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.