Embodying kinaesthetic empathy through interdisciplinary practice-based research

Moments of Meeting in DMT: Characteristics and Implications from the Subjective Experience of Therapists

Moments of meeting (MoM) are characterized by instances of special intersubjective connection between the therapist and patient which causes a change in the implicit relational knowing (IRK) of both individuals. MoM have been widely described for non-creative arts therapies, but there is little information about their characteristics in dance/movement therapy (DMT). This study seeks to explore and characterize the MoM in DMT from the perception of professional therapists. Nine dance/movement therapists (dmts) were consulted using a multimodal approach that travels between writing and movement (Panhofer, 2011) and data were examined using qualitative content analysis. The results show that the characteristics of MoM can be grouped into three categories: (1) relationship (shared experience, experience of fusion, security and kinesthetic empathy) (2) emotion (emotional intensity and genuine affection) and (3) movement (physical closeness, eye contact, emergency, irruption of the present and release of the flow). These results are contrasted with what was originally proposed by the Boston Group (Lyons-Ruth et al in Infant Ment Health J 19(3):282–289, https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1097-0355(199823)19:3<282::aid-imhj3>3.0.co;2-o, 1998) and recently by Duarte et al. (Psychother Res 31:1–14, https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2021.1948138, 2021) and Lauffenburger (Am J Dance Ther 42(1):16–32, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10465-020-09321-y, 2020), finding similarities and new elements exclusive to DMT. This work contributes to a deeper understanding and conceptualization of MoM in the specific field of DMT and its clinical practice.

A Systematic Review of the Contribution of Dance Movement Psychotherapy Towards the Well-Being of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Background: The present review provides an original examination of published literature on the use of Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP) as an intervention for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Method: The review was systematically conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A protocol consisting of four phases: identification; screening and selection; data extraction and synthesis; quality assurance was developed and registered with the PROSPERO. A search strategy was developed using population and intervention as the key concepts and ten databases were searched between 6.1.2018 to 4.4.2018 and 10.07.2021 to 20.07.2021. The intervention characteristics were extracted based on the TIDieR template for intervention description and replication checklist. Quality assessment and level of evidence of all the included studies were evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) for treatment criteria.

Results: Nine research studies with a total of 133 participants were identified through a systematic search process. There was only one mixed-methods study with the component of randomisation found during the literature search. Collected information was synthesised in relation to (a) ways in which dance movement psychotherapists work with children; (b) data collection methods and findings. Results from the reviewed literature suggest that DMP can potentially promote various aspects of well-being in children with ASD. Eight out of nine studies mentioned the effects of DMP on improving different social and communication skills. However, results from quality assessments and synthesised outcomes indicate that research in DMP is still in its infancy.

Conclusions: We conclude that further large-scale, high-quality studies are required to generate further evidence that explains the processes involved in DMP, the effectiveness of DMP, the relationship between therapeutic factors of DMP, and research findings for children on the autism spectrum.

Systematic Review Protocol Registration: PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42018087912.

Implementing Silent Disco Headphones in a Hospital Unit: A Qualitative Study of Feasibility, Acceptance, and Experience Among Patients and Staff

INTRODUCTION

Music is so widely available and inexpensive in the modern world; it is a common option for stress reduction, comfort and enjoyment. Silent disco headphones are used among young people; however, no study has yet investigated whether it is feasible to use these headphones to support mental health and well-being among older people with dementia in hospital settings.

OBJECTIVE

The study's main objective is to explore whether music delivered by silent disco headphones was feasible and acceptable to a sample of inpatients staying in an older adult mental health unit of a large urban hospital.

METHODS

We employed a video-ethnographic design in data collection, including conversational interviews and observations with video recording among ten patient participants in a hospital unit. A focus group was conducted with ten hospital staff on the unit.

RESULTS

Our analysis identified three themes that represented experiences of patients and staff: (1) perceived usefulness, (2) perceived ease of use, and (3) attitude. Patient participants reported the music delivered by the headphones brought positive benefits. Witnessing the positive effects on patients influenced the staff's view of how music could be used in the clinical setting to support patients' well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

The music delivered by the silent disco headphones in an older adult mental health unit was found to be an acceptable and feasible intervention for patients. Leadership support is identified as an enabling factor in supporting technology adoption in the clinical setting. The findings can be used to inform practice development and future research.

Exploring Pictorial Health Education Tools for Long-Term Home Care: A Qualitative Perspective

Regarding long-term home care needs, nurses need to communicate effectively and reasonably when teaching home caregivers. Designers can assist medical staff and develop pictorial tools to enhance communication. The purpose of this study is to explore a theoretical basis from the perspective of designers, patients’ home caregivers, and medical staff to construct a theoretical framework that can jointly develop pictorial health education tools and healthcare system. The qualitative methods, including in-depth interview and observation, are applied to this study; ground theory sets out to construct a framework from the verbatim transcript of the interviews. Based on interview results, six axial codes were extracted: (1) the method of interdisciplinary cooperation; (2) medical research ethics; (3) communication methods; (4) forms of health education tools; (5) development of health education tools; (6) home care intubation procedure. Eight groups of home caregivers offered suggestions from their experiences. The designers need to assist medical staff to solve real problems, pay attention to professional norms, and forms of cooperation. Health education tools need to meet the needs of medical staff and home caregivers and designers should pay attention to the processes of communication. This study can also assist in interdisciplinary cooperation to explore the theoretical basis of pictorial health education tools for nurses in the context of long-term care at home.

Effectiveness of Dance Movement Therapy in the Treatment of Adults With Depression: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses

Background: 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.