The effectiveness of horse therapy on improving the social skills of an autistic child and its effect on quality of life and maternal mental health
 
Research has shown that horse therapy improves language skills, social skills, increases sensory and cognitive awareness, reduces behavioral problems and stereotyped behaviors, and increases the physical health of an autistic child. Improvements in mental health, reduction of anxiety and depression, as well as improvement in social functioning and physical health, as well as increased quality of life in the mother of an autistic child have also been observed. Researchers such as Naimer and Al-Nahl (2007) write that humans and animals have a natural tendency to communicate with each other. On the other hand, human-animal relationship and treatment with animals are associated with neurochemical changes.
This treatment has had positive results such as strengthening muscles, increasing cardiovascular function, reducing spastic contractions in children with cerebral palsy, sensory enhancement, improving social skills and increasing attention span in children with autism spectrum and treatment using animals in disorders. The autism spectrum has the highest effectiveness. In other words, people with autism have the highest level of recovery and use animal treatment interventions more than other problems. The results of the present study showed that horse treatment improved language skills, social skills, increased sensory and cognitive awareness, reduced behavioral problems and stereotyped behaviors, and increased the physical health of an autistic child. They found that owning a pet, or just being in the presence of an animal, has numerous benefits in various areas such as physical, social and mental health. Animals can reduce their physical response to stress by reducing anxiety, depression, and increasing physical activity. Other benefits of using animals for families and children with autism include increasing family independence, acceptance and social acceptance, increasing child health safety, helping the child social development and more positive interaction between the child and the family and overall increasing the quality of life of the child and family. کرد. In general, considering that only the treatment method was used using the horse to improve the child and the daily program, including his nutrition, was not changed and the child did not take any special medicine. On the other hand, it can be said with certainty that improving language skills, social skills, increasing sensory and cognitive awareness, reducing behavioral problems and stereotyped behaviors, and increasing the child's physical health, as well as improving mental health, reducing anxiety and depression, and improving social functioning. And the physical health as well as the increase in the quality of life in the mother of the child has been due to the positive effects of the treatment program using horses.