Effects Of Dance Movement Therapy Research Articles

Effectiveness of dance movement therapy and dance movement interventions on cancer patients' health-related outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This review examined the effectiveness of using dance movement therapy (DMT) and dance movement interventions (DMIs) with cancer and palliative care patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Six databases were searched from inception to July 9, 2022, without limits on year or age. Searching was updated on July 10, 2023. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane (RoB 2) and ROBINS-I tools. Meta-analyses were conducted to pool estimates of the effects of DMT and DMI on patients' health-related outcomes. A narrative synthesis of outcomes was performed where meta-analysis was not appropriate. Among a total of 16 studies included in this review, nine were randomized controlled trials and seven were non-randomized trials, with a total of 893 participants. Only six of these studies were fully or partially described as true DMTs (some with less clarity than others), whereas the majority (n = 10) were DMIs with unclear therapeutic alignment. Most studies focused on female patients with breast cancer. Cancer patients undergoing palliative care received little attention. The overall risk of bias from the evaluated studies was high. Meta-analysis of two trials revealed that DMTs had no effect on QOL in cancer patients (SMD - 0.09, 95% CI - 0.21-0.40, P = 0.54), while narrative analysis and non-randomized trials showed no overall effect of DMTs on anxiety, depression, body image, self-esteem, or sleep disturbance but significant positive effects on perceived stress, pain severity, and pain interference. DMIs had significant positive effects on cancer patients' depression (SMD - 0.53, 95% CI - 0.93 to - 0.14, P = 0.008) and fatigue (SMD - 0.42, 95% CI - 0.70 to - 0.14, P = 0.003). DMI trials synthesized narratively showed an effect on patients' body image, self-esteem, physical function, right and left handgrip strength, life satisfaction, and the mental component of QOL. Both DMT and DMIs had promisingeffects on severalhealth outcomes, but results were inconsistent, and the evidence was weak. The reviewed studies' low evidence quality and small sample sizes affected the findings' robustness and reliability. Large-scale, high-quality randomized controlled trials with sufficient sample sizes, and clear and veracious DMT and DMI protocols and data are required to provide more credible research evidence and influence practice.

자폐스펙트럼장애 청소년의 감정조절과 상호작용 향상을 위한 DMT

This research aims to analyze the effects of DMT(Dance , Movement Therapy) on emotional regulation and interaction in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD). The program consisted of 12 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes and conducted weekly. The research utilized video recordings of each sesstions, House-Tree-Person (HTP) test, Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) and inter-observer agreement to accumulate qualitative case study data through in-depth discussions and journals. The research findings inditcate that, following the DMT program, there were improvements in emotional regulation among adolescents with ASD. Firstly, changes in repetitive movements and expqanstion processes led to a decrease in anger, anxiety and excitement in psychological emotional regulation. Additionally, increased self-confidence in behavior and reduced anxiety towards new spaces were observed. Secondly, immature emotional regulation manifested as impulsive disruptive behavior, aggressive behavior, and repetitive behavior showed a decrease. In terms of interation among adolescents with ASD, the results showed stable improvements in voluntary and proactive participation with relational and social peer relationships. It is hoped that the results of this study will contribute to individualized research for individuals with ASD, and future research on ASD across various age groups is anticipated to continue.

The effects of dance movement therapy for children with Autism spectrum disorder

ABSTRACT Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social/communication challenges and restrictive or repetitive behaviours. While motor challenges are not considered core diagnostic criteria, they are common among children with ASD. Additional evidence suggests motor and social/communication skills are coupled at a young age and are predictively associated with one another. Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) is a non-conventional psychotherapeutic intervention using dance and movement as a process to enhance physical and psychological conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of DMT for children with ASD through the perspective of the therapist. Fifteen therapists completed a questionnaire containing a collection of questions concerning basic demographic information and general outcomes following therapy. Four participants further engaged in one-on-one semi-structured interviews to elaborate on their perceived outcomes. The results of this study show DMT has the potential to ameliorate physical, social, and emotional domains among children with ASD. More specifically, mood management, overall wellbeing, socialization and communication were recognized as the most improved outcomes following therapy. Although not the main objective of practice, motor challenges were also seen to improve with DMT participation. This study highlights the benefits of DMT for children with ASD and can assist in providing diagnosed individuals with an alternative intervention approach.

Dance/movement therapy as a holistic approach to diminish health discrepancies and promote wellness for people with schizophrenia: a review of the literature.

Individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia face a myriad of obstacles to wellness, beginning with diagnostic discrepancies including over- and misdiagnoses on the schizophrenia spectrum. People with schizophrenia experience profound amounts of stigmatization from the general population, their healthcare providers, and even themselves. Such stigmatization creates a barrier for wellness, poorer prognoses, and often limits adherence to physical and mental healthcare. Moreover, it can exacerbate the already stifling symptomatology of their diagnoses, including specific bodily-related symptomatology. Oftentimes, a diagnosis of schizophrenia disrupts one's relationship with their body including a diminished mind-body connection, decreased interoceptive awareness, and thus unsuccessful intra- and interpersonal relationships. Some recent research suggests the use of mind-body therapies, however, if these practices are internalizing, they may not be appropriate for people with schizophrenia experiencing more acute symptomatology excluding them from treatment. Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is an embodied psychotherapeutic treatment option that can support participants in improving mind-body connection, social relationships, and self-regulatory skill development. Research on DMT has shown promising results for people with schizophrenia, however such research is limited and would benefit from increased studies that particularly measure the effects of DMT on mind-body connection and increased interoception for people with schizophrenia. Moreover, integrative and collaborative treatment models that couple DMT and biofeedback may further our understanding of the physiological and neurological effects of DMT interventions for people with schizophrenia and beyond. This review will examine the recent literature on health inequities for people with schizophrenia, their specific body-based disruptions and needs, and DMT as a promising treatment model, particularly when coupled with biofeedback.

The need for robust critique of arts and health research: Dance-movement therapy, girls, and depression.

We examine a highly cited randomized controlled trial on dance-movement therapy with adolescent girls with mild depression and examine its treatment in 14 evidence reviews and meta-analyses of dance research. We demonstrate substantial limitations in the trial which seriously undermine the conclusions reached regarding the effectiveness of dance movement therapy in reducing depression. We also show that the dance research reviews vary substantially in their treatment of the study. Some reviews provide a positive assessment of the study and take its findings at face value without critical commentary. Others are critical of the study, identifying significant limitations, but showing marked differences in Cochrane Risk of Bias assessments. Drawing on recent criticisms of systematic reviewing and meta-analysis, we consider how reviews can be so variable and discuss what is needed to improve the quality of primary studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses in the field of creative arts and health.

Dance/movement therapy as a holistic approach to diminish health discrepancies and promote wellness for people with schizophrenia: a review of the literature

Individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia face a myriad of obstacles to wellness, beginning with diagnostic discrepancies including over- and misdiagnoses on the schizophrenia spectrum. People with schizophrenia experience profound amounts of stigmatization from the general population, their healthcare providers, and even themselves. Such stigmatization creates a barrier for wellness, poorer prognoses, and often limits adherence to physical and mental healthcare. Moreover, it can exacerbate the already stifling symptomatology of their diagnoses, including specific bodily-related symptomatology. Oftentimes, a diagnosis of schizophrenia disrupts one’s relationship with their body including a diminished mind-body connection, decreased interoceptive awareness, and thus unsuccessful intra- and interpersonal relationships. Some recent research suggests the use of mind-body therapies, however, if these practices are internalizing, they may not be appropriate for people with schizophrenia experiencing more acute symptomatology excluding them from treatment. Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is an embodied psychotherapeutic treatment option that can support participants in improving mind-body connection, social relationships, and self-regulatory skill development. Research on DMT has shown promising results for people with schizophrenia, however such research is limited and would benefit from increased studies that particularly measure the effects of DMT on mind-body connection and increased interoception for people with schizophrenia. Moreover, integrative and collaborative treatment models that couple DMT and biofeedback may further our understanding of the physiological and neurological effects of DMT interventions for people with schizophrenia and beyond. This review will examine the recent literature on health inequities for people with schizophrenia, their specific body-based disruptions and needs, and DMT as a promising treatment model, particularly when coupled with biofeedback.

The Effects of Dance Movement Therapy in the Treatment of Depression

Two essential components make up the semantic information that was used to pinpoint the video events. They consist of: (a) A spatial component of a video frame, such as the scenery, visible people, and visible objects. (b) A temporal component that is represented by a series of video frames across time, such as the actions of a character or the movements of an object. The video's audio, video, and text components are examined in order to provide the higher-level semantic data. The semantic structure of the movie is discovered using a variety of cues from many modalities, such as auditory and visual elements, bridging the gap between high level semantic notions and low level qualities. A video contains three distinct modalities. The three are as follows: (1) Visual modality, which refers to the scene seen in the video; (2) Auditory modality, which refers to spoken words, background music, and other noises; and (3) Textual modality, which refers to written materials that describe the subject matter of the movie.
 There are numerous video databases and a sizable amount of video data in general. Even while there are tools for maintaining and exploring these collections, many decision-making applications increasingly require tools to extract the critical information hidden in the video data.

Dance therapy in the rehabilitation of neurological diseases

A literature review of clinical trials on the effectiveness of the use of dance movement therapy in patients with neurological diseases is presented. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of dance movement therapy on non-motor manifestations of Parkinson's disease is presented. Dance movement therapy was found to have a significant positive effect on cognitive impairment, but no effect on depression, fatigue, and apathy. The effectiveness of dance movement therapy in post-stroke rehabilitation is shown. The data of a systematic review are presented, which found that dance movement therapy is effective not only in the rehabilitation of Parkinson's disease and stroke, but also in the rehabilitation of patients with multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease and the consequences of spinal cord injury.

Effect of Dance Movement Therapy on Depression and Anxiety for Persons with Dementia: A Systematic Review

Dance movement therapy（DMT）is a physical and psychological intervention, but there was no meta-analysis of RCTs in the systematic review of DMT for dementia, and the results of RCTs were inconsistent. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of dance movement therapy on depression and anxiety of persons with dementia in comparison to no treatment, standard care. Six electronic databases (Cochrane, PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, EBSCO, CNKI) were searched through January 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Chinese and English language were considered, including: (1) population is women and men of all age with dementia and MCI; (2) intervention is dance movement intervention; (3) comparison is no treatment or standard care; (4) outcome is depression or anxiety. The four review authors independently reviewed studies on an abstract/title level and again after reading the full paper, and we independently evaluated methodological quality. Six randomized controlled trials were identified on depression and anxiety symptoms in persons with dementia. The target sample size was 29-842 older adults. Meta-analysis showed there were significant differences in favor of dance in depression (SMD = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.39 to 1.95, P = 0.003), but not in outcomes of anxiety. Trials of high methodological quality, large sample sizes, and clarity in the way the intervention is put together and delivered are needed to assess whether dance movement therapy is an effective intervention on depression and anxiety for persons with dementia.

Screen–bridges: dance movement therapy in online contexts

ABSTRACT The confinement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has led many psychotherapists to move all, or a good part, of their work online. Online dance movement therapy (DMT) work has been little documented and probably little explored, so we have had to adapt to the circumstances and learn along the way. This reflection presents the lived experience of nine months of online work in the two contexts of individual psychotherapy and a DMT group; both experiences of the author. Two opinion polls were conducted, and the author’s diary notes were used to illustrate the results. The effects of DMT in virtual contexts need to be explored and documented further. In nine months of online work, participants were able to enhance their body awareness and embodied empathy. DMT group sessions help participants reduce feelings of isolation, increase their wellbeing self-perception and promote a sense of belonging.

