Dance Therapy Research Articles

Evaluating the social return on investment of dance movement for wellbeing in the prevention of burnout among healthcare staff: a study protocol.

Improvement in the National Health Service (NHS) employees' mental well-being and staff retention are current key issues. Evidence indicates that dance movement therapy (DMT) has been effective in improving mental health and well-being; however, a social return on investment (SROI) evaluation on DMT interventions aimed at NHS staff has not been performed. This protocol for an SROI study will explore the social value generated from DMT, specifically 'The Body Moving Self-Compassion' programme, as measured by the increase in personal well-being and resilience experienced by participants. The SROI evaluation aims to measure the monetary and social value generated through DMT by placing a monetary value which is essential for sound policy in accessing investment while contributing evidence of dance/movement's impact on health. SROI is a pragmatic form of social cost-benefit analysis which uses quantitative and qualitative methods to value relevant costs, outcomes and associated impact. A mixed-methods approach design (focus group, online questionnaire and semistructured interviews) will be employed in this SROI study. SROI takes a societal perspective and considers relevant and significant outcomes for participants. Monetary values which often do not have a market price are then assigned to these outcomes. Contingent valuation is integrated into this study to estimate individuals' choices, preferences and values associated with DMT. The social value generated by the identified outcomes will then be estimated in a similar way to cost-benefit analysis, and the ratio of social value generated per £1 invested is then calculated. Ethical approval for this study has been granted by the Faculty of Life Sciences and Education Ethics Subgroup at the University of South Wales, with Reference No. 230 236LR. The findings from this SROI study will result in a report and academic publications.

Exploring Dance Movement Therapy in Rehabilitation Settings

Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) is an integrative and expressive therapeutic approach that uses movement and dance to promote emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration in individuals. This paper examines the historical development, theoretical foundations, and practical applications of DMT in various rehabilitation settings, highlighting its potential to address the multifaceted rehabilitation needs of clients. Empirical evidence supports the efficacy of DMT in enhancing physical coordination, social cohesion, cognitive functions, and emotional well-being. The review discusses the challenges DMT faces in modern therapeutic contexts and emphasizes the need for further empirical studies to establish its long-term impact compared to traditional rehabilitation protocols. Keywords: Dance Movement Therapy (DMT), Rehabilitation, Holistic Therapy, Psychosocial Intervention, Physical Coordination.

Arts and psychomotor therapies in personality disorder treatment: An appropriate therapeutic entrance to personal development: A commentary.

Personality disorders (PD) are based not just on maladaptive ideas about self and others, they also are grounded on embodied patterns of behaviors and reactions to interpersonal stressors. There is growing interest in working with the body and through the body so to address automatisms that lead to suffering and dysfunctional social action. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In-Session the use of art and psychomotor therapies for these patients was explored by seven different clinical perspectives. Patients described presented with different PD and associated symptoms. The arts and psychomotor therapies deployed in personality disorder treatment are: (visual) art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, dance (movement) therapy, and psychomotor therapy making psychotherapeutic use of the different modalities: art, music, play, role-play, performance, improvisation, dance, body awareness and movement. Interventions provide kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities to invite alternative modes of meaning-making, accessing own needs and wishes, and communicating them to others. In this commentary we summarize some of the different topics covered by the clinical-based papers, including working mechanisms of arts and psychomotor therapies, the importance of bottom-up emotion regulation processes, how to treat trauma in the presence of a PD, how to integrate art and psychomotor therapies in a fine-grained formulation and how to understand the process of change. Although there is a need for more empirical research, we hope this issue makes a solid case that clinicians can effectively include art and psychomotor therapies when treating the full range of PD.

A Comparative Analysis of Dance Movement Therapy Education Policy and Practice: A Case Study of the United Kingdom and Australia

This study compares the role of art therapy in addressing mental health challenges and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the United Kingdom, Australia, and China. It highlights the growing importance of art therapy in educational curricula, emphasizing its role in equipping adolescents with essential tools to navigate societal demands and reduce mental health risks. The study contrasts the status of dance therapy in these nations and aims to provide insights for improving the integration of art therapy into China’s education system.

Healthcare professionals' knowledge and perceptions of post-stroke rehabilitation in the peripandemic period: an online cross-sectional survey.

