The impact of dance‐movement interventions on psychological health in older adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundGood psychological health is proposed as a key factor in the protection against Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and age‐related cognitive decline1. Multimodal motor, cognitive, sensory, and social enrichment as induced by dance‐movement interventions (DMI) could promote psychological health in the older population. This systematic review and meta‐analysis investigated the impact of DMI compared to control intervention (active/passive) on psychological health in older adults.MethodsA systematic search of three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo; screenings: April and November 2021) was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Criteria included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of DMI (minimum 4 weeks’ duration) on health‐related psychological outcomes (primary outcome) and global cognitive functioning (secondary outcome) among non‐demented older adults (≥ 55 years of age). A random‐effects meta‐analysis with robust variance estimation was carried out. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021265112).ResultsData of 13 eligible primary RCTs (n = 943, n‐DMI = 474, n‐control = 469) were synthesized. Overall heterogeneity of results and risk of bias across RCTs were high. DMI had a small positive impact on psychological health compared to control (g = 0.31; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): [0.09, 0.53]; p = .01, I2 = 62.55). Separation of psychological health into positive and negative outcomes and particularly social and emotional aspects showed similar trends favouring DMI compared to control (see Figure 1). Analysis of secondary outcomes indicated a positive effect of DMI on global cognitive functioning (g = 0.48; 95%CI: [0.03, 0.93], p = .04, I2 = 82.44). Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested that the implementation of longer intervention durations and psychotherapeutic elements increase the psychological health benefits of DMI.ConclusionMultimodal interventions, as specifically offered by DMI, may serve as an effective tool to promote psychological health together with cognitive functioning in older adults. High‐quality future trials are needed to expand evidence on the particular aspects of psychological health and identify underlying neurophysiological correlates. We will present a protocol for a prospective RCT to assess the impact of a DMI on psychological, cognitive and brain health outcomes in the older population at increased risk of AD.References1Livingston G, et al. Lancet 2020.