Graduation Year
2022
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Psychology
Reader 1
Stacey Wood
Reader 2
Jennifer Groscup
Reader 3
n/a
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© YYYY Sarah R Freeman
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is the presence of unrelenting anxiety that interferes with one’s functioning. GAD is now the major mental health problem in college students. Treatment of GAD usually uses drugs and/or traditional talk therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The literature has determined that horse therapy is an effective therapy in treating other disorders and may be particularly effective in treating GAD because of its experiential and therapeutic nature. This thesis will evaluate horse therapy as a treatment for GAD in a college student population.
Methods: This study proposes to investigate the effectiveness of horse therapy in treating GAD in a college population. Participants from the Claremont Colleges will be randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The primary outcome is the change of GAD-7 scores before, immediately after treatment, and three months after treatment.
Anticipated Result: It is anticipated that GAD-7 scores will improve immediately after horse therapy and remain improved three months after completion of horse therapy in the experimental group.
Significance: Horse Therapy is a novel form of therapy that may be particularly useful in treating GAD and therefore has both scholarly and societal merit.
Conclusion: It is expected that horse therapy will be an effective treatment for GAD and could be used instead or in addition to CBT and related talk therapies.
Recommended Citation
freeman, sarah, "Horse Therapy for College Students with Generalized Anxiety Disorder" (2022). Scripps Senior Theses. 1986.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/1986
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
