The effects of a dance intervention on somatic symptoms and emotional distress in adolescent girls: A randomized controlled trial

Effect of Latin dance on physical and mental health: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Latin dance is a well-liked physical activity. It has gained increasing attention as an exercise intervention for improving physical and mental health outcomes. This systematic review examines the effects of Latin dance on physical and mental health.

METHODS

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) were used to report the data for this review. To gather research from the literature, we used recognized academic and scientific databases such SportsDiscus with Full Text, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. The systematic review only included 22 studies out of the 1,463 that matched all inclusion criteria. The PEDro scale was used to rate each study's quality. 22 research received scores between 3 and 7.

RESULTS

Latin dance has been demonstrated to promote physical health by helping people lose weight, improve cardiovascular health, increase muscle strength and tone, and improve flexibility and balance. Furthermore, Latin dance can benefit mental health by reducing stress, improving mood, social connection, and cognitive function.

CONCLUSIONS

Finding from this systematic review provide substantial evidence that Latin dance has effect on physical and mental health. Latin dance has the potential to be a powerful and pleasurable public health intervention.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

CRD42023387851, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero .

The Cost-Effectiveness of a Dance and Yoga Intervention for Girls with Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders

BACKGROUND

Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) affect children worldwide, being more prevalent among girls. The individual and societal burdens of the disease are substantial, and evidence-based interventions are needed. Non-pharmacological treatments have generally produced promising results, with dance and yoga specifically having potential as an effective treatment option. Beside efficacy, the cost-effectiveness of interventions is important when prioritizing and allocating public resources.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of an 8-month dance and yoga intervention for girls with functional abdominal pain or irritable bowel syndrome, based on a randomized control trial called 'Just in TIME'.

METHODS

The intervention, performed in Sweden, was studied using a decision analysis tool, i.e., a decision tree within the trial followed by a Markov model with a time horizon of 10 years. The base case considered healthcare costs as well as productivity losses, measuring the effects in gained quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and presenting an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).

RESULTS

The base case results show that the intervention, compared with current practice, was the dominant strategy from both the 12-month and long-term perspectives. The sensitivity analyses indicated that the long-term, but not the short-term, findings were robust for different assumptions and changes in parameter estimates, resulting in ICERs similar to those of the base case scenario.

CONCLUSIONS

Offering dance and yoga to young girls with FAPDs generates small QALY gains and monetary savings compared with standard healthcare and is likely cost-effective. These findings make a valuable contribution to an area where evidence-based and cost-effective treatment interventions are needed.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02920268; Name: Just in TIME-Intervention With Dance and Yoga for Girls With Recurrent Abdominal Pain.

A scoping review of interventions using occupation to improve mental health or mental wellbeing in adolescent populations

Introduction

Occupation-based interventions could help to address a growing mental health crisis among young people and adolescents. To develop new interventions and avoid research waste, a review of the academic literature is needed that systematically identifies and describes interventions designed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of 11–25 year-olds.

Aim

The scoping review aims to systematically review the academic, literature to identify and describe key characteristics of intervention studies using occupation to improve adolescents’ and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, exploring the range of interventions, reviewing reporting quality and illuminating gaps for further research.

Method

An iteratively developed scoping review protocol informs a systematic database search and review of the literature. Core characteristics are extracted and described, using the TIDIER guidelines and the CASP assessment tool.

Results

Five occupational therapy-based interventions, and 69 other occupation-based studies representing a wide breadth of approaches, outcomes and settings were identified.

Conclusions

Robust development, testing and reporting of occupation-based and occupation-focused intervention studies to promote and support mental health and wellbeing in adolescents and young people are needed. Interventions should be co-designed, developmentally appropriate and scaffold development. However, better agreement is needed about core outcomes measurement in this area.

The Physiological and Psychological Benefits of Dance and its Effects on Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Background: The aim of this review was to examine the physiological and psychological benefits of dance and its effects on children and adolescents. We consider the therapeutic benefits of dance and outline the potential of dance as an alternative therapy for certain pathologies and medical disorders. Secondly, we summarize the types of dances used in physical interventions, and comment on the methodologies used. Finally, we consider the use of dance as a different exercise modality that may have benefits for increased physical activity generally, and for increased physical education provision in schools.

Methods: A structured search strategy was conducted using the databases of PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of science, PsycARTICLES, and Social Science database. This review used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for systematic reviews. Studies that were published in the past 20 years were considered for inclusion. All written publications were searched for in English, and all articles included in this review were peer reviewed full papers.

Conclusion: The key findings from this review indicate that dance is a feasible alternative to traditional physical activity. The findings also indicate that dance provides physiological and psychological benefits to healthy and medically compromised populations. Implementation of dance programs in schools and society generally needs serious consideration by policy makers. We hope that the results of this review stimulate debate and provide the necessary evidence to profile dance as a viable alternative medium of physical activity. Comprehensive and integrated changes will be needed including economical and legislative support from politicians and associated governmental agencies. The findings reported here are important and have implications for health policy change, reconfiguration, and implementation.

School educational models and child mental health among K-12 students: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

The promotion of mental health among children and adolescents is a public health imperative worldwide, and schools have been proposed as the primary and targeted settings for mental health promotion for students in grades K-12. This review sought to provide a comprehensive understanding of key factors involved in models of school education contributing to student mental health development, interrelationships among these factors and the cross-cultural differences across nations and societies.

METHODS

This scoping review followed the framework of Arksey and O'Malley and holistically reviewed the current evidence on the potential impacts of school-related factors or school-based interventions on student mental health in recent 5 years based on the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and PsycExtra databases.

