A dance movement therapy group for depressed adult patients in a psychiatric outpatient clinic: effects of the treatment

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…

Body image and depression

Abstract This chapter presents research findings on body image in depression sufferers. Body image is here considered to consist of three elements: image properties, body-self, and body memory. In depressed patients, the body image has characteristics typical to the disorder, influencing how they relate to themselves and their environment. Typical to the body image of depression sufferers experience low energy, discomfort in the body during social interaction, and a tendency to distance oneself from sensing the body. While having this fragmented connection to their own bodies, patients tend to ruminate on how others perceive them. Compared with standard care, dance movement therapy group tr…

Change in body image among depressed adult outpatients after a dance movement therapy group treatment

Abstract This study reports on the body image of depressed psychiatric outpatients, and the impact thereon of a dance movement therapy (DMT) group. Body image is perceived as a tri-partite construct consisting of image-properties, body-self, and body memory. Depressed patients in an outpatient mental health service participated in a DMT group treatment consisting of twelve 90-min long sessions in groups of 4–7 patients. Patients (N = 18) responded to a structured Body Image Assessment (BIA) before and after the treatment. Initially, the depressed patients’ body image was characterized by fragmentation, distortions, and shallowness of body awareness. The DMT group treatment aimed to offer th…

Dance movement therapy for depressed clients : Profiles of the level and changes in depression

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 pre-intervention, 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 c…

Masentuneen kehonkuva ja tanssi-liiketerapian vaikutus siihen

"Kun käsistä tuli siivet" : tanssi-liiketerapiaryhmään osallistuneiden ruumiilliset muistot

The Profiles of Body Image Associate With Changes in Depression Among Participants in Dance Movement Therapy Group

This mixed-methods study analyzed the body image quality of 143 patients with depression. The participants received a 20 × 75 min dance movement therapy (DMT) group treatment, sessions twice a week. Body Image Assessment (BIA) was the data collection tool, with pre-, post-, and 3-mos follow-up assessments. Pre-intervention body image quality characteristics were low energy and activity levels, discomfort, shame and disgust toward the body, tension in social interactions. On the BIA scores, a statistical method of Latent Profile Analysis was utilized to identify participant profiles in the data. The two identified profiles were participant with initial negative body image and participant wit…

The Effects of Dance Movement Therapy in the Treatment of Depression: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial in Finland

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 me…