UVic. Research Study at Kiowa Farm - Summer 2025!
Hello! My name is Rebecca Phillips. I am an interdisciplinary PhD. student in medicine, psychology and exercise science at the University of Victoria and co-founder of Forward Equestrian Inc./Kiowa Farm. I am studying the neurophysiological and cognitive basis of stress resilience and how a standardized equine-assisted therapy method can help regulate the nervous system and improve cognition in children and youth with autism.
This PhD. dissertation is funded by the federal granting body Mathematics, Information Technology, and Complex Systems (MITACS) as an award through the Accelerate Entrepreneur program.
Children and youth with autism are invited to participate in a clinical trial on the effect of Calmward™ equine-assisted therapy on stress resilience and cognition. June through August, 2025.
For more information please see the Participant Recruitment Flyer, Dissertation Abstract, and Dissertation Poster below, as well as the Study Participant Information and Guidelines here, and the Study Participant Consent and Assent Form for Parents/Guardians, Children and Youth here.
If you are interested in signing up your child or youth for this study please click the sign up button and complete the survey to determine eligibility.
This PhD. dissertation is funded by the federal granting body Mathematics, Information Technology, and Complex Systems (MITACS) as an award through the Accelerate Entrepreneur program.
Children and youth with autism are invited to participate in a clinical trial on the effect of Calmward™ equine-assisted therapy on stress resilience and cognition. June through August, 2025.
For more information please see the Participant Recruitment Flyer, Dissertation Abstract, and Dissertation Poster below, as well as the Study Participant Information and Guidelines here, and the Study Participant Consent and Assent Form for Parents/Guardians, Children and Youth here.
If you are interested in signing up your child or youth for this study please click the sign up button and complete the survey to determine eligibility.
Dissertation Title: The Neural Mechanisms Underlying the Effect of a Standardized Equine-Assisted Therapy Intervention on Stress Resilience and Executive Function in Autism
Lay Title: Back in the Saddle: Building a Stress Resilient Brain in Autism through Horse-Based Therapy
Primary Supervisor: Dr. Brian Christie, Division of Medical Sciences, UVic.
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Sarah Macoun, Department of Psychology, UVic.
External Committee Member: Dr. Jennifer Walinga, School of Communication & Culture, RRU.
Lay Title: Back in the Saddle: Building a Stress Resilient Brain in Autism through Horse-Based Therapy
Primary Supervisor: Dr. Brian Christie, Division of Medical Sciences, UVic.
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Sarah Macoun, Department of Psychology, UVic.
External Committee Member: Dr. Jennifer Walinga, School of Communication & Culture, RRU.
Dissertation Abstract
Research shows that chronic stress and anxiety is increased in individuals with autism and disrupts executive function — the cognitive processes associated with adaptive behaviour such as inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and associated cognitive domains. However, stress resilience — the capacity to overcome stress and adapt to environmental challenges — can be learned. Equine assisted therapy, which incorporates horses into the therapeutic process, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of autism, with studies reporting numerous cognitive, social, and emotional benefits. This randomized controlled study using EEG neuroimaging, cognitive assessments, and heart rate variability monitoring will add to this field of inquiry by examining neural changes in relation to autonomic and cognitive outcomes associated with exposure to Calmward™ equine-assisted therapy. It is hypothesized that Calmward™ equine-assisted therapy is associated with neuroplasticity, improved stress resilience and executive function, and decreased stress response in children and youth with autism. Calmward™ equine-assisted therapy is a standardized horse-based therapy and cognitive training method which targets building stress resilience by learning to regulate the nervous system and improve cognition through partnership with horses. In a fun, safe and supported environment, the method integrates adaptive riding and horsemanship activities with other scientifically validated building blocks of stress resilience such as movement, social communication, coping skills, cognitive skills, challenges, enjoyment, rest, and nature. Horses and humans are similar in their social dynamics, nervous systems, and stress responses, and can influence each other’s internal states. Partnering with horses can help people learn to cope with perceived stress, self-regulate, and build trust through social communication based on perceptual processing and body language. Given the sensory processing differences associated with autism, horses are particularly effective in providing cues that help those with autism recognize their feelings, and learn to calm their body and focus their attention. Practically, this research will contribute to standardized programming on the use of equine assisted therapy on task-related performance such as attention and cognition in autism. Theoretically, the findings will contribute to the development and testing of theoretical frameworks specific to equine assisted therapy interventions. Beyond application to equine assisted therapy, the findings will also broaden our understanding of stress processes and executive function in autism and will make important scientific contributions to the development of general resilience models.
Dissertation Poster