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected healthcare systems, particularly post-stroke rehabilitation centers. The elevated severity of strokes and delayed hospital admissions caused numerous hurdles to rehabilitation administration during the peri-pandemic period. This study surveyed healthcare professionals' knowledge and perceptions of post-stroke rehabilitation during this period. An online cross-sectional survey was administered from September 17, 2023 to February 23, 2024, utilizing the SurveyMonkey platform. The questionnaire included 30 questions addressing participant baseline characteristics, knowledge of definitions and experiences, post-stroke rehabilitation procedures, obstacles encountered during the peri-pandemic period, and the utilization of telerehabilitation. Only complete responses from health professionals were considered. This report utilized convenience sampling. Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. A total of 79 health professionals, predominantly physiatrists, neurologists, and physiotherapists, from eight countries participated in the study. Over half of the participants (64.6%) indicated the existence of a dedicated department for post-stroke rehabilitation. Significant obstacles comprised an absence of advanced rehabilitative treatments (60.8%), inadequately skilled workers (50.6%), and restricted space for rehabilitation (46.8%). Telerehabilitation was regarded as a feasible option by 45.6% of participants; nonetheless, obstacles, including patients' telecommunication proficiency and the possibility of diagnostic inaccuracies, were acknowledged. Complementary therapies, such as music and dance therapy, received favorable evaluations from 67.1% to 63.3% of respondents, respectively. The pandemic reduced rehabilitation admissions due to infection concerns (75.9%) and increased multimorbidity cases among patients (48.1%). The study underscores the pandemic's negative effect on post-stroke rehabilitation, emphasizing the necessity for multidisciplinary, customized therapy and enhanced integration of telerehabilitation to overcome access barriers. Addressing obstacles regarding infrastructure, training, and access to advanced approaches, particularly in a post-pandemic context, is essential to improving rehabilitation outcomes.

Combining music and dance movement therapy for people with dementia living in the community: A mixed methods feasibility study

Dementia is affecting an increasing number of people world-wide and presents a need to find more evidence-based therapies that can improve quality of life and care. Music therapy and dance movement therapy are two forms of arts therapies that share an active, embodied and improvisatory approach, however, maximising the benefits of combining music and dance movement therapy has not been researched with this population. In this feasibility study a convergent mixed methods design was used to evaluate the feasibility of using an intervention that combined music and dance movement therapy drawing on a systematic literature review. A dance movement therapist and a music therapist ran two session blocks involving eight participants in total. The Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia was used at three assessment points (baseline, 5 weeks and 10 weeks) indicating an overall reduction in scores. Qualitative methods included multiple forms of data (video, reflective tool, journal) and focused on significant moments of connection between thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. It generated three main themes in the therapeutic process: making connections, acknowledging grief and loss, and growth and empowerment. This study contributes original knowledge to arts therapies research in the development of a research-based treatment approach involving a collaborative model of practice, an exploration of new arts-based data collection tools and testing this intervention in a community setting.

Movement Awareness Therapies in Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Given the rising prevalence and complexity of eating disorders, a comprehensive multidisciplinary holistic approach is necessary. This work aimed to assess the effectiveness of body and movement awareness therapies in patients with eating disorders. Search strategy was undertaken using several scientific health databases. Articles were eligible if they were randomized controlled trials analyzing the effects of movement and body awareness therapies in eating disorders. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement for systematic reviews was followed and the risk of bias was assessed using the "Cochrane Collaboration Tool to assess the risk of bias." 11 articles met the inclusion criteria, including 437 patients. No high-quality randomized controlled trials were found. Forest plot analysis of the Eating Disorder Examination scale showed a difference favors to body awareness therapies but not significantly neither homogeneous. The interventions analyzed included yoga, body awareness therapy, dance, and psychomotor therapy. Body awareness therapies provide some additional benefits for eating disorder symptoms, such as emotion regulation, self-criticism, self-confidence, self-compassion, anxiety, body attitude, eating disorder symptoms, and quality of life.

Dance movement psychotherapy for the deconstruction of power and identity in Mexican women in Spain: affective migration

A creative laboratory for Mexican women living in Seville was implemented from the psychodynamic perspective of dance movement therapy (DMT). The principal objective was to create a space for community meetings that would bring about dialogues on topics of interest for the participants. The thematic analysis method was used, observing that migration provides perspective when regarding problems pertaining to the country of origin, which are rooted in the body itself. Thanks to the distancing from cultural references and to the contact with new representations, certain questions and insights arise – regarding the way in which they relate to their body, to themselves, to other women, to the community and to the culture. The analyses show that the participants are in a process of deconstruction regarding power hierarchies, family loyalties, love, self-care, the position of women today; this allows them to make visible their internalised oppression.