The Effects of Dance Movement Therapy in the Treatment of Depression: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial in Finland.

This multicenter research investigates the effects of dance movement therapy (DMT) on participants diagnosed with depression. In total, 109 persons participated in the study in various locations in Finland. The participants were 39 years old, on average (range = 18–64 years), and most were female (96%). All participants received treatment as usual (TAU). They were randomized into DMT + TAU (n = 52) or TAU only (n = 57). The participants in the DMT + TAU group were offered 20 DMT sessions twice a week for 10 weeks in addition to standard care. The measurement points included pretreatment measurement at the baseline, posttreatment measurement at the end of the intervention, and a follow-up measurement 3 months afterward. The observed effects of the intervention among participants in the DMT+TAU group were a greater reduction in depression and in indicators of physical and psychological distress in comparison to the participants who received TAU-only. At the 3-month follow-up, the corrected between-group effect sizes (ESs) were medium and in favor of the DMT + TAU group (d = 0.60–0.72). These results are in line with the increasing number of research studies showing the benefits of DMT intervention among participants with depression, and these results indicate that DMT may improve the effectiveness of standard care.Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04421651.

Towards a neurocognitive approach to dance movement therapy for mental health: A systematic review.

Dance movement therapy (DMT) has become an increasingly recognized and used treatment, though primarily used to target psychological and physical well-being in individuals with physical, medical or neurological illnesses. To contribute to the relative lack of literature within the field of DMT for clinical mental health disorders, using a narrative synthesis, we review the scope of recent, controlled studies of DMT in samples with different psychiatric disorders including depression, schizophrenia, autism and somatoform disorder. A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, Science Direct, World of Science and Clinicaltrials.gov) was conducted to identify studies examining the effects of DMT in psychiatric populations. Fifteen studies were eligible for inclusion. After reviewing the principal results of the studies, we highlight strengths and weaknesses of this treatment approach and examine the potential efficacy of using bodily movements as a tool to reduce symptoms. We conclude by placing DMT within the context of contemporary cognitive neuroscience research, drawing out implications of such an orientation for future research and discussing potential mechanisms by which DMT might reduce psychiatric symptoms. DMT has clear potential as a treatment for a range of conditions and symptoms, and thus, further research on its utility is warranted.

Re-inhabiting one\u2019s body: A pilot study on the effects of dance movement therapy on body image and alexithymia in eating disorders

BackgroundBody image disturbance and alexithymia are two core aspects of Eating Disorders (EDs). However, standard treatments for EDs do not include specific techniques to approach these issues on a bodily level. This pilot study evaluated the effects of a Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) intervention on body image and alexithymia in patients with EDs, and also explored their experience of the therapeutic process.Method14 patients with EDs were recruited from a private clinic. Seven were assigned via quasi-randomization to the DMT group and the others (n = 5) continued their treatment as usual. The length of the intervention was 14 weeks. All participants completed the Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. Additionally, the DMT group wrote reflective diaries about their experience at the end of each session, which were analyzed using qualitative methods.ResultsBetween the pre- and post-intervention, the participants of the DMT group significantly improved in Body Areas Satisfaction (effect size: 0.95) and Appearance Evaluation (effect size: 1.10), and they decreased significantly in Appearance Orientation (effect size: 1.30). A decrease in Overweight Preoccupation was observed (effect size: 0.75), however this was not statistically significant. The control group did not show significant changes in any of the MBSRQ subscales. Neither the DMT group nor the control group improved significantly in the alexithymia scores. The qualitative analysis revealed valuable insights into the participants’ processes throughout the sessions. In general, participants received the DMT intervention positively. They reported improvements in their mood states and an increase in their self-awareness. They also appreciated the relationship with the group and the therapist.ConclusionThese results indicate that DMT might be a complementary treatment option for EDs, as it may be able to address body image issues more effectively than verbal therapies. More studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these promising preliminary results.

Effects of dance movement therapy on the rheological properties of blood in elderly women.

The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of dance movement therapy exercises (DMT) on the rheological properties of blood in elderly women. The study encompassed group of women (mean aged: 67 years), who were subjected to three-month dance movement therapy programme (n = 20). Blood samples from all the women were examined for their haematological, rheological, and biochemical parameters both prior to the study and three months thereafter. DMT did not cause statistically significant differences in the number of erythrocytes, thrombocytes, leukocytes and the haematocrit value. DMT affected the rheological parameters of the blood in elderly women, improving the erythrocyte deformability at the lowest shear stress value and reducing the half-time of the total aggregation. Plasma viscosity and concentration of fibrinogen did not change after dance therapy. DMT modulate rheological properties of blood of older women. The results of this study suggest that physical exercise program for older women can prevent unfavorable age-related changes. Some indicators such as the haematological parameters, plasma viscosity and fibrinogen level were not affected by DMT in older women, suggesting the maintenance of homeostasis.

How Shall I Count the Ways? A Method for Quantifying the Qualitative Aspects of Unscripted Movement With Laban Movement Analysis.

There is significant clinical evidence showing that creative and expressive movement processes involved in dance/movement therapy (DMT) enhance psycho-social well-being. Yet, because movement is a complex phenomenon, statistically validating which aspects of movement change during interventions or lead to significant positive therapeutic outcomes is challenging because movement has multiple, overlapping variables appearing in unique patterns in different individuals and situations. One factor contributing to the therapeutic effects of DMT is movement’s effect on clients’ emotional states. Our previous study identified sets of movement variables which, when executed, enhanced specific emotions. In this paper, we describe how we selected movement variables for statistical analysis in that study, using a multi-stage methodology to identify, reduce, code, and quantify the multitude of variables present in unscripted movement. We suggest a set of procedures for using Laban Movement Analysis (LMA)-described movement variables as research data. Our study used LMA, an internationally accepted comprehensive system for movement analysis, and a primary DMT clinical assessment tool for describing movement. We began with Davis’s (1970) three-stepped protocol for analyzing movement patterns and identifying the most important variables: (1) We repeatedly observed video samples of validated (Atkinson et al., 2004) emotional expressions to identify prevalent movement variables, eliminating variables appearing minimally or absent. (2) We use the criteria repetition, frequency, duration and emphasis to eliminate additional variables. (3) For each emotion, we analyzed motor expression variations to discover how variables cluster: first, by observing ten movement samples of each emotion to identify variables common to all samples; second, by qualitative analysis of the two best-recognized samples to determine if phrasing, duration or relationship among variables was significant. We added three new steps to this protocol: (4) we created Motifs (LMA symbols) combining movement variables extracted in steps 1–3; (5) we asked participants in the pilot study to move these combinations and quantify their emotional experience. Based on the results of the pilot study, we eliminated more variables; (6) we quantified the remaining variables’ prevalence in each Motif for statistical analysis that examined which variables enhanced each emotion. We posit that our method successfully quantified unscripted movement data for statistical analysis.

Psychophysiological Effects of Dance Movement Therapy and Physical Exercise on Older Adults With Mild Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Dementia interferes with older adults' functioning in cognitive, daily, psychosocial, and neuroendocrine domains. The present study examined the psychophysiological effects of dance movement therapy (DMT) and physical exercise for older adults with dementia. This randomized controlled trial recruited 204 older adults diagnosed with mild dementia into the DMT, exercise, or waitlist control group. Both DMT and exercise interventions had similar intensity and comprised 24 hr of intervention that spanned over 12 weeks. All participants completed self-report questionnaires on psychosocial well-being, daily functioning, neurocognitive assessments, and salivary cortisol measures at baseline and 3 follow-up measurements more than 1 year. The DMT group showed significant decreases in depression, loneliness, and negative mood (d = 0.33-0.42, p < .05) and improved daily functioning (d = 0.40, p < .01) and diurnal cortisol slope (d = 0.30, p < .01). The effects on daily functioning and cortisol slope remained at 1-year follow-up. The exercise group of matched intensity showed no significant effects on the outcomes. The study findings support the potential utility of DMT as a multifaceted intervention for improving various aspects of functioning in older adults with declining cognitive abilities. The lack of beneficial effects for our exercise intervention and long-term DMT effects highlights the need to maintain persistent levels of exercise with adequate intensity and duration.

A The Effects of Dance Movement Therapy through Children’s story on Anxiety Decrease and Social Skills Improvement of Children with Emotional·Behavioral Problems

A The Effects of Dance Movement Therapy through Children’s story on Anxiety Decrease and Social Skills Improvement of Children with Emotional·Behavioral Problems

Effects of Dance Movement Therapy on Adult Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study examines the effects of dance movement therapy (DMT) on empathy for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DMT based on the embodiment approach offers body-centered interventions, such as mirroring techniques, to address the needs of ASD patients. Accordingly, findings of a feasibility study suggest that DMT may be an effective approach for clients on the ASD spectrum. The present study is a randomized controlled trial that was conducted as a multicenter study within the framework of the EU-funded research project TESIS (Toward an Embodied Science of Intersubjectivity), and employed a two-factorial between-subject design. The treatment group (n = 35) participated in a 10-week manualized DMT intervention, whereas the control group (n = 22) received treatment only after a waiting period. Empathy, measured with the Cognitive and Emotional Empathy Questionnaire (CEEQ), was the main variable of interest, analyzed by a repeated measures analysis of variance. In order to also include incomplete data cases, we used the expectation-maximization algorithm for missing data estimation. Results suggest no significant changes in overall empathy between groups. We discuss the results and limitations, as well as future research options.

Perceived stress moderates the effects of a randomized trial of dance movement therapy on diurnal cortisol slopes in breast cancer patients

Women with breast cancer are at risk of psychosocial distress and may suffer from aberrant diurnal cortisol rhythms. Dance movement therapy (DMT), a movement-based psychotherapy that incorporates exercise and artistic components, has demonstrated stress reduction effects. This study examined the effects of DMT on the diurnal cortisol rhythms of breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment and the role of perceived stress in producing such effects. The study sample comprised 121 Chinese breast cancer patients randomized to the DMT (n=63) and control (n=58) groups. The intervention consisted of six 1.5-h group sessions held twice weekly over the course of radiotherapy. Participants completed validated self-report measures of perceived stress, fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbance and provided five salivary cortisol samples at baseline (Time 1) and post-intervention (Time 2). Moderated mediation analysis was used to evaluate the intervention effect on Time 2 diurnal cortisol slopes. Despite the absence of a significant DMT effect on diurnal cortisol slopes (B=−0.55, 95% CI=−1.20 to 0.08, β=−0.14), baseline perceived stress significantly moderated the intervention effect (B=−0.18, 95% CI=−0.32 to −0.05, β=−0.30). At high levels of baseline perceived stress (1 SD above the mean), the DMT group showed a steeper cortisol slope (M=–7.14) than the control group (M=−5.80) at Time 2. The present findings suggest that DMT might have a beneficial effect on diurnal cortisol slopes in breast cancer patients with high levels of distress.

閉経後の中高年女性に対するダンス/ムーブメントセラピーの短期的心身効果 : 感情と自覚的睡眠感を中心として

閉経後の中高年女性に対するダンス/ムーブメントセラピーの短期的心身効果 : 感情と自覚的睡眠感を中心として