39 research outputs found
Looking at the big picture
No full textFollowing our quantitative investigation of an intervention based on the combination of Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) and Music Therapy (MT) with adults diagnosed with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), we aim to expand our knowledge of the impact of this intervention. For this reason, we have drawn upon transcendental phenomenology to explore the life-worlds of the relatives and caregivers of clients at the care centre for adults with severe ASD where the intervention took place. Relevant results include the new, awakened interest towards this therapy combination among the caregivers and the relatives, the perceived in-session and off-session improvements in the adults with ASD (regarding aspects such as concentration, relaxation, body awareness, daily satisfaction, and happiness), the areas deemed non-affected (such as showing frustration and the clients with ASD’ social interactions) and insights on the duration of the effects of this intervention on adults with ASD. In the discussion, we contrast our results with those of previous studies on MT and DMT and highlight the need for further research on this therapy combination with autistic adults
Dance Movement Psychotherapy for the Wellbeing of Children on the Autism Spectrum and their Caregivers: A Mixed-Methods Study
Get PDFArts Therapies Research and Practice with Persons on the Autism Spectrum:Colourful Hatchlings
No full textThis volume presents cutting-edge research and practice on Creative Arts Therapies or Arts Therapies for individuals on the autism spectrum of all ages, outlining the development of effective and accessible approaches to support the diverse needs of this client group.Consisting of 14 research-based chapters with contributions from over 30 authors from across the world, the book brings together research from art, music, drama, dance, movement and other forms of art therapies. The book demonstrates how arts therapies have evolved over the years to address the health and social care needs of people on the autism spectrum and their caregivers. Chapters explore the implications of arts therapies across a spectrum of needs in various settings and offer a comprehensive picture including a variety of research outcomes and therapeutic processes, and critiques both of existing practice and research methodologies.The book will be key reading for researchers, scholars and clinicians from dance movement therapy, music therapy, art therapy, dramatherapy and expressive arts therapies. It will also be of interest to post-graduate students and mental health professionals working with children, adults and families of individuals on the autism spectrum
Effectiveness of Dance Movement Therapy in the Treatment of Adults With Depression:A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses
Get PDFBackground: Depression is the largest cause of mental ill health worldwide. Although interventions such as Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) may offer interesting and acceptable treatment options, current clinical guidelines do not include these interventions in their recommendations mainly because of what is perceived as insufficient research evidence. The 2015 Cochrane review on DMT for depression includes only three studies leading to inconclusive results. In a small and underfunded field such as DMT, expensive multi-centered Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are as yet rare. It is therefore, necessary to not only capture evidence from RCTs, but to also look beyond such designs in order to identify and assess the range of current evidence.Methods: We therefore conducted a systematic review of studies that aimed to explore the effectiveness in the use of DMT with people with depression. This led to a qualitative narrative synthesis. We also performed meta-analyses that calculated the effect size for all included studies, studies with RCT designs only, followed by a subgroup analysis and a sensitivity analysis. In all meta-analyses a random effects model was used with Standardized Mean Differences (SMD) to accommodate for the heterogeneity of studies and outcome measures.Results: From the 817 studies reviewed, eight studies were identified as meeting our inclusion criteria. Three hundred and fifty one people with depression (mild to severe) participated, 192 of whom attended DMT groups while receiving treatment as usual (TAU) and 159 received TAU only. Qualitative findings suggest there was a decrease in depression scores in favor of DMT groups in all studies. Subgroup analysis performed on depression scores before and 3 months after the completion of DMT groups suggested changes in favor of the DMT groups. When sensitivity analysis was performed, RCTs at high risk of bias were excluded, leaving only studies with adult clients up to the age of 65. In these studies, the highest effect size was found favoring DMT plus TAU for adults with depression, when compared to TAU only.Conclusions: Based on studies with moderate to high quality, we concluded that DMT is an effective intervention in the treatment of adults with depression. Furthermore, by drawing on a wide range of designs with diverse quality, we were able to compile a comprehensive picture of relevant trends relating to the use of DMT in the treatment of depression. Despite the fact that there remains a paucity of high-quality studies, the results have relevance to both policy-making and clinical practice, and become a platform for further research
Student Psychotherapists' Experiences of Self‐Empathy: An Interpretative Poetic Inquiry