Analgesic effect of dance movement therapy: An fNIRS study

ObjectiveThis study aims to explores the physiological and psychological mechanisms of exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) by combining the behavioral results with neuroimaging data on changes oxy-hemoglobin (HbO) in prefrontal cortex (PFC). MethodsA total of 97 healthy participants were recruited and randomly divided into three groups: a single dance movement therapy (DMT) group, a double DMT group, and control group. Evaluation indicators included the pressure pain threshold (PPT) test, the color-word stroop task (CWST) for wearing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and the self-assessment manikin (SAM). The testing time is before intervention, after intervention, and one hour of sit rest after intervention. Results1) Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that, there is a time * group effect on the PPT values of the three groups of participants at three time points. After 30 min of acute dance intervention, an increase in the PPT values of 10 test points occurred in the entire body of the participants in the experimental group with a significant difference than the control group. 2) In terms of fNIRS signals, bilateral DLPFC and left VLPFC channels were significantly activated in the experimental group. 3) DMT significantly awakened participants and brought about pleasant emotions, but cognitive improvement was insignificant. 4) Mediation effect analysis found that the change in HbO concentration in DLPFC may be a mediator in predicting the degree of improvement in pressure pain threshold through dance intervention (total effect β = 0.7140). ConclusionIn healthy adults, DMT can produce a diffuse EIH effect on improving pressure pain threshold, emotional experience but only showing an improvement trend in cognitive performance. Dance intervention significantly activates the left ventrolateral and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This study explores the central nervous system mechanism of EIH from a physiological and psychological perspective.

THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF DANCE THERAPY ON MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULT WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

ObjectiveTo systematically review the intervention effect of dance therapy on the physical and psychological health level of middle-aged and older adult with arterial hypertension. MethodsThe databases including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, CNKI, VIP, WANFANG DATA, and Bailianyun Library, which were searched for the randomized controlled trials for identifying the effect of dance intervention on the blood pressure. The literature published from the establishment of the database to May 10, 2023, was collected for analysis. The quality of the literature was evaluated by the Cochrane bias risk assessment tool. ResultsThe blood pressure in the dance intervention group were significantly improved than those of patients in the control group. However, among the mediating variables that influence the effects of dance intervention, its intensity and frequency based on the improvement of aerobic capacity were found high and low respectively, while the research on dance intervention aimed at muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility remains lacking. The movement selection and arrangement of dance therapy could integrate the physical activities with local traditional cultural characteristics. ConclusionsIt is worth noting that in the selection and arrangement of movements, dance therapy can skillfully integrate physical activities with local cultural characteristics. This unique combination not only enriches the content of dance therapy but also deepens people's understanding and recognition of traditional culture. Through this comprehensive dance intervention approach, we hope to comprehensively improve participants' physical and mental health, and promote the inheritance and development of culture.

Effects of Physical Therapy Integrated with Dance/Movement Therapy on Heart Rate Variability and Fall-Related Variables: A Preliminary Controlled Trial

AbstractFalls among older adults are influenced by both physical and psychological risk factors. This pilot study specifically examined the impact of integrating Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) into a regimen of physical therapy exercises (PTE) for fall prevention. The primary objectives included examining the effect of post-PTE+DMT intervention on heart rate variability (HRV), a psychophysiological marker, and fall risk factors. Additionally, this study aimed to examine correlations between HRV and levels of fall risk. Eight community-dwelling older adults (median = 83 [interquartile ranges: 80.5–85.75]) from a day center for senior citizens were randomly assigned to either a PTE+DMT group or a PTE group. A post intervention battery of HRV, physical and psychological fall risk assessments, was conducted. The results of nonparametric analysis demonstrated the potential impact of the PTE+DMT intervention in improving balance and self-efficacy measures related to falls when compared to participation in PTE alone. No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups in term of HRV and other physical and psychological fall risk factors. The emerging trends in the associations between HRV, fall risk, and balance levels suggest the potential utility of HRV as an objective psychophysiological marker for assessing fall risk levels. Moreover, the results underscore the potential advantages of interventions that integrate both physical and psychological components to mitigate fall risk in older adults, emphasizing the intricate mind–body connection.The ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05948735, July 7, 2023.

Inclusion of Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) as an Elective Course in Tertiary Education in China

In recent years, China has increasingly emphasized art education, particularly dance, for its therapeutic benefits and cultural significance. Dance Movement Therapy (DMT), which originated in the U.S. in the 1960s, integrates emotional and physical health through dance. This interdisciplinary approach combines art, psychology, and exercise, showing effectiveness in treating psychological disorders and enhancing well-being. Integrating DMT into Chinese higher education could improve mental health outcomes for students by offering an engaging, participatory alternative to traditional counseling methods.

