Dance movement therapy for depression

Abstract

Background Depression is a debilitating condition affecting more than 350 million people worldwide (WHO 2012) with a limited number of evidence-based treatments. Drug treatments may be inappropriate due to side effects and cost, and not everyone can use talking therapies.There is a need for evidence-based treatments that can be applied across cultures and with people who find it difficult to verbally articulate thoughts and feelings. Dance movement therapy (DMT) is used with people from a range of cultural and intellectual backgrounds, but effectiveness remains unclear. Objectives To examine the effects of DMT for depression with or without standard care, compared to no treatment or standard care alone, psychological therapies, drug treatment, or other physical interventions. Also, to compare the effectiveness of different DMT approaches. Search methods The Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Review Group's Specialised Register (CCDANCTR-Studies and CCDANCTR-References) and CINAHL were searched (to 2 Oct 2014) together with the World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov. The review authors also searched the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) and Dissertation Abstracts (to August 2013), handsearched bibliographies, contacted professional associations, educational programmes and dance therapy experts worldwide.

I can feel my heartbeat: Dancers have increased interoceptive accuracy

“…If it turns out that the arts can be used to increase healthy emotional functioning and to scaffold difficulties in those with emotional dysfunction, this holds large opportunities for many segments of society. For example, current art therapy interventions do not reliably provide improvements, and the only measurable effect is usually enhanced well-being (Meekums, Karkou, & Nelson, 2015;Xia & Grant, 2009). The likely reason for this lack of conclusive results is that the art intervention programs are still too unspecific.…”

Dance for Adults With Fibromyalgia—What Do We Know About It? Protocol for a Scoping Review

“…This form of dance has a systematic treatment approach, is goal-oriented, and may include a variety of dance movement methods [28]. Chronic conditions DMT has been used for include cancer [28], schizophrenia [29,30], depression [31], dementia [32,33], and Parkinson disease [15]. We are aware of 3 publications including adults with fibromyalgia [34-36].…”

Becoming visible as a profession in a climate of competitiveness: The role of research

“…CSRs include a published protocol of DMT for depression (Meekums, Karkou & Nelson, 2012), now submitted as a review, and a full review of DMT for improving psychological and physical outcomes in cancer patients (Bradt, Goodill & Dileo, 2011).…”