Improving the understanding of psychological factors contributing to horse-related accident and injury : Context, loss of focus, cognitive errors and rigidity
Description:
While the role of the horse in riding hazards is well recognised, little attention has been paid to the role of specific theoretical psychological processes of humans in contributing to and mitigating risk. The injury, mortality or compensation claim rates for participants in the horse-racing industry, veterinary medicine and equestrian disciplines provide compelling evidence for improving risk mitigation models. There is a paucity of theoretical principles regarding the risk of injury and mortality associated with human-horse interactions. In this paper we introduce and apply the four psychological principles of context, loss of focus, global cognitive style and the application of self as the frame of reference as a potential approach for assessing and managing human-horse risks. When these principles produce errors that are combined with a rigid self-referenced point, it becomes clear how rapidly risk emerges and how other people and animals may repeatedly become at risk over time. Here, with a focus on the thoroughbred racing industry, veterinary practice and equestrian disciplines, we review the merits of contextually applied strategies, an evolving reappraisal of risk, flexibility, and focused specifics of situations that may serve to modify human behaviour and mitigate risk.
Description:
While the role of the horse in riding hazards is well recognised, little attention has been paid to the role of specific theoretical psychological processes of humans in contributing to and mitigating risk. The injury, mortality or compensation claim rates for participants in the horse-racing industry, veterinary medicine and equestrian disciplines provide compelling evidence for improving risk mitigation models. There is a paucity of theoretical principles regarding the risk of injury and mortality associated with human-horse interactions. In this paper we introduce and apply the four psychological principles of context, loss of focus, global cognitive style and the application of self as the frame of reference as a potential approach for assessing and managing human-horse risks. When these principles produce errors that are combined with a rigid self-referenced point, it becomes clear how rapidly risk emerges and how other people and animals may repeatedly become at risk over time. Here, with a focus on the thoroughbred racing industry, veterinary practice and equestrian disciplines, we review the merits of contextually applied strategies, an evolving reappraisal of risk, flexibility, and focused specifics of situations that may serve to modify human behaviour and mitigate risk.
Description:
Although a multitude of preventative programs have been utilised worldwide to modify cardiovascular risk factors, none have included internet based interventions. Study 1 aimed to compare internet based (n = 21), face-to-face (n = 27), and combined (n = 21) treatment groups with a naturally occurring control group (n = 24) on physiological, psychological, and lifestyle risk variables for cardiovascular disease across 6-months, and to determine if there were relationships between changes in the psychological and physiological variables over time. Results indicated that the internet based group had significantly greater social reciprocity than the face-to-face group. Significant time effects were noted for heart rate, stress, depression, anxiety, reciprocity, anger expression-out, anger expression-in, anger control-out, and anger control-in. Results also demonstrated that increases in reciprocity and anxiety, and decreases in anger expression-out, were related to increases in heart rate. "In contrast, less anger suppression was a significant predictor of greater systolic blood pressure. However, there were no significant results for group, time, or predictive value for the other psychological, physiological, and lifestyle risk variables. A follow-up study examined the effects of unstructured (n = 13) and highly structured (n =14) internet based programs on physiological, psychological, and lifestyle risk variables for coronary heart disease over 6-months. It also investigated if there were relationships between changes in the psychological and physiological variables over time. Participants stages of change were assessed in relation to psychological and lifestyle risk variables. Results showed that the unstructured group scored significantly higher on anger-expression-out than the highly structured group and that the unstructured groups alcohol usage significantly reduced over time. The remaining psychological, physiological and lifestyle risk variables did not produce significant group, time, or predictive changes. The stage of change results indicated no significant group or time effects. Results indicated that greater angry reaction scores were predictive of higher heart rate and increased stress scores were predictive of higher diastolic blood pressure. The critical psychological variables predictive of poorer cardiovascular functioning should be targeted in future interventions.
Description:
"Although a multitude of preventative programs have been utilised worldwide to modify cardiovascular risk factors, none have included internet based interventions. Study 1 aimed to compare internet based (n = 21), face-to-face (n = 27), and combined (n = 21) treatment groups with a naturally occurring control group (n = 24) on physiological, psychological, and lifestyle risk variables for cardiovascular disease across 6-months, and to determine if there were relationships between changes in the psychological and physiological variables over time. Results indicated that the internet based group had significantly greater social reciprocity than the face-to-face group. Significant time effects were noted for heart rate, stress, depression, anxiety, reciprocity, anger expression-out, anger expression-in, anger control-out, and anger control-in. Results also demonstrated that increases in reciprocity and anxiety, and decreases in anger expression-out, were related to increases in heart rate. "In contrast, less anger suppression was a significant predictor of greater systolic blood pressure. However, there were no significant results for group, time, or predictive value for the other psychological, physiological, and lifestyle risk variables. A follow-up study examined the effects of unstructured (n = 13) and highly structured (n =14) internet based programs on physiological, psychological, and lifestyle risk variables for coronary heart disease over 6-months. It also investigated if there were relationships between changes in the psychological and physiological variables over time. Participants stages of change were assessed in relation to psychological and lifestyle risk variables. Results showed that the unstructured group scored significantly higher on anger-expression-out than the highly structured group and that the unstructured groups alcohol usage significantly reduced over time. "The remaining psychological, physiological and lifestyle risk variables did not produce significant group, time, or predictive changes. The stage of change results indicated no significant group or time effects. Results indicated that greater angry reaction scores were predictive of higher heart rate and increased stress scores were predictive of higher diastolic blood pressure. The critical psychological variables predictive of poorer cardiovascular functioning should be targeted in future interventions."