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Chase Decker, a Slippery Rock College sophomore twin leisure remedy and pre-physical remedy main, grew up using horses and now she’s conducting analysis with a crew at SRU that would assist set up pointers for leisure therapists to make use of equines of their follow.
July 18, 2023
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Researchers at Slippery Rock College are on the forefront of making ready nationwide requirements for leisure therapists who use equines of their follow. Because of a grant from the Nationwide Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification, a analysis crew at SRU is accumulating and analyzing information from a survey that was despatched to greater than 20,000 licensed therapeutic leisure specialists. The crew additionally introduced specialists to campus to create pointers for utilizing equines that will likely be really useful to the American Therapeutic Recreation Affiliation, the one nationwide group representing leisure therapists.
The SRU researchers embrace:
Betsy Kemeny, affiliate professor of leisure remedy.
Whitney Angelini, teacher of leisure remedy.
Courtney Gramlich, supervisor of the Storm Harbor Equestrian Heart.
Chase Decker, a sophomore twin leisure remedy and pre-physical remedy main from Parkesburg.
Exterior specialists included:
Blair McKissock, the director of training at Strides for Success, a corporation that gives equine assisted studying in Indiana.
Taylor Hooker, a leisure therapist and well being system specialist for the U.S. Division of Veteran Affairs.
Analysis query: “We’re attempting to know how a lot leisure therapists are utilizing equines in follow,” Kemeny stated. “It is very outstanding right here on our campus as a result of we’ve this excellent facility, however many rec therapists cannot use equine for a wide range of causes, whether or not it is bills, lack of coaching or the folks they’re working with are too sick. We’re attempting to know the variables on the market and why folks use equines of their follow and why they do not.”
Strategies: As a analysis assistant, Decker is being paid by means of the NCTRC grant to help in administering the survey and assist the SRU researchers and visiting specialists analyze the information. Practically 300 licensed practitioners accomplished the survey.
Why this subject?: SRU has been on the forefront of animal-assisted interventions, each when it comes to analysis and providing providers to the neighborhood. On the 23,700-square-foot Storm Harbor Equestrian Heart, SRU offers equine-assisted actions and equine-assisted therapies for youngsters and adults with disabilities from throughout the area. In line with Kemeny, there’s quite a lot of analysis exhibiting the advantages of being round horses, whether or not for treating substance abuse dysfunction or power psychological well being situations. This consists of veterans with posttraumatic stress dysfunction or adolescents with the autism spectrum dysfunction. Via grooming and using the horses, people can scale back anxiousness and enhance communication abilities.
How will this research profit others?: There are not any particular requirements or pointers for utilizing equines in leisure remedy. The SRU research will assist organizations just like the ATRA incorporate the correct superior coaching for folks utilizing equines for remedy.
“We’re a really consumer-focused occupation, so if there’s one thing on the market like equine remedy that may actually assist folks, then we would like folks to have entry to the service,” Kemeny stated. “It is also good for leisure therapists, as a occupation, to assist work out find out how to get coaching to individuals who need it.”
How do SRU college students profit from conducting analysis?: Decker has been in a position to acquire analysis expertise throughout her first 12 months as an undergraduate that college students at different establishments won’t obtain till they attain graduate college. Decker, whose prolonged household owns horses, stated she is an ideal match for the analysis.
“I used to be on the lookout for a much bigger problem to associate with my diploma as a result of I wish to go to graduate college and research bodily remedy,” Decker stated. “I am studying lots about totally different methods of knowledge assortment and evidence-based practices. The rec remedy program at SRU is exclusive. For different undergraduates going into bodily remedy, they could main in biology, chemistry or well being sciences, however with rec remedy, I’m able to do quite a lot of hands-on work with horses and become involved extra with analysis early on.”
What’s subsequent?: The SRU researchers are planning to submit outcomes from their research to educational journals and supply high quality pointers for NCTRC certifications to the ATRA by the top of the 12 months.
Extra details about SRU’s leisure remedy program is offered on the SRU web site. Extra details about the NCTRC is offered at www.nctrc.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu
