Effects of dance-movement therapy: meta-analysis

Effects of Dance/Movement Therapy: A Meta-Analysis. Meredith Ritter, BA, Kathryn Graff Low, PhD. (1996). The Arts in Psychotherapy Volume 23, Issue 3, 1996, Pages 249–260. *There is not free public access.

“The present study addresses methodological problems that have affected the DMT [dance/movement therapy] literature and evaluates quantitative studies of DMT using meta-analytic techniques. […] The purpose of the present study was to calculate standardized effect sizes for case-control studies of dance/movement therapy and to produce summary statistics reflecting the average change associated with DMT compared to controls. The study also examined the effectiveness of DMT in different samples (e.g. children, psychiatric patients, elderly) and for varying diagnoses (anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, developmental disabilities) using meta-analysis.”

Advertisement

Dance movement therapy and trauma: compiled research

The American Dance Therapy Association has compiled a bibliography of research on dance/movement therapy and trauma, from 2007 and prior. (Journal articles are after the list of theses and dissertation.)

Contact improv dance in prison

An Evaluation of Dancing Inside: A creative workshop project led by Motionhouse Dance Theatre in HMP Dovegate Therapeutic Community. Brown, J., Burchnall, K., & Houston, S. (2004). Forensic Psychology Research Unit, University of Surrey, England.

“The present study examines year two of the Dancing Inside project. […] The findings reveal that the use of dance in a prison TC [Therapeutic Community] can facilitate emotional awareness and expression, encourage new ways of thinking, and help participants to discover an emerging sense of a new self. This has a significant contribution to the ‘process of change’ for each participant, as it aids self-disclosure, increases willingness to talk about themselves, their experiences and their offending behaviour. There was evidence of the short term impact experienced after the workshop. There is further evidence to support  the longer term sustainability of change.

“A note of caution however needs to be struck when considering the generalisability of our findings. […] Thus the report evaluates the particularities of the conjunction of the Dovegate TC [Therapeutic Community], Motionhouse [Dance Theatre] and [the facilitator] rather than attempts to consider the role of Dance in prison more generally.”

Dance therapy for aging & dementia: compiled research

The American Dance Therapy Association has a Bibliography of Dance/Movement Therapy with Aging and Dementia. Compiled by Lenore Wadsworth Hervey, Ph.D., ADTR, September, 1996 / Updated, 2000 / Updated, 2007 by Heather Hill & Christine Hopkins.

Young adults with autism spectrum mirroring in movement

Fixing the mirrors: A feasibility study of the effects of dance movement therapy on young adults with autism spectrum disorder. Sabine C Koch, Laura Mehl, Esther Sobanski, Maik Sieber, Thomas Fuchs. (2014). Autism . 02/2014 (E-pub ahead of print).

ABSTRACT: “From the 1970s on, case studies reported the effectiveness of therapeutic mirroring in movement with children with autism spectrum disorder. In this feasibility study, we tested a dance movement therapy intervention based on mirroring in movement in a population of 31 young adults with autism spectrum disorder (mainly high-functioning and Asperger’s syndrome) with the aim to increase body awareness, social skills, self-other distinction, empathy, and well-being. […] After the treatment, participants in the intervention group reported improved well-being, improved body awareness, improved self-other distinction, and increased social skills. The dance movement therapy-based mirroring approach seemed to address more primary developmental aspects of autism than the presently prevailing theory-of-mind approach. Results suggest that dance movement therapy can be an effective and feasible therapy approach for autism spectrum disorder, while future randomized control trials with bigger samples are needed.”

“Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, embodiment, dance movement therapy, mirroring, clinical controlled trial, treatment manual, intersubjectivity, social competence, empathy, well-being, self-other distinction, body awareness”

Expressive arts therapies with survivors of torture

Expressive arts therapies: Working with survivors of torture. Amber Elizabeth Lynn Gray. (2011). Torture Journal (Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture)  Volume 21, No. 1, 2011, pages 39-47.

Excerpt from the article:  “Dance/Movement Therapy (“DMT”) is both a somatic and an expressive arts therapy. A primary theoretical underpinning of this psychotherapeutic practice is that movement is a primary language for all human beings and, as such, is a powerful means to access implicit memory and stored history, trauma-related or not. From a developmental perspective, DMT acknowledges the non-verbal roots of all human language, communication, and experience, and therefore may be particularly suited to work with survivors of torture who have literally experienced the unspeakable directly to their bodies. Dance may be considered the creative or expressive aspect of movement, and for many cultures where the creative process is included in ritual, healing and daily life, DMT may be more appropriate than conventional talk therapy. The non-verbal and pre-verbal nature of trauma also supports the use of this modality.” (pages 42-43)

Dance-movement therapy with unhoused men

In Search of a Voice: Working with Homeless Men. Judith Ginzberg. (1991). American Journal of Dance Therapy Spring/Summer 1991, Volume 13, Issue 1, pp 33-48.

From the abstract: “The process of establishing dance/movement therapy in two shelters [in New York City] is described. The initial goals delineated are: establishing trust, reducing tension, enhancing self-esteem, facilitating self-expression and creativity, and promoting group interaction and understanding among the homeless men. The importance of being able to work with large groups of 50 to 200 individuals in order to transform the environment and effect the greatest numbers is posited, and the methods are discussed. Ritual, rhythm, and the use of appropriate music, as well as the occasional use of props are cited as important factors.”

Dance-movement therapy with unhoused women

A place for my self : issues of space in dance-movement therapy with women in a homeless shelter. Kelly M. Phipps. (1995). Hahnemann University. Source: OAI. ABSTRACT iii, 77 leaves.

Abstract from ResearchGate: “As homelessness in the United States continues to rise, research into the specific needs for treatment of this population is increasing. Both personal and social factors contribute to homelessness as well as different reasons due to gender (North and Smith,1993). Loss of personal, interpersonal and societal space occur as a result of homelessness. This loss of spatial boundaries can lead to the inability of an individual to overcome his homeless condition. This study was undertaken in an effort to demonstrate a relationship between issues of space among the homeless and dance/movement therapy concepts to produce a program that would be beneficial to women living in a homeless shelter. As literature pertaining to dance/movement therapy with the homeless is extremely limited, the study consisted of a literature review of women and homelessness, space and dance/movement therapy with relavent populations. In addition, clinical application of dance/movement therapy to this population is given and illustrated with short case vignettes. Findings showed that dance/movement therapy concepts of space were applicable to the traumas such as physical and sexual abuse, drug addiction and victimization experience by homeless women. The non-verbal nature and use of the body in dance/movement therapy is able to address these issues at the site of their experience. The conclusion is that dance/movement therapy, especially work geared toward personal space and boundary development, can play a beneficial role in helping women escape patterns of homelessness.”

Lower risk of dementia

Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly. Joe Verghese, M.D., Richard B. Lipton, M.D., Mindy J. Katz, M.P.H., Charles B. Hall, Ph.D., Carol A. Derby, Ph.D., Gail Kuslansky, Ph.D., Anne F. Ambrose, M.D., Martin Sliwinski, Ph.D., and Herman Buschke, M.D. (2003). New England Journal of Medicine, 348: 2508-2516.

In the study of 469 people, “Dancing was the only physical activity associated with a lower risk of dementia.”

Participants were interviewed starting in 1980 about their participation in “6 cognitive activities (reading books or newspapers, writing for pleasure, doing crossword puzzles, playing board games or cards, participating in organized group discussions, and playing musical instruments) and 11 physical activities (playing tennis or golf, swimming, bicycling, dancing, participating in group exercises, playing team games such as bowling, walking for exercise, climbing more than two flights of stairs, doing housework, and babysitting).” (Table of the various activities).

The study found that “There was no association between physical activity and the risk of dementia. Exercise is said to have beneficial effects on the brain by promoting plasticity, increasing the levels of neurotrophic factors in the brain, and enhancing resistance to insults. Cognitive and physical activities overlap, and therefore it is not surprising that previous studies have disagreed on the role of physical activities. Although physical activities are clearly important in promoting overall health, their protective effect against dementia remains uncertain.” (See the footnotes in the article for references for each of those sentences.)

Dance movement therapy for depression

Dance movement therapy for depression (Protocol). Meekums B, Karkou V, Nelson EA. (2012). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 6. *There is not free open access to the review.

“The objectives are as follows:

To assess the effects of dance movement therapy (DMT) for depression compared with no treatment (waiting list) or to standard care in both child and adult populations
To compare DMT with other psychological interventions (e.g. psychodynamic psychotherapy or IPT, counselling or CBT)
To compare DMT with pharmacological interventions (e.g. anti-depressants, minor tranquillisers or mood stabilisers)
To compare DMT with other physical interventions (e.g. dance or exercise)
To compare different forms of DMT (e.g. Laban-based DMT, Chacian DMT or Authentic Movement)”