Оценка уменьшения прогрессирования осложнений у пациентов с болезнью Паркинсона с помощью новых методов реабилитации

AIM. To analyze and evaluate the reduction of the progression of complications in patients with Parkinson's disease using new rehabilitation methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS. 115 patients with Parkinson's disease, corresponding to stage II-III on the Hyun-Yar scale, were examined. The study used clinical neurological, laboratory, neuroimaging, neurological special scales (Hyun-Yar, UPDRS), visual-auditory test, SAN questionnaire, (electrophysiological), EMG and methods of multifactorial statistical analysis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Among the patients enrolled in dansotherapy for Parkinson's disease, the effect of dance rehabilitation, in particular on reducing tremor, motor, emotional disorders, and depression, allowed for more significant results. The effect remained even after the end of treatment. The emotional state showed a decrease in anxiety and depression. CONCLUSION. Dance rehabilitation is a rehabilitation method that has a significant positive effect on emerging motor disorders in Parkinson's disease, improves the quality of life of the patient, and provides comfort to the patient and his relatives. KEYWORDS: Parkinson's disease, dance therapy, electromyography, serotonin, Hyun-Yar, UPDRS scale

지식 그래프를 활용한 중국 무용치료 연구동향 분석

Dance therapy, as a therapeutic method that integrates psychology and creative arts, which has attracted increasing attention from all walks of life. In order to help scholars from all over the world grasp the development context and trends of dance therapy research in China, this research analyzes the relevant literature on dance therapy in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI) database, revealing the research trends of dance therapy theme in the past 30 years, which can give data support for related research and provide theoretical basis for scholars around all over the world, and promote international academic exchanges and cooperation. Through the knowledge graph analysis method, the high-frequency words and high centrality words of 402 literature were explored and analyzed, and the knowledge network graph of dance therapy was presented from five aspects. It was found that, the research of dance therapy topics has gradually evolved in three stages in the past 30 years in China. On the whole, early research mainly focused on the role of dance in rehabilitation treatment, and mainly focused on the treatment of elderly. In recent years, with the focus on dance therapy and in-depth practice, emerging research topics involve the treatment of ‘depression’, ‘anxiety’, ‘stroke’, etc., which more pay attention to students, autistic children, and other groups. It shows that, with the increasing in research and attention on the field of dance therapy in China, the research not only focuses on dance therapy, but also involves many related fields, such as psychotherapy and self-acceptance in different groups, which shows that keeps expanding the research's progress and application of dance therapy in China. However, it also reflects the problems of incomplete operation system and insufficient academic-industrial linkage in Chinese dance therapy. This study is expected to provide implications for the direction of development of Chinese dance therapy to scholars around the world, including Korea.

Social media-based dance, storytelling and visual art therapies as communication and counselling interventions for reducing postpartum depression and strengthening family happiness

Social media-based dance, storytelling and visual art therapies as communication and counselling interventions for reducing postpartum depression and strengthening family happiness

Impact of tango on Parkinson's disease - a narrative review

Introduction: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a fast-growing neurodegenerative condition caused by the deficiency of dopamine (Bloem et al., 2021). Main symptoms include tremor, bradykinesia, muscular rigidity and postural instability (Ye et al., 2023). Although PD treatment primarily involves pharmacotherapy, physical activity-based treatments such as tango dance can improve the quality of life of patients. Aim of the study: This narrative review aims to assess the impact of the therapeutic benefits of tango dance therapy for people with PD. Materials and methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the PubMed database up to 2024. The review included randomised controlled trials, case reports, and pilot studies focused on the impact of tango on PD. Results: Several studies have evaluated the impact of tango on patients with PD. Some of them found that tango improves dynamic balance and walking, reduces the risk of falling, improves body awareness, stability, and emotional well-being among patients with PD. Conclusions: The impact of tango on PD is not yet conclusively documented, and further research is needed.

A Chinese Dance Therapy Framework.

Genuine Chinese dance therapy is in the ascendant and psychiatric approaches that involve a broad spectrum of principles such as ontological identity, social inclusion and collective support, aestheticisation and expressive catharsis, symbolic exorcism, trance and Buddhist mindfulness. Its models are based on a wealth of Chinese dance genres originating from various dynasties as well as cultural traditions of ethnic minorities. Due to different epistemological backgrounds of Western diagnostic manuals and traditional Chinese views of mental diseases, complex understanding of pathologies and therapeutic dynamics is needed. Therefore, this opinion piece suggests a theoretical framework that encourages interdisciplinary approaches as well as inclusive transcultural psychiatry and related philosophy of science.

