Attachment Theory and Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy for Vietnam Veterans
In: Society & AnimalsSearch for other papers by Laura Meyer in
Current site
Google Scholar
Search for other papers by Ann Sartori in
Current site
Google Scholar
Abstract
The persistence of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans of the Vietnam War warrants an exploration of new treatment approaches, such as equine-facilitated psychotherapy (EFP). The purpose of this study was to use open-ended interviews to explore five Vietnam veterans’ perceptions of their bond with an equine partner during EFP and how it influences their behavior and PTSD symptoms. Questions addressed their relationships with their equine partners, including its development and impact on their interpersonal relationships. Attachment Theory provided a framework for understanding the four main themes that emerged from analysis of the responses: positive changes in thoughts and behaviors, veterans’ beliefs about horses’ cognitions and emotions, emotions and emotional regulation, and interpersonal and interspecies relationships. The authors concluded that EFP may support personal growth and healing because horses serve as attachment figures, provide a secure base for emotional exploration, and encourage non-verbal communication.
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Institutional Login
Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials
Personal login
Log in with your brill.com account
-
Affleck, W. A., Glass, K. C., & Macdonald, M. E. (2012). The limitations of language: male participants, stoicism, and the qualitative research interview. American Journal of Men’s Health, 7(2), 155-162.
-
Altschuler, E. L. (1999). Pet-facilitated therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 11(1), 29-30.
-
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text revision). Washington, DC: Author.
-
Anfara, V. A., Brown, K. M., & Mangione, T. L. (2002). Qualitative analysis on stage: making the research process more public. Educational Researcher, 31(7), 28-38.
-
Bachi, K. (2012). Equine-facilitated psychotherapy: the gap between practice and knowledge. Society & Animals, 20(4), 364-480.
-
Bachi, K. (2013a). Equine-facilitated psychotherapy: practice, theory, and empirical knowledge. In N. Parish-Plass (Ed.), Animal-assisted psychotherapy (pp. 221-240). Purdue University.
-
Bachi, K. (2013b). Application of attachment theory to equine-facilitated psychotherapy. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 43(3), 187-196.
-
Bates, A. (2002). Of patients and horses: equine-facilitated psychotherapy. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Service, 40(5), 16-19.
-
Bowlby, J. (1977). The making and breaking of affectional bonds. British Journal of Psychiatry, 130, 421-431.
-
Brod, M., Tesler, L. E., & Christensen, T. L. (2009). Qualitative research and content validity: developing best practices based on science and experience. Qualitative Life Research, 18(9), 1263-1278.
-
Dietz, T. J., Davis, D., & Pennings, J. (2012). Evaluating animal-assisted therapy in group treatment for child sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 21(6), 665-683.
-
Endenburg, N. (1995). The attachment of people to companion animals. Anthrozoos, 8(2), 83-89.
-
Fitton, V. A. (2012). Attachment theory: history, research, and practice. Psychoanalytic Social Work, 19(1-2), 121-143.
-
Fitzpatrick, J. C., & Tebay, J. M. (1998). Hippotherapy and therapeutic riding. In C. C. Wilson & D. C. Turner (Eds.), Companion animals in human health (pp. 41-58). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
-
Geist, T. S. (2011). Conceptual framework for animal assisted therapy. Child and Adolescent Social Work, 28(3), 243-256.
-
Ha, C., Sharp, C., Ensink, K., Fonagy, P., & Cirino, P. (2013). The measurement of reflective function in adolescents with and without borderline traits. Journal of Adolescence, 36(6), 1215-1223.
-
Hamama, L., Hamama-Raz, Y., Dagan, K., Greenfield, H., Rubinstein, C., & Ben-Ezra, M. (2011). A preliminary study of group intervention along with basic canine training among traumatized teenagers: a 3-month longitudinal study. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(10), 1975-1980.
-
Hermes, E. D. A., Hoff, R., & Rosenheck, R. A. (2014). Sources of the increasing number of Vietnam era veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD using VHA services. Psychiatric Services, 65, 830-832.
-
Holowka, D. W., Marx, B. P., Kaloupek, D. G., & Keane, T. M. (2012). PTSD symptoms among male Vietnam veterans: prevalence and associations with diagnostic status. Psychology Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4(3), 285-292.
-
Hsieh, H-F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277-1288.
-
Hugh-Jones, S. (2010). The interview in qualitative research. In M. A. Forrester (Ed.), Doing qualitative research in psychology (pp. 77-97). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
-
Hyman, S. (2012). The school as a holding environment. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 11(3), 205-216.
