The Relevance of Internal Working Models of Self and Others for Equine-Assisted Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.

Attachment characteristics play a key role in mental health and in understanding mental disorders. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the role the attachment characteristics can play in treatment effects in adult patients with intrapsychic and interpersonal problems who underwent Equine-assisted Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (ESTPP). In the first part of the study, we compared the effects of ESTPP to treatment-as-usual from a previous dataset regarding psychological dysfunction. For this, an explorative experimental non-randomized pre-treatment and 1-year post-treatment design was used. A mixed model revealed a significant decline in psychological dysfunction for both conditions, with no significant difference between the two. In the second part of the study, we examined the course of ESTPP effects over the period of 1 year when controlled for attachment styles and, subsequently, for internal working models of self and others. To this end, measurements were taken at baseline, 2 months waiting time, one-week intensive module, 6 months, and one year after the start of the treatment. Mixed models accounted for repeated measures showed significant improvements in psychological dysfunction, remoralization, and depression for ESTPP patients over time. The study implies that models of self and others may be used to predict the course of effects, which is relevant in determining what works for whom. In particularly, duration and intensity of therapy and a focus on the Model of Self seem relevant for shaping a more personalized treatment. ESTPP seems beneficial for patients with low pre-treatment attachment security.

Psychodynamic Based Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy in Adults with Intertwined Personality Problems and Traumatization: A Systematic Review.

The growing field of equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), a subfield of animal-assisted psychotherapy (AAP), needs theoretically-based clinical studies. This systematic review examines the existing clinical studies in adult populations on psychodynamic psychotherapy combined with equine-assisted psychotherapy. An electronic database search was divided in two studies to identify publications on 1) EAP combined with psychodynamic psychotherapy and 2) EAP combined to personality problems and traumatization in order to compile studies by population, intervention, outcome and therapeutic assets. Study 1 revealed no relevant clinical studies on EAP with a psychodynamic background with an adult population. Study 2 revealed 12 publications to review predominantly addressing veterans with PTSD. The methodological limitations of most of the studies restrain the overall findings on outcome. However, overall positive effects for EAP, specifically on its experiential features and on finding interpersonal trust for patients, can be discerned. There is an apparent need for clinical studies meeting methodological standards on psychodynamic underpinned EAP methodologies in adults with intertwined personality problems and traumatization.

Characterization of chromosome-specific S-SAP markers and their use in studying genetic diversity in Aegilops species.

The short interspersed nuclear element (SINE), Au, was used to develop sequence-specific amplified polymorphism (S-SAP) markers for U- and M-genome chromosomes. The markers were localized using Triticum aestivum (wheat)-- Aegilops geniculata and wheat-- Aegilops biuncialis disomic chromosome addition lines. Thirty-seven markers distributed over 6 U and 6 M chromosomes were produced. A genetic diversity study carried out on 37 accessions from Ae. biuncialis, Ae. comosa, Ae. geniculata, and Ae. umbellulata suggested that Ae. biuncialis have arisen from its diploid ancestors more recently than Ae. geniculata. Several earlier studies indicated that the M genomes in polyploid Aegilops species had accumulated substantial rearrangements, whereas the U genomes remained essentially unmodified. However, this cannot be attributed to the preferential insertion of retroelements into the M genome chromosomes. Fourteen markers from a total of 8 chromosomes were sequenced; 3 markers were similar to known plant genes, 1 was derived from a long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon, and 10 markers did not match to any known DNA sequences, suggesting that they were located in the highly variable intergenic regions.