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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05579717

Examining the Effectiveness of EAL

This quasi-experiment will evaluate the effectiveness of Equine Assisted Learning for reducing symptoms associated with trauma exposure among public safety personnel (e.g., fire fighters, police, paramedics, etc.).

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Key information

Conditions

Trauma Mental Disorders Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Traumatic Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders Wounds and Injuries

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Cartier Farms

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, S6V5R2, Canada

About this study

The purpose of the proposed project is to investigate the effectiveness of Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) for reducing symptoms associated with trauma exposure among public safety personnel. EAL is an intervention in which mental health clinicians and equine specialists work together with clients to address a learning goal via unmounted interaction with a horse. Recent literature indicates that EAL shows promise in addressing a range of mental health diagnoses among a variety of populations, including military and Royal Canadian Mounted Police veterans with PTSD. The EAL intervention will be delivered at Cartier Farms in Spruce Home, Saskatchewan. Research components of this study will be conducted virtually via Zoom.

The investigators will employ a quasi-experimental design with pre-post and follow-up testing. Participants will be assigned one of two groups based on the time that they complete their initial baseline interview: (1) the intervention group will receive the EAL intervention for 8 weeks, while (2) the waitlist control condition will not receive this treatment for the same amount of time. Data on trauma exposure symptom severity will be collected from all participants prior to the start of the the study (baseline), again 8 weeks later (post), and then a final time 3 months later (follow-up). The two conditions will then be compared to determine whether there are differences in trauma exposure symptom severity between groups. To obtain a sufficient sample size while also running appropriately sized interventions of 6-10 participants per session, the researchers will conduct 4-6 rounds of group assignment. All individuals in the waitlist control condition will be offered EAL following their completion of the study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • English-speaking adults;
  • Currently or previously employed as public safety personnel (e.g., police officer, fire fighter, paramedic, healthcare worker, emergency dispatcher, correctional officer);
  • Reside in Saskatchewan;
  • Meet diagnostic criteria for having experienced a Criterion A traumatic event;
  • Able to provide written informed consent;
  • Have access to a smart phone, tablet, or computer with a working microphone and camera; and
  • Have access to consistent and reliable internet.

Exclusion:

  • Meet/met current/past diagnostic criteria for several psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurological conditions;
  • History of severe head trauma with loss of consciousness or history of traumatic brain injury;
  • Have previously completed at least half of the EAL curriculum at Cartier Farms.

Treatment and study plan

Equine Assisted Learning

Behavioral

EAL is an intervention in which mental health clinicians and equine specialists work together with clients to address a learning goal via unmounted interaction with a horse. It is 16 sessions in length, at a rate of two sessions per week.

Other names: EAL

Primary outcomes

  1. PTSD symptomatology

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (structured interview) at pre, post, and follow-up.

  2. PTSD symptomatology

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 80 with higher scores denoting higher PTSD symptomatology.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Mental health symptomatology

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (structured interview) at pre, post, and follow-up.

  2. Depression, anxiety, and stress symptomatology

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 42 with higher scores denoting higher depression, anxiety, and/or stress symptomatology.

  3. Substance involvement

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the World Health Organization's Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Test at pre, post, and follow-up. Each question on the ASSIST has a checklist set of responses to choose from to measure substances used in the past, and each response from questions 2 to 7 has a numerical score. Higher scores indicate more significant substance involvement.

  4. Health complaints

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Physical Symptoms Questionnaire at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 33 with higher scores denoting more health complaints.

  5. Sleep quality

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 21 with higher scores denoting poorer sleep quality.

  6. Body awareness

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness - Version 2 at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 185 with higher scores denoting greater body awareness.

  7. Moral injury

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Moral Injury Assessment - Public Safety Personnel at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 17 and 102 with higher scores denoting higher moral injury.

  8. Dissociation

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Multiscale Dissociation Index at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 120 with higher scores denoting higher dissociative symptomatology.

  9. Emotion regulation

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 36 and 180 with higher scores denoting poorer emotion regulation.

  10. Exposure to childhood trauma

    Time frame: Completed once at baseline

    Baseline description of trauma experienced in childhood based on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, which is a 28-item checklist where more endorsed traumatic experiences indicates more exposure to childhood trauma.

  11. Alcohol use disorder symptomatology

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 40 with higher scores denoting higher AUD symptomatology.

  12. Cannabis use disorder symptomatology

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 32 with higher scores denoting higher CUD symptomatology.

  13. Substance use disorder symptomatology

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Drug Use Disorder Identification Test at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 44 with higher scores denoting higher SUD symptomatology.

  14. Resilience

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Brief Resilience Scale at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 6 and 30 with higher scores denoting higher resilience.

  15. Self-compassion

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Self Compassion Scale at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 26 and 130 with higher scores denoting higher self-compassion.

  16. Health and disability

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on World Health Organization's Disability Assessment Schedule 12 at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 100 with higher scores denoting greater disability.

  17. Disability

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on the Sheehan Disability Scale at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 44 with higher scores denoting greater disability.

  18. Work functioning and productivity

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in performance on Lam's Employment and Productivity Scale at pre, post, and follow-up. Scores can range between 0 and 28 with higher scores denoting more severe work impairment.

Other outcomes

  1. Heart rate variability

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in heart rate variability over time, as measured by a Garmin VivoActive 4 smartwatch.

  2. Sleep quality

    Time frame: 20 weeks

    Changes in sleep quality over time, as measured by a Garmin VivoActive 4 smartwatch.

  3. Experience in EAL

    Time frame: 8 weeks

    Participant experience in EAL as measured by a semi-structured, qualitative interview.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

McMaster University

Other

Collaborators

  • University of Regina
  • University of Saskatchewan

Registry information

Official study title

Examining the Effectiveness of Equine Assisted Learning for Trauma-exposed Public Safety Personnel

Acronym: EAL

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Oct 14, 2022
Registry last updated
Dec 9, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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