An attachment perspective on human-equine relationships: The development of the Human-Equine Attachment Questionnaire

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

This research aimed to develop and validate the Human-Equine Attachment Questionnaire (HEAQ), a self-report measure designed to assess secure, insecure-anxious, and insecure-avoidant dimensions of the human-equine bond. In Study 1, an initial pool of items was refined based on a systematic review of existing attachment scales, expert feedback, and psychometric analyses. A 24-item version of the HEAQ was developed, demonstrating a three-factor model, but certain items required rewording or removal. Study 1 involved 533 participants and showed that the scale had strong convergent and discriminant validity, aligning well with established attachment measures while revealing unique aspects of human-horse relationships. In Study 2, a 30-item version was introduced, which included both refined and newly added questions. Study 2 involved 309 participants and, after addition psychometric analysis, the HEAQ was refined to a final 19-item scale, maintaining conceptual breadth while improving psychometric properties, particularly for the secure and anxious subscales. Although measurement of avoidant attachment proved more challenging and warrants cautious interpretation, the final HEAQ is a promising tool for research and practical applications. Based on improved model fit, stronger item discrimination, and higher reliability coefficients observed in Study 2, we recommend the final 19-item version of the HEAQ for future use (see Supplementary Materials: Appendix A). Its continued refinement will advance understanding of how horse ownership and interactions influence well-being, offer insights relevant to the equine industry, and inform interventions in equine-assisted services across diverse populations and contexts.