Engaging Disenfranchised Youth through an Equine Assisted Activities Program: Understanding Psychosocial Benefits of Horse-Human Interactions

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Norwood, Michael Francis
Lakhani, Ali
Kendall, Elizabeth
Fullagar, Simone
Maujean, Annick
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2020
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Abstract

Evidence suggests equine-assisted activities may provide psychological benefits to young people “at-risk.” Results are presented from an equine program among 14- to 16-year-old children (N = 7), mostly boys (N = 6), attending a non-traditional flexi-school in Australia. Thematic analyses were undertaken on observations by facilitators, researchers, and a school teacher, and interviews with a school teacher. Key themes suggest that program participants benefited from positive engagement, social connectedness, and increased confidence, relationships, and attachment. Mechanisms were identified as a desire and an ability to connect with the horse and a positive environment. The social context of the equine program contrasts with other contexts in these young people’s lives, which allowed them to engage through more positive relational, affectionate behavior. For the boys, positive rather than damaging masculine behavior was displayed. Furthermore, the compatible student-environment interactions provide a backdrop which makes other positive changes possible.

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Society & Animals

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© 2020 Brill Academic Publishers. This is the author-manuscript version of this paper. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal website for access to the definitive, published version.

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This publication has been entered in Griffith Research Online as an advanced online version.

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Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences

Human society

Psychology

Sport and leisure management

Sociology

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Norwood, MF; Lakhani, A; Kendall, E; Fullagar, S; Maujean, A, Engaging Disenfranchised Youth through an Equine Assisted Activities Program: Understanding Psychosocial Benefits of Horse-Human Interactions, Society & Animals, 2020

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