J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2025 Apr 23:1-9. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20250415-05. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
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. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(x), xx-xx.].
PMID:40258216 | DOI:10.3928/02793695-20250415-05