-
Karol, J. (2007). Applying a traditional individual psychotherapy model to equine-facilitated psychotherapy (EFP): theory and method. Clinical Child Psychiatry & Psychology, 12(1), 77-90.
-
Kinney, W. (2012). Comparing PTSD among returning war veterans. Journal of Military and Veterans’ Health, 20(3), 21-23.
-
Kondracki, N. L., Wellman, N. S., & Amundson, D. R. (2002). Content analysis: review of methods and their applications in nutrition education. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 34, 224-230.
-
Lefkowitz, C., Prout, M., Bleiberg, J., Paharia, I., & Debiak, D. (2005). Animal-assisted prolonged exposure: a treatment for survivors of sexual assault suffering a posttraumatic stress disorder. Society & Animals, 12(4), 275-295.
-
Lentini, J. A., & Knox, M. (2009). A qualitative and quantitative review of equine facilitated psychotherapy (EFP) with children and adolescents. The Open Complementary Medicine Journal, 1(1), 51-57.
-
Levinson, B. M. (1969). Pet-oriented child psychotherapy. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas-Publisher, Ltd.
-
Marmar, C. R., Schlenger, W., Henn-Haase, C., Qian, M., Purchia, E., Li, M., … Kulka, R. A. (2015). Course of posttraumatic stress disorder 40 years after the Vietnam War. JAMA Psychiatry, E1-E7. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.0803.
-
Marshall, R. D., Turner, J. B., Lewis-Fernandez, R., Koenan, K., Neria, Y., & Dohrenwend, B. P. (2006). Symptom patterns associate with chronic PTSD in male veterans: new findings from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 194(4), 275-278. doi:10.1002/jts.20329.
-
Mikulincer, M., Ein-Dor, T., Solomon, Z., & Shaver, P. R. (2011). Trajectories of attachment insecurities over a 17-year period: a latent growth analysis of the impact of war captivity and posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 30(9), 960-984.
-
Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., & Pereg, D. (2003). Attachment theory and affect regulation: the dynamics, development, and cognitive consequences of attachment-related strategies. Motivation and Emotion, 27(2), 77-102.
-
Morse, J. M. (1994). Designing funded qualitative research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 220-235). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
-
Renaud, E. F. (2008). The attachment characteristics of combat veterans with PTSD. Traumatology, 14(3), 1-12.
-
Ringel, S. (2011). Developing the capacity for reflective functioning through an intersubjective process. Clinical Social Work Journal, 39(1), 61-67.
-
Schnurr, P. P., Lunney, C. A., Sengupta, A., & Waelde, L. C. (2003). A descriptive analysis of PTSD chronicity in Vietnam veterans. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 16(6), 545-553.
-
Siporin, S. (2012). Talking horses: equine psychotherapy and intersubjectivity. Psychodynamic Practice: Individuals, Groups and Organisations, 18(4), 457-464.
-
Yorke, J., Adams, C., & Coady, N. (2008). Therapeutic value of equine-human bonding in recovery from trauma. Anthrozoos, 21(1), 17-30.
-
Zilcha-Mano, S., Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2011a). Pet in the therapy room: an attachment perspective on Animal-Assisted Therapy. Attachment & Human Development, 13(6), 541-561.
-
Zilcha-Mano, S., Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2011b). An attachment perspective on human-pet relationships: conceptualization and assessment of pet attachment orientation. Journal of Research in Personality, 45(4), 345-357.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1514 | 262 | 46 |
| Full Text Views | 208 | 17 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 262 | 43 | 5 |
Attachment Theory and Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy for Vietnam Veterans
In: Society & AnimalsSearch for other papers by Laura Meyer in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ann Sartori in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The persistence of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans of the Vietnam War warrants an exploration of new treatment approaches, such as equine-facilitated psychotherapy (EFP). The purpose of this study was to use open-ended interviews to explore five Vietnam veterans’ perceptions of their bond with an equine partner during EFP and how it influences their behavior and PTSD symptoms. Questions addressed their relationships with their equine partners, including its development and impact on their interpersonal relationships. Attachment Theory provided a framework for understanding the four main themes that emerged from analysis of the responses: positive changes in thoughts and behaviors, veterans’ beliefs about horses’ cognitions and emotions, emotions and emotional regulation, and interpersonal and interspecies relationships. The authors concluded that EFP may support personal growth and healing because horses serve as attachment figures, provide a secure base for emotional exploration, and encourage non-verbal communication.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1514 | 262 | 46 |
| Full Text Views | 208 | 17 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 262 | 43 | 5 |