Healing Through Dance · Somatic and Movement Healing

Effects of Dance Movement Therapy and Dance on Health-Related Psychological Outcomes. A Meta-Analysis Update

Koch SC, Riege RFF, Tisborn K, et al. · Frontiers in Psychology, 2019

This meta-analysis updated earlier reviews by gathering 41 controlled studies published between 2012 and 2018, with 2,374 participants in total. Twenty-one studies tested dance movement therapy, a therapeutic approach led by trained therapists, and 20 tested dance classes or programs. Overall there was a medium effect on psychological health outcomes such as quality of life, depression, anxiety, social skills, thinking skills and motor skills. Dance movement therapy showed a smaller but consistent effect on depression, anxiety, quality of life and social and cognitive skills, while dance programs showed larger but less consistent effects, especially on movement skills. Follow-up data suggested most effects held about 22 weeks later. Limitations: results varied a lot between studies, larger effects came from observer-rated measures that may be biased, and many studies had methodological weaknesses.

Our summaries describe what each study found. They are not medical advice, and the practices at Halcyon are not a treatment for any condition.