Equine‐assisted activities and therapies in children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review

Accessible Summary What is known on the subject? Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by problems of inattention and impulsive hyperactivity in children. Equine‐assisted activities and therapies (EAATs) have been used as alternative non‐pharmacological intervention option in patients with ADHD. What does this paper adds to existing knowledge? Nowadays, more studies of high methodological quality are needed to determine whether EAAT is an effective intervention for the treatment in children with ADHD. What are the implications for practice? Between 15 and 40 min of rising horses, 8–32 total sessions, for 4–32 weeks, seem to be beneficial to reduce the symptoms of ADHD. Introduction Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder characterized by problems of inattention and impulsive hyperactivity. Equine‐assisted activities and therapies (EAATs) have become an emerging non‐pharmacological intervention option in patients with ADHD. Aim To perform a systematic review of updated literature about EAAT in children with ADHD. Method A systematic review was performed until 28 November 2019, in four electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) intervention programme, with pre‐ and post‐data, based on EAAT, (b) children with ADHD and (c) articles written in English. Results A total of 9 articles were found that meet the inclusion criteria. The evidence level was C for 7 studies and B for 2 studies. The level of conclusion was 3. Discussion There are few studies with high methodological quality, and there is a high heterogeneity in the variables included, what make that the level of evidence and conclusion are low. Conclusion There is no account with enough studies of high methodological quality to determine whether EAAT is an effective intervention for the treatment in children with ADHD.