Can dance movement therapy offer benefits for individuals grappling with dementia? While the concept holds promise,current research suggests uncertainty about its effectiveness. A recent review of available studies indicates that more investigation is needed, notably concerning the impact of dance movement therapy on depression in dementia patients.

Understanding Dementia adn Its Treatment

dementia is a condition that impairs cognitive functions such as thinking and memory, affecting a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks. Individuals with dementia may experience difficulties following conversations, confusion, and mood swings, which can lead to communication challenges, loneliness, increased stress, and consequently, depression.

“Dementia affects thinking and memory and how people are able to manage daily tasks.”

Customary treatments for dementia often involve medications aimed at reducing symptoms. However, there’s a growing interest in comprehensive interventions that address the individual holistically, including exploring the potential of dance and other art forms.

Evaluating Dance Movement Therapy

Researchers have sought to evaluate the impact of dance movement therapy on various aspects of life for people with dementia, comparing it to no treatment, standard care, or option therapies. Key outcomes of interest included overall behavioral and mental well-being, cognitive function, depression levels, and quality of life. The goal was also to compare different approaches to dance movement therapy.

To assess the evidence, researchers conducted a thorough review of existing literature, focusing on studies that compared groups of dementia patients undergoing dance movement therapy with control groups. To ensure fairness, participants were randomly assigned to either the therapy group or the control group. Only one study met the inclusion criteria for the review. Conducted in HONG KONG, the study involved 204 participants, some with mild dementia and others with milder cognitive impairments. The study compared dance movement therapy to exercise and a waiting list control group, assessing outcomes at the end of the therapy and again three and nine months later.

Study Findings and limitations

The study revealed no important differences between dance movement therapy and either exercise or the waiting list control group in terms of overall behavior, mental well-being, or cognitive function. However, there was a suggestion of a small beneficial effect of dance movement therapy on depression compared to exercise or the waiting list, with this effect persisting three and nine months after the therapy concluded. Nevertheless, the researchers noted uncertainty regarding whether this effect was ample enough to be clinically meaningful for individuals with dementia.Notably, the study did not assess participants’ quality of life.

The review’s authors caution that the evidence is limited due to the inclusion of only one study. While the study was well-conducted, it included participants with varying degrees of cognitive impairment, raising questions about the applicability of the findings specifically to individuals with dementia. As a result,the researchers remain uncertain about the effectiveness of dance movement therapy for individuals with mild dementia and cannot draw conclusions about its effects on moderate or severe dementia. They emphasize the need for further research to determine whether dance movement therapy offers benefits for individuals with dementia of varying severity.

The evidence presented is based on a literature search conducted up to 8 DECEMBER 2022.