自閉症児における乗馬活動による症状改善と乗馬習得過程—1自閉症児を通して

The therapeutic effects of horseback riding for an autistic child and his skills acquisition Process : A case report on a boy

要旨：乗馬活動を自閉症児に行い，その治療的効果と習得過程について検討した．11歳の自閉症男児に対し，乗馬活動を8ヵ月間施行した効果と習得過程を，Scale for evaluating the effect of Human-Equips-lnteraction on Mental activity；HEIM scale，小児版・意志質問紙，乗馬習得調査を用い検討し，加えて，母親から聞き取り調査も行った．その結果，精神面，動機づけ，母親の観察内容，乗馬習得に改善が見られた．これらは，乗馬活動による身体，心理，情緒的効果が，自閉症における症状を改善させたと考えられる．乗馬活動は，「遊び・余暇活動」の側面を持つ作業療法の一手段として，用いることができるものと考える．

　The purpose of this study was to estimate therapeutic and learning effects of horseback riding for autistic children. The authors evaluated the effects of mental activity, motivation, and learning process in an 11-year-old boy with autism using three tools ; the scale for evaluating the effect of human-equips-interaction on mental activity (HEIM) scale I the Pediatric Volitional Questionnaire (PVQ), and the learning level of horseback riding during horseback riding experience over an 8-month period experience. In addition to these, his mother was asked about the changes in the boy's life. The mental activity, motivation, and learning level showed improvement after this program. These results implied that horseback riding for the autistic child had therapeutic effects—physically, mentally, and emotionally. We consider horseback riding useful as an activity in occupational therapy.