation exists. There is also growing use of Equine Assisted Activities (EAA) with adolescents in Ireland. This critically appraised topic (CAT) aims to examine the psychosocial effects of EAA for adolescents aged between 10-18 years old. An extensive search of databases, which includes CINAHL Plus, Web of Knowledge, and PsycINFO, was conducted between April 2011 and March 2012. Papers were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, then analysed using the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (2011). Overall 8 studies met the inclusion criteria, these include 4 quantitative, 2 mixed method and 2 qualitative studies. The significance of participating in the occupation of keeping horse/s and its potential benefits for youth’s wellbeing are explored. This will be discussed in relation to what is known about the psychosocial effect of EAA when used therapeutically with adolescents. Key areas identified were resilience, social inclusion, participation and the complexity of occupation. The implications for occupational therapy and areas for future research are identified.