ABSTRACT
Autumn 2014
RESEARCH PROJECT IN PHYSIOTHERAPY, 15 higher education credits
First cycle Title: Relatives’ experiences of the Horse Boy Method
A qualitative study
Author :Supervisor : Susanne Rosberg Ph D, RPT
Hanna Hansson Physiotherapy student
Johanna Robertsson Physiotherapy student
Examiner: Kaisa Mannerkorpi MDr, Ass. Prof, RPT
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Background
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) means the individual’s inability to interact in natural relationships and situations. Treatment in autism is not particularly explored. Some say the core is to accept people with ASD as they are and some say you should use all possible resources. Parents of children with ASD experience a lot of sadness and are living under constant pressure, they also worry about the siblings who often takes a lot of responsibility. Research has shown that play therapy and therapeutic horseback riding can improve ASD children’s functioning.
Aim
Explore relatives’ experiences of the Horse Boy Method for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Method
Half-structured interviews with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach were conducted with seven relatives of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder who have been participating at least two months in the activities at the Horse Boy Centre in Texas, USA.
Results
Relatives of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder experiences’ are described in four categories: Relatives description of the Horse Boy Method, A changed way of seeing and to relate, The relatives’ experiences of the children’s development and Future.
Conclusion
Child-lead treatment and the relative’s situation need more attention in the clinical habilitation in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder. To succeed with this work more research about child lead treatment is required. An inter-professional way of working between professionals who work with these children is also needed.
Keywords
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Therapeutic Horseback riding, Child-lead treatment, Physiotherapy, Horse Boy Method.