Get PDFBackground: Interpersonal empathy is a well‐researched concept in the counselling and psychotherapy literature, although less is known about how it is experienced at an intrapersonal level. What is known is that self‐empathy involves a change in perspective and a re‐evaluation of events, in kinder and less judgemental ways. Aim: The aim of this study was to understand and appreciate the meaning of self‐empathy to trainee creative psychotherapists. The research was in the context of the students' own self‐care and intrapersonal relating. Methodology and Methods: An interpretative poetic inquiry design was utilised. Interviews were conducted with 4 trainee creative psychotherapists at a university in the Northwest of England, UK. Results: Self‐empathy was experienced as a process, often involving several aspects of the self, to understand and accept feelings and events in the context of self‐care. Development of self‐empathy involved internal dialoguing through activities such as journaling, poetry writing, meditation, and being outdoors. The use of interpretative poetic inquiry enabled the emotional aspects of the data to be distilled and combined reflexively with the experiences of the researchers. Conclusions: This research provides contemporary insights into the experiences of self‐empathy from the perspective of a small number of trainee creative psychotherapists. It has implications for students in terms of self‐understanding and self‐care, and for educators, to inform future psychotherapist preparation and curriculum development. Finally, there are implications for future research using interpretative poetic inquiry as a reflexive approach, which embraces the presence of the researcher in the research
Conclusion:Inside-Out and Beyond
No full textThe use of Pokemon in Dyer’s case study offers a good illustration of how therapy is shaped to meet the client’s frame of mind. Some argue that manualisation restricts practices and acts as a hindrance to the development of a therapeutic relationship. The time when solo practices were important to define disciplines and secure qualifications, professional requirements and employment appears to be giving way to collaboration and combining practices in order to meet needs and improve clinical practice. It is possible that specific creative and non verbal techniques can be shared amongst families and friends who are willing to meet people with autism where they are and interact in their preferred ways of interacting, i.e., visually, bodily and digitally. It may also be possible to offer therapeutic support to careers vulnerable to burnout, as argued in some of our studies with caregivers.</p
Arts and creative arts therapies for dementia:Summary report from an overview of systematic reviews
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Arts and creative arts therapies for dementia:Summary report from an overview of systematic reviews
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Introduction:Steering the Road Map of Arts Therapies Research with Persons on the Autism Spectrum
No full textIndividual differences among human beings are probably as infinite as the colors in the electromagnetic spectrum. The deficit model identifies interventions aiming towards outcomes that potentially modify behaviours perceived as challenging, behaviours that typically do not fit within societal norms. Arts therapies/Creative arts therapies is a collective term that refers to the disciplines of art therapy/psychotherapy, music therapy, dramatherapy and dance movement therapy/psychotherapy, all of which use artistic media for therapeutic interaction, engagement and eventually therapeutic change. Differences in perception of the autism spectrum are also reflected in the choice of research designs and approaches. This chapter traces the journey of a music therapist with training in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) prototyping a digital music therapy approach with autistic children. Celebrated in the chapter is the power of genuine connections through the medium of art, making a real difference to ways of being.</p
Dance movement psychotherapy intervention protocol for the caregivers of children on the autism spectrum: Development and fidelity evaluation
Get PDFCaregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face significant challenges as the demands of their role often surpass the resources available to them. Aiming to support the emotional and social wellbeing of caregivers, such as parents and teachers of children with ASD, a dance movement psychotherapy (DMP) intervention protocol was developed and implemented in a feasibility and process evaluation project. This article describes the development, and discusses the fidelity assessment, of the DMP intervention protocol. The fidelity assessment was conducted by calculating inter-rater reliability between three raters (therapist, researcher and external expert) on a 5-point Likert questionnaire through retrospective video analysis of the sessions. The results showed good agreement among the raters with a maximum mean difference of 0.57. High (75 % and above) adherence to the protocol was noted for 11 out of 12 criteria. The article critically evaluates the strengths and challenges of conducting a fidelity assessment of an intervention protocol. The overall structure and components of all the sessions of the protocol are illustrated in line with the template for intervention description and replication (TIDieR) checklist and guidelines to offer growing opportunities for replicable DMP intervention-based studies.</p
