Investigating the Efficacy of Hippotherapy Program on Disease Symptoms, Quality of Life, Anxiety and Loneliness Levels in Patients With Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Schizophrenia is a multifactorial disorder characterized by cognitive and affective symptoms such as distortions of thinking and perception and loss of normal affective expressiveness. Since schizophrenia is a complex disorder, the management of the disease should include a combination of medication, psychotherapy and other supportive psychosocial interventions. One of the commonly used psychosocial interventions is hippotherapy which is incorporated into comprehensive rehabilitation therapy sessions aimed at restoring lost function, alleviate, minimize or eliminate physical, psychological, social or mental disability of the patients with various disorders.

Aim: The investigators hypothesize that hippotherapy, as an adjuvant to standard psychiatric treatment, could have significant effect on disease symptoms, quality of life, anxiety and loneliness levels of patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, in this study, the investigators will determine the effect of hippotherapy on disease symptoms, quality of life, anxiety and loneliness levels in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods: The study is designed as a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. The sample of this study will be selected from patients who are eligible for the study and registered at the Community Mental Health Center. These centers aiming to increase the functional and mental recovery of patients with schizophrenia are composed of a team where different professionals as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses are present. In these centers, there are activities aimed at providing skills in business and social areas, training groups for disease, and giving information on medication and disease management. Participants are randomly allocated into two groups using blocked randomization. All participants received the standard psychiatric treatment, while the experimental groups are additionally provided with a 16-session hippotherapy program for 8 weeks.

Participants and demographic data: Participants who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia take part in the study after informed consent is obtained. The participants are able to express themselves and to individually complete the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Quality of Life Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale.

Measures: The demographic characteristics, including variables such as sex, age, duration of disease, years of education, marital status, work status, and medications, will be recorded. In addition, four scales will be administered to patients for evaluating disease symptoms, quality of life, anxiety and loneliness levels.