The Effects of a Creative Dance and Movement Program on the Social Competence of Head Start Preschoolers

Abstract

The effects of an eight-week instructional program in creative dance/movement on the social competence of low-income preschool children were assessed in this study utilizing a scientifically rigorous design. Forty preschool children from a large Head Start program were randomly assigned to participate in either an experimental dance program or an attention control group. Teachers and parents, blind to the children's group membership, rated children's social competence both before and after the program, using English and Spanish versions of the Social Competence Behavior Evaluation: Preschool Edition. The results revealed significantly greater positive gains over time in the children's social competence and both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems for the experimental group compared with the control group. Small-group creative dance instruction for at-risk preschoolers appears to be an excellent mechanism for enhancing social competence and improving behavior. The implications for early childhood education and intervention are discussed.

Associations between early shared music activities in the home and later child outcomes: Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

“…This sensory-motor involvement is likely to support brain-body neural connections, a common characteristic of activities known to improve important executive functioning skills in children (Diamond & Lee, 2011). Early childhood music and movement interventions have also been particularly effective in improving important domain-general social, behavioral, and motor skills in young children (Lobo andWinsler, 2006 andZachopoulou et al, 2004). Finally, shared home music activities might provide a structure within which parents and children engage in mutually responsive interactions requiring joint attention, active cooperation, turn-taking, and immediate feedback, thus supporting children's self-regulatory and social development ( Pasiali, 2012).…”

“…In this study, quasi-control of socio-economic variables was achieved by selecting only research participants with a pre-specified level of parental income and engagement in their child's education. Lobo and Winsler (2006) used a rigorous experimental design to examine the effects of an eight-week creative dance program (including movement to music) for 40 low income kindergarten children aged 39-62 months. Children in both the experimental and control groups met for 35 minute sessions twice per week in groups of 10 children.…”

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“…Dentro del ámbito educativo se ha encontrado que la implementación de programas de baile y danza creativa mejora las competencias sociales y la conducta (Lobo y Winsler, 2006) y el pensamiento creativo (Jay, 1991) y facilita el desarro-…”

La danza y su influencia en la percepción de plenitud y bienestar psicoemocional.

“…La aplicación de un programa de danza-movimiento creativa demostró ser efectivo para mejorar las competencias sociales de niños en edad preescolar de bajos ingresos, señalando que puede ser de utilidad además para mejorar la conducta (Lobo y Winsler, 2006). Mientras que en poblaciones con discapacidad múltiple el empleo de la música-danza contribuyó en la disminución de conductas no deseadas y en el seguimiento de ordenes (Mora, 2001).…”