We were interested in investigating the effects of dance movement therapy (DMT) in a psychiatric outpatient clinic with patients diagnosed with depression. DMT aims to engage the patients in physical and verbal exploration of their experiences generated in movement based interaction. The assumption was that DMT, which includes both physical engagement as well as emotional and social exploration, would alleviate the mood and psychiatric symptoms. All adult patients (n = 33) included in the study received treatment as usual (TAU). Twenty-one patients participated in a 12-session DMT group intervention, and the remaining 12 patients chose to take TAU only. The majority of the patients suffered from moderate or severe depression, recurrent and/or chronic type. The effects of the interventions were investigated after the intervention, and at 3-month follow-up. Compared to the TAU, adding DMT seemed to improve the effect of the treatment. The effect of the DMT was observable whether the patient was taking antidepressant medication or not. At follow-up, between group effect sizes (ES) were medium in favor for the DMT group (d = 0.60–0.79). In the DMT group, the within ES at the 3 months follow-up varied from 0.62 to 0.82 as compared to TAU 0.15–0.37. The results indicated that DMT is beneficial in the treatment of depressed patients.
Highlights The tri-partite model of body image consists of image-properties, body-self and body memory. Before the DMT, the patients' body image reflected problems of presence. The DMT group treatment promoted safety, integrated body image, alleviated depression. The DMT group treatment made the participants' presence more active and socially flexible. Statistically, body image improvement predicted symptoms alleviation. Improvement in body image served to alleviate depressive symptoms.
This multicenter research investigates the effects of dance movement therapy (DMT) on participants diagnosed with depression. In total, 109 persons participated in the study in various locations in Finland. The participants were 39 years old, on average (range = 18-64 years), and most were female (96%). All participants received treatment as usual (TAU). They were randomized into DMT + TAU (n = 52) or TAU only (n = 57). The participants in the DMT + TAU group were offered 20 DMT sessions twice a week for 10 weeks in addition to standard care. The measurement points included pretreatment measurement at the baseline, posttreatment measurement at the end of the intervention, and a follow-up measurement 3 months afterward. The observed effects of the intervention among participants in the DMT+TAU group were a greater reduction in depression and in indicators of physical and psychological distress in comparison to the participants who received TAU-only. At the 3-month follow-up, the corrected between-group effect sizes (ESs) were medium and in favor of the DMT + TAU group (d = 0.60-0.72). These results are in line with the increasing number of research studies showing the benefits of DMT intervention among participants with depression, and these results indicate that DMT may improve the effectiveness of standard care.
This research identified participant profiles in level and changes in depression among working age (18-64 years old) clients (N = 137) diagnosed with depression, who participated in a 20-session dance movement therapy (DMT) intervention. Using Latent Profile Analysis Mild, sharply reducing depression (9%), Mild, reducing depression (58%) and Severe, reducing depression (33%) profiles were established, using Beck Depression Inventory scores gathered at preintervention, post-intervention, and follow-up points. At the pre-intervention point, being in full-time work was related to the Mild, sharply reducing depression profile. Being on a disability pension, having a history of one`s own or a close person`s substance abuse, a more fearful attachment style, and deficiencies in mindfulness skills were related to the Severe, reducing depression profile. All participants benefited from the short-term DMT intervention, which may offer a good outcome for patients with less complex depression, whereas those with more complicated symptomology may require longer treatment.
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