# Tribal Equine Assisted Psychotherapy: Building  Youth Resiliency Through Horses

> **NIH NIH S06** · ALBUQUERQUE AREA INDIAN HEALTH BOARD · 2020 · $86,158

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY: TRIBAL EQUINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY: BUILDING YOUTH RESILIENCY 
THROUGH HORSES 
 The overall goal of this pilot research project is to test the efficacy of an Equine Assisted Psychotherapy 
(EAP) intervention with at-risk American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents and develop a culturally 
informed EAP implementation guide for use in tribal settings. The proposal addresses persistent and well- 
documented disparities in mental and behavioral health outcomes among AI/AN adolescents. Currently, few 
culturally-informed treatments for AI/AN adolescents suffering from mental health concerns exist. EAP is an 
emerging alternative to traditional evidence-based behavioral health practice, and may be an especially 
promising alternative in rural AI/AN communities where horses are inextricably linked to AI/AN identity, culture 
and tradition. This pilot study addresses gaps in scientific knowledge and practice by exploring the impact of 
EAP upon resiliency and self-efficacy among AI/AN adolescents in two Southwest Tribes. Our primary 
hypothesis is that by embedding a culturally-defined EAP intervention within existing tribal behavioral health 
programs, resiliency and self-efficacy among at-risk AI/AN adolescents will increase. We plan to test our 
central hypothesis and thereby accomplish the overall study objective by pursuing the following specific aims: 
Aim 1: Conduct an efficacy trial to test the additive benefits of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy upon resilience 
and self-efficacy among at-risk AI/AN adolescents (age 12-18) compared to standard intervention alone. Aim 2: 
Use qualitative methods to elucidate determinants that facilitate or constrain the implementation of EAP in 
tribal settings, including important cultural and contextual considerations that will be incorporated into an EAP 
tribal implementation guide to promote the replication and further study of EAP treatment in AI/AN 
communities. The outcomes of this pilot study are expected to have an important positive impact towards 
establishing a culturally-informed EAP model that can bolster resiliency and self-efficacy and reduce disparities 
in health risk behaviors among AI/AN adolescents.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9995533
- **Project number:** 5S06GM127936-03
- **Recipient organization:** ALBUQUERQUE AREA INDIAN HEALTH BOARD
- **Principal Investigator:** Matthew Ryan Frank
- **Activity code:** S06 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $86,158
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-08-17 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9995533

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9995533, Tribal Equine Assisted Psychotherapy: Building  Youth Resiliency Through Horses (5S06GM127936-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9995533. Licensed CC0.

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