Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40423728›Full record

ArticleJournal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)2025

The relationship of early life adversity and physiological synchrony within the therapeutic triad in horse-assisted therapy.

Stella Wienhold, Larissa Bär, Zoe Ringleb, Victoria Zirpel, Annette Gomolla, Bernadette F Denk, Nina Volkmer, Raphaela J Gaertner, Elea S C Klink, Jens C Pruessner

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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Stella WienholdNeuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany. stella.wienhold@uni-konstanz.de.ORCID 0009-0003-8275-4673
Larissa BärNeuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Zoe RinglebNeuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Victoria ZirpelNeuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Annette GomollaGREAT - German Research Center for Equine Assisted Therapy, Konstanz, Germany.
Bernadette F DenkNeuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Nina VolkmerNeuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Raphaela J GaertnerNeuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Elea S C KlinkNeuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Jens C PruessnerNeuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In any therapeutic setting, the outcome depends in part on the therapeutic alliance, characterized by mutual understanding, empathy and trust among the participants. This also manifests through physiological synchronization (PS) processes involving breathing, heart and brain. This study examined the dynamics of heart rate variability (HRV) synchronization patterns during horse-assisted therapy. We explored the correlations between the therapist's horse preference, levels of early life adversity (ELA), and PS relationships within and across dyads of participants, therapists, and therapy horses. Our sample of 42 female participants engaged in standardized horse-assisted therapy sessions facilitated by three riding therapists and four therapy horses. PS was operationalized through cross-wavelet power analyses across the different dyads. The results showed, that stronger HRV synchronization between the therapist and horse was associated with stronger HRV synchronization between the horse and participant, as well as stronger HRV synchronization between the therapist and participant. We found a correlation between ELA and HRV synchronization between participants and therapists, with individuals experiencing higher levels of ELA showing lower synchronization. However, this effect of ELA was not observed for HRV synchronization between participants and horses. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between the riding therapist's preference for a particular therapy horse and the HRV synchronization between the therapist and that horse. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the correlational dynamics in horse-human interactions and may have potential implications for optimizing therapeutic interventions in clinical settings.

Indexed as

Adverse Childhood ExperiencesEquine-Assisted TherapyHeart RateAdultAnimalsFemaleHorsesHumansYoung AdultAutonomic nervous systemEarly life adversityHorse-assisted therapyInter-species synchronizationPhysiological synchronyTrauma

Identifiers

PMID40423728
PMCPMC12535527

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.