Publication Date
Fall 2025
Degree Type
Doctoral Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Department
Occupational Therapy
First Advisor
Graham Teaford
Second Advisor
Kathryn Wise
Third Advisor
Courtney Boitano
Keywords
Equine-assisted occupational therapy (EAOT), Family-level impact, Children with disabilities
Abstract
Equine-assisted occupational therapy (EAOT) has been shown to enhance functional, social, and quality-of-life outcomes for children with disabilities (McDaniel Peters & Wood, 2017; Prieto et al., 2022). While child-focused outcomes are well documented, significantly less is known about how EAOT participation may influence caregivers and the broader family unit, as existing research largely prioritizes individual outcomes over family experiences (Peters et al., 2017; Tan & Simmonds, 2018; Trzmiel et al., 2019; Xiao et al., 2023). Emerging qualitative studies suggest potential family-level impacts including family engagement, reduced parental stress, and enhanced feelings of pride, empowerment, and connection (Kalmback et al., 2020; Ozyurt et al., 2020; Tan & Simmonds, 2018) however, findings remain inconsistent and limited by small samples and methodological heterogeneity (Zoccante et al., 2021). This study addresses the identified gap by examining the family-level impacts of EAOT for children with disabilities through an exploratory occupation-based, mixed-methods approach.
Recommended Citation
Canigiula, Emily, "Family-Level Impacts of Equine-Assisted Occupational Therapy for Children With Disabilities: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Pilot Study" (2025). Doctoral Projects. 199.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.zcaq-pyte
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_doctoral/199
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