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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04158960

Motor Skill Proficiency After Equine-assisted Activities and Brain-building Tasks

There is no current research to support the efficacy of a combination of equine-assisted activities (EAA) and brain building activities to influence motor skill competencies in youth with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND). The primary objective of this study was to quantify changes in motor skill proficiency before and after 8 weeks of EAA and brain-building activities in youth with ND. A secondary objective was to quantify changes in motor skill proficiency before and after 1 year of EAA and brain-building activities in youth with ND.

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Key information

Conditions

Motor Delay Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Autism Spectrum Disorder Child Development Disorders, Pervasive Intellectual Disability Mental Disorders Motor Skills Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurodevelopmental Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Psychomotor Disorders Sensation Disorders Sensory Disorders Signs and Symptoms

Age range

5 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

Twenty-five youth completed the same 32-week protocol that was separated into 4, 8-week blocks, in the following order: a) control, b) EAA-only, c) washout, and d) GaitWay block (EAA and brain building activities). Before and after each block, motor skills were assessed using the Short Form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Version 2 (BOT-2). Seven youth continued with the GaitWay intervention for one additional year, and the BOT-2 Short Form was also administered following this intervention. A repeated-measures analysis-of-variance was performed to compare BOT-2 subtest and overall scores between interventions. A significance of .05 was used. Manual dexterity was higher at Post-Washout versus Pre-Control (p = .018) and Post-Control (p = .024), and at Post-GaitWay versus Pre-Control (p = .037). Upper-limb coordination was higher Post-GaitWay versus Post-Control (p = .050). When compared to Pre-Control, strength was higher at Post-EAA (p = .028) and at Post-GaitWay (p = .015). Overall scores were higher at Post-GaitWay when compared to Pre-Control (p = .003) and Post-Control (p = .009). Among the seven participants who participated in the 1-year follow-up GaitWay motor skills were maintained for one year following the Post-GaitWay testing session. A combination of EAA and brain building activities may be an effective therapeutic modality to improve and maintain motor skill proficiency in youth with ND.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • age 5 to 18 years
  • diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental disorder (as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5))
  • had the ability to follow verbal directions,
  • Clearance to participate from a medical professional

Exclusion criteria

  • a perfect score on the motor proficiency test at the first testing session
  • presence of seizures within the past 6 months controlled by medication
  • a known allergy to horses
  • any surgical procedures performed within the 6 months
  • regular horseback riding experience of any kind during the past year

Treatment and study plan

Equine-Assisted Activities

Behavioral

Participants performed riding-related activities on and off of a horse once per week for 8 weeks

Other names: EAA

GaitWay program

Behavioral

Participants performed riding-related activities on and off of a horse, along with brain-building activities including balance tasks, swinging, spinning, music therapy, and sensory tasks, all once per week for 8 weeks

Other names: GW

Primary outcomes

  1. Fine motor precision

    Time frame: 0-5 minutes

    Subtest #1 on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Version 2) Short Form. Tasks include drawing through lines, folding paper. Each task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-7 (with 7 representing the best outcome).

  2. Fine motor integration

    Time frame: 0-5 minutes

    Subtest #2 on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Version 2) Short Form. Task includes copying a star and a square. The task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-5 (with 5 representing the best outcome).

  3. Manual dexterity

    Time frame: 15 seconds

    Subtest #3 on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Version 2) Short Form. Task includes transferring pennies. The task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-9 (with 9 representing the best outcome).

  4. Bilateral coordination

    Time frame: 0-5 minutes

    Subtest #4 on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Version 2) Short Form. Tasks include jumping in place with arms and legs on same side of the body synchronized, and tapping feet and fingers simultaneously, with hands and feet on the same side of the body synchronized. The jumping task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-3 (with 3 representing the best outcome). The tapping task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-4 (with 4 representing the best outcome).

  5. Balance

    Time frame: 1 minute

    Subtest #5 on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Version 2) Short Form. Tasks include walking forward on a line, standing on one leg on a balance beam with eyes open. Each task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-4 (with 4 representing the best outcome).

  6. Running speed and agility

    Time frame: 15 seconds

    Subtest #6 on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Version 2) Short Form. Task includes one-legged stationary hop. The task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-10 (with 10 representing the best outcome).

  7. Upper-limb coordination

    Time frame: 0-5 minutes

    Subtest #7 on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Version 2) Short Form. Tasks include dropping and catching a ball with both hands, dribbling a ball with alternating hands. The dropping and catching task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-5 (with 5 representing the best outcome). The dribbling task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-7 (with 7 representing the best outcome).

  8. Strength

    Time frame: 1 minute

    Subtest #8 on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Version 2) Short Form. Tasks include knee push-ups and sit-ups. Each task within this subtest is scored on a scale from 0-10 (with 10 representing the best outcome).

  9. Overall Motor Skill Scores

    Time frame: 2 minutes

    Sum of all scores from the 8 subtests of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Version 2) Short Form. Total scores can range from 0-88 (with 88 representing the best outcome)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Caregiver reports

    Time frame: 5 minutes

    Anecdotal reports from caregivers regarding progress of the participant

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Texas Woman's University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Changes in Motor Skill Proficiency After Equine-Assisted Activities and Brain-Building Tasks in Youth With Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Important dates

Study start
2015
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Nov 12, 2019
Registry last updated
Nov 12, 2019

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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