Equine-assisted Therapy Effectiveness in Improving Emotion Regulation of Patients Suffering From Substance Use Disorder

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a term replacing the diagnoses of abuse and dependence adopted in DSM-4 and DSM-5 . It is an overwhelming public health problem throughout the world, with increasing trends throughout the last few decades. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of quine-assisted addiction therapy in improving emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem among patients suffering from substance use disorders. This open-label randomized controlled trial study will be conducted at Behman hospital, Helwan, Cairo, Egypt.It will include all patients suffering substance use disorder randomized into two equal groups: one group will receive Equine assisted intervention, and a control group to receive the regular care used in the setting. A self-administered questionnaire with tools for emotion regulation questionnaire, General Self-efficacy (GSE) scale, and Self- Esteem will be used to collect data.

Inclusion Criteria:adult diagnosed with substance use disorder, hospitalized for at least one month in the study hospital, and physically able to deal with horsesExclusion Criteria:other physical or psychological ailments preventing them from active participation in the intervention