Equine-assisted therapeutic activities and their influence on the heart rate variability: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of equine-assisted therapeutic interventions on users' heart rate variability, using this said variability as an objective biological variable related to stress levels. METHOD: A systematic review has been carried out using the methodology suggested in the PRISMA declaration following systematic searches in academic databases. RESULTS: 432 registers were initially identified; however, in the screening and suitability process, nine papers were included in the review. With one exception, all of them reported that equine-assisted therapeutic activities had a favourable effect on users' heart rate variability as such activities favour a state of relaxation by activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System. The analysis of the quality of the evidence and the confirmation of the bias in the works indicate that these results must be considered with caution. DISCUSSION: Although these preliminary results are promising, more rigorous clinical trials are necessary to overcome the methodological limitations of the works.

Prevalencia y niveles de exposición a factores y riesgos psicosociales a través del ISTAS-21 / Prevalence and exposure levels to psychosocial factors and risks through ISTAS-21

El presente trabajo tiene como finalidad la evaluación y descripción de los riesgos psicosociales en una muestra de profesionales de Extremadura que prestan servicios de atención a personas con discapacidad intelectual o del desarrollo. Para ello, se ha utilizado el cuestionario Istas-21 (ISTAS, 2010). La muestra está formada por 518 trabajadores y trabajadoras, 169 son hombres (30,11 %) y 349 son mujeres (67,37 %) de diferentes entidades. Se han analizado tres constructos psicosociales: exigencias psicológicas, doble presencia y control del trabajo, en función de la edad, sexo, departamento, antigüedad, puesto de trabajo y tipo de contrato. Estos constructos engloban 10 dimensiones del cuestionario que se han analizado pormenorizadamente. Los resultados indican que los participantes están más afectados por las dimensiones de las exigencias de esconder emociones, doble presencia y control de los tiempos en el trabajo

The main purpose of the present study is to evaluate and to explain the presence of psychosocial risks in a cross-section of staff working with people with in¬tellectual disabilities from Extremadura (Spain). With this aim, Istas-21 instrument has been used. The cross-section was composed of 518 workers of different entities, 169 are men (30,11 %) and 349 are women (67,37 %). Three psychosocial constructs of Istas-21 have been analyzed: psychosocial demands, double presence and time manage¬ment, considering different variables (age, sex, department, numbers of years spent on the work, job position and type of contract). These constructs include ten dimensions of the questionnaire which have been deeply evaluated. The results indicate that partici¬pants are more affected by the dimensions of the demands of hiding emotions, double presence and time management at work

Engagement in carers of persons with intellectual disabilities: the role of self-efficacy and emotional intelligence.

Purpose: Different research papers into various occupational groups demonstrate the importance of engagement for the wellbeing of both employees and organizational results. However, the study of this phenomenon and that of other positive factors in professional staff caring for persons with intellectual disabilities is scarce. For this reason, the objective of this work was to test a theoretical model concerning the relationship between engagement, a positive factor, and self-efficacy in carers of persons with an intellectual disability, using emotional intelligence as a mediating variable.Materials and methods: Three hundred and eleven carers participated in the study. Self-report measures with adequate psychometric properties were provided to evaluate engagement, self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence.Results and conclusions: The structural equation models (SEM) showed a significant relation between self-efficacy and engagement. In addition, one of the dimensions of emotional intelligence, namely the use of emotions (UOE), was a full mediator in this relationship. The other dimensions showed no relation to engagement. Thus, the UOE was a fundamental factor for self-efficacy to imply engagement. For this reason, intervention programs in wellbeing and health in the workplace should include specific training in this skill among their objectives.Implications for rehabilitationCarers are very important persons in the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities.There was a significant relationship between self-efficacy and engagement and use of emotions was a full mediator in this relationship.The intervention programs should include training the emotional intelligence among their objectives in order to optimize engagement.

Benefits of an experimental program of equestrian therapy for children with ADHD.

BACKGROUND: Equestrian therapy has been shown to be a useful instrument in the sphere of the emotional wellbeing and mental health of different population groups. AIMS: To empirically determine the effects of a program of equestrian therapy on quality of life and various psychosocial variables of a group of 14 pupils diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), aged from 7 to 14 years. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A quasi-experimental design, with a pre-test and a post-test, was implemented with an experimental group and a control group. The program consisted of 24 biweekly sessions, therefore lasting some 3 months. The data acquisition instruments used were: the "Behavior Assessment System for Children" (BASC) and an ad-hoc quality of life questionnaire. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The results deriving from the teachers' responses and the different scales of the BASC showed no significant group differences, but for the experimental group there was an improvement in the indicator corresponding to interpersonal relationships in the quality-of-life questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: It would seem that it is currently possible to recommend this activity, for this target population, as a sporting activity that provides similar benefits to other physical activities, but which is still far from being able to be recognized as a therapeutic activity.