Dance therapy as an intervention for stress and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Currently, no systematic review exists on dance therapy studies for treatment resistant depression. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effects of dance therapy on the primary symptom clusters of treatment resistant depression, that is, co-morbid stress and depression PROSPERO(CRD42022309685), and identify common dance therapy practices in this population. We searched six databases between January 2001 and March 2024 using the primary key terms: ‘dance therapy’, ‘stress’, ‘depression’, ‘study’, ‘treatment resistance’, and ‘adults’. Reference list checks and citation tracking were conducted. The Downs and Black checklist was used to assess risk of bias. Our search yielded 68 records. Five articles were included (N = 613, 91.2% female), and dosage varied between 15 and 24 h over 3–12 weeks. Results indicated an increase in management strategies rather than symptom reduction. Meta-analyses revealed no statistically significant results for stress and depression. Common dance therapy practices were improvisation, shared rhythm, and structured movement.

Traditional care and alternative therapies for pregnant women: a comparative review

Traditional care and alternative therapies are gradually becoming prevalent in the era of pharmaceutical medicine. Pregnant women are now using more of the traditional therapies because of the increasing acceptance, notably after the COVID-19 outbreak, to handle pregnancy issues such as morning sickness, anxiety, and pain naturally and holistically. The article includes some of the most popular traditional and alternative treatments, which include yoga, ayurveda, herbal treatment, acupressure, reflexology, massage therapy, moxibustion plus music and dance therapy, as well as aromatherapy, hypnotherapy homeopathy, and reiki. Patients will require knowledge of what each one of them has to benefit them when they use them during pregnancy since not all could be safe or even helpful while expecting a baby. A well-known fact in the literature today is an increasing reliance on traditional treatments, which is considered risk-free compared to conventional medicine, enhancing physical and psychological well-being. The paper is a basic guide to pregnancy management that may involve using traditional and alternative medicines, which have been proved by research. If these care and therapies are accompanied by good medical advice on issues concerning the wellness of the unborn child and its mother in general, will help to ease their pregnancy journey.

Traditional Art Dance Therapy to Reduce Stress Levels of Elementary School Students

COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development of new learning systems that are more student-centered. Unfortunately, elementary school students experienced stress and difficulties in adapting from face-to-face to online learning system. Online learning environment lacks in accommodating outdoor activities which are important for children. Several techniques can be applied to reduce stress, including dancing. This research aimed to examine the effectiveness of Traditional Art dance Therapy (TATA) for elementary school students in reducing stress. In this quasi-experimental research, one-group pretest-posttest design without control group was applied, involving 84 students at one elementary school in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Students’ levels of stress were measured using the school-based stressors scale and were analyzed using bivariate Wilcoxon test. The results of the data analysis showed that older students had relatively lower stress levels than younger ones. A significant decrease in stress (p &lt; 0.001) from 61.90 to 41.99 was identified between the stress levels before and after the implementation of TATA. It concludes that TATA effectively reduces the stress levels among elementary school students adapting to the new learning system in the new normal era after COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: elementary school, stress, traditional art dance therapy Abstrak Terapi Tari Seni Tradisional (TATA) untuk Mengurangi Tingkat Stress pada Siswa Sekolah Dasar. Pandemi COVID-19 telah mempercepat pengembangan sistem pembelajaran baru yang lebih berpusat pada siswa. Sayangnya, siswa sekolah dasar mengalami stres dan kesulitan dalam beradaptasi dari sistem pembelajaran tatap muka ke sistem pembelajaran online. Lingkungan belajar online kurang mengakomodasi kegiatan di luar ruangan yang penting bagi anak-anak. Beberapa teknik dapat diterapkan untuk mengurangi stres, termasuk menari. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efektivitas Terapi Tari Seni Tradisional (TATA) untuk siswa sekolah dasar dalam mengurangi stres. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian quasi-experimental dengan desain pretest-posttest satu kelompok tanpa control grup. Delapan puluh empat siswa di salah satu sekolah dasar di Yogyakarta, Indonesia, berpartisipasi dalam penelitian ini. Tingkat stres diukur dengan menggunakan school-based stressors scale. Data dianalisis secara bivariate menggunakan uji Wilcoxon. Siswa yang berusia lebih tua dilaporkan memiliki tingkat stres yang relatif lebih rendah dibandingkan siswa yang berusia lebih muda. Terdapat penurunan stress yang signifikan (p &lt; 0,001) antara tingkat stres pada siswa sebelum dan sesudah terapi tari seni tradisional, dengan tingkat stres dari 61,90 menjadi 41,99. Terapi tari seni tradisional (TATA) efektif menurunkan tingkat stres pada siswa sekolah dasar yang mengalami perubahan sistem pembelajaran di era new normal. Kata Kunci: sekolah dasar, stres, terapi tari seni tradisional