Investigation of the effect of hippotherapy applications on behavior changes in children with autism spectrum disorders

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of hippotherapy applications on behavioral changes in children with autism spectrum disorder. In our study, one of the experimental methods, "Single Group Pre–Test - Post-Test experimental pattern without control group" was used. The research group consists of an experimental group. Individuals with autism in the research group consists of 26 children with autism spectrum disorder who are trained at the Skip Therapy Center of the Jockey Club of Turkey. As a data collection tool within the scope of the research, the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) Scale was used. The application phase of the experimental process was carried out in three stages. The experimental procedure process will take a total of 8 weeks. A 30-minute training session (a total of 8 trainings) will be held every week. The data obtained from the scales were analyzed using IBM SPSS 25.0 package program. In the analysis of the data in the personal information form and the scale data, the distribution of points, frequency, standard deviation, arithmetic mean were used. As a statistical analysis, the Dependent Sample (Paired) T Test was applied to ensure the significance between the arithmetic averages of the two related groups and the normal distribution condition, and the Independent Sample (Independent) T Test was applied Dec Decently to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference by looking at the averages of the variables between the two independent groups that provide the normal distribution condition. In our research, it was found that the ABC scale applied to parents and instructors did not show statistically significant differences in the total score and pre-test levels in all its sub-dimensions. It was found that there was a statistically significant difference in the ABC scale, body object use and sensory dimension final test levels applied to parents and instructors. It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test values of all the sub-dimensions of the Dec scale and the total score of the parents. It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test values of the ABC scale and the total score of the instructors. As a result, it shows that hippotherapy trainings applied to children with autism spectrum disorder have a positive effect on individuals' sensory development, relationship building ability, development in body and object use, social and self-care development, language skill development levels.