Heart rate monitors and Equine Assisted Therapy for Autistic spectrum disorder

The project will introduce an innovative method of measuring the physical state and monitoring the progress of children and youth with ASD involved in Equine-assisted therapy, using heart rate monitors and a set of indicators. Their cognitive and behavioral state will also be measured at the beginning and at the end of the activity period. As a part of the kick-off meeting, one workshop for professional capacities will be realized, to introduce new methods to partners, and to unify methods of measuring and monitoring the progress. After the realization of Equine-assisted therapy, participants will receive their individual sports passports with their input and output physical, cognitive, and behavioral data. The results of this research in both countries will be published in the Equine-assisted therapy report, which will, along with the State of art, set the base for creating two White papers on the theme, that will be published in scientific and general public journals. The results, and all developed material and methodology will be introduced at Family camps, where youth with ASD will engage in sports activities and educative workshops with their families. Other sports for this target group will be presented, like mountaineering, where all families can engage in joint activities. Education for families will take place here, with instructions on how to use Educational material. At the end of the project, a Final conference for stakeholders and media will take place in Rijeka, Croatia. In the exploitation phase of the project, the results will be presented at professional seminars and congresses, and the members of the consortium will write the plan and program and request verification from the Ministry of Health, which enables the introduction of the program into the annual curriculum of special education institutions.

01.09.2024 – 30.11.2025 TAHİR VOLKAN ASLAN, YALIN AYGÜN, ŞAKİR TÜFEKÇİ, HULUSİ BÖKE, CEMAL GÜNDOĞDU, BURAK BUĞDAY, TALHA MURATHAN, ILGIN ALİ COŞKUN, SACİDE TÜFEKÇİ, FATMA HİLAL YAĞIN, BURAK CANPOLAT, GÖKTUĞ NORMAN, MUHAMMET SERDAR BUĞDAY