RESULTS/FINDINGS

After screening 558 full-texts, this review contained a total of 197 original articles on school education and student mental health. Based on the five key factors (including curriculum, homework and tests, physical activities, interpersonal relationships and after-school activities) identified in student mental development according to thematic analyses, a multi-component school educational model integrating academic, social and physical factors was proposed so as to conceptualize the five school-based dimensions for K-12 students to promote student mental health development.

CONCLUSIONS

The lessons learned from previous studies indicate that developing multi-component school strategies to promote student mental health remains a major challenge. This review may help establish appropriate school educational models and call for a greater emphasis on advancement of student mental health in the K-12 school context among different nations or societies.

The Effectiveness of Plaza Dancing on Psychological Well-Being and Ill-Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Evidence suggests that participation in plaza dancing may affect mental health. This study for the first time quantified the relationships between plaza dancing and psychological well-being and ill-being. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP to identify relevant studies published from the databases since their inception to July 25, 2021. The standardized mean differences (SMDs) of pre-to-post intervention data were calculated in the meta-analysis. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed to test the potential moderating effects of age, outcome classification, measurement instruments, district, publication year, total sample size, and the duration, frequency, and length of the square dance intervention. A total of 25 original articles met all the eligibility criteria and were included in the review, and 17 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that plaza dancing improved psychological well-being (pooled SMD = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.95; I 2 = 86.9%) and reduced psychological ill-being (pooled SMD = -0.84; 95% CI: -1.00, -0.68; I 2 = 64.8%). The study participants' age and district did not seem to affect the effectiveness of the plaza dancing intervention. The duration and frequency of plaza dancing affected the association between square dance and psychological well-being (duration, β = -0.044; 95% CI: -0.085, -0.004; frequency, β = 0.122; 95% CI: 0.024, 0.221) and psychological ill-being (duration, β = -0.029; 95% CI: -0.040, -0.018; frequency, β = 0.154; 95% CI: 0.030, 0.278). Plaza dancing has a significant positive effect on psychological well-being and psychological ill-being, and the effects are moderated by intervention modality. Generalizing plaza dancing interventions to promote psychological well-being and prevent or treat psychological ill-being is needed.

Systematic Review Registration

[www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero], identifier [CRD42021272016].

Saliva Cortisol in Girls With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Dance and Yoga Intervention

INTRODUCTION

Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are common among girls and has been associated with stress. Cortisol is one of the major stress hormones. Dance and yoga have been shown to reduce abdominal pain among girls with FAPDs.

AIM

To investigate the effect of an 8-month intervention with dance and yoga on cortisol levels in saliva among girls with FAPDs.

METHODS

A total of 121 girls aged 9-13 years with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or functional abdominal pain were included in the study. Participants were randomized into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group attended a combined dance and yoga session twice a week for 8 months. Saliva samples were collected during 1 day, in the morning and evening, at baseline, and at 4 and 8 months. Subjective pain and stress were assessed as well.

RESULTS

No significant effects on saliva cortisol levels between groups were observed after completion of the intervention at 8 months. However, evening cortisol and evening/morning quotient were significantly reduced at 4 months in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.01, p = 0.004). There was no association between cortisol quota and pain or stress.

CONCLUSION

Improvements in cortisol levels were seen in the intervention group at 4 months but did not persist until the end of the study. This indicates that dance and yoga could have a stress-reducing effect during the ongoing intervention.

Dance and yoga reduced functional abdominal pain in young girls: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) affect children, especially girls, all over the world. The evidence for existing treatments is mixed, and effective accessible treatments are needed. Dance, a rhythmic cardio-respiratory activity, combined with yoga, which enhances relaxation and focus, may provide physiological and psychological benefits that could help to ease pain.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a dance and yoga intervention on maximum abdominal pain in 9- to 13-year- old girls with FAPDs.

METHODS

This study was a prospective randomized controlled trial with 121 participants recruited from outpatient clinics as well as the general public. The intervention group participated in dance and yoga twice weekly for 8 months; controls received standard care. Abdominal pain, as scored on the Faces Pain Scale-Revised, was recorded in a pain diary. A linear mixed model was used to estimate the outcomes and effect sizes.

RESULTS

Dance and yoga were superior to standard health care alone, with a medium to high between-group effect size and significantly greater pain reduction (b = -1.29, p = 0.002) at the end of the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

An intervention using dance and yoga is likely a feasible and beneficial complementary treatment to standard health care for 9- to 13-year-old girls with FAPDs.

SIGNIFICANCE

FAPDs affect children, especially girls, all over the world. The negative consequences such as absence from school, high consumption of medical care and depression pose a considerable burden on children and their families and effective treatments are needed. This is the first study examining a combined dance/yoga intervention for young girls with FAPDs and the result showed a reduction of abdominal pain. These findings contribute with new evidence in the field of managing FAPDs in a vulnerable target group.

Social Capital as a Mediator in the Link between Women's Participation in Team Sports and Health-Related Outcomes

The role of social capital in the association between team sports and health-related outcomes has not been well established in the literature. The purpose of this study was to explore whether social capital components (social support, trust, and social involvement) mediate the association between team sports and health-related outcomes (self-reported health, psychosomatic symptoms, and depressive symptoms). In a cross-sectional research design, we obtained data from 759 participants in the Mamanet Cachibol League, a community team sports model for women in Israel, as well as a comparison group of 308 women who did not participate in any team sports. Team captains were sent a link with an online questionnaire, which were then delivered to team members via text message. Using three parallel mediation models, we found that social support mediated the association between team sports and self-reported health, psychosomatic symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Trust mediated the association between team sports and both psychosomatic symptoms and depressive symptoms. Social involvement was not found to be a mediator in the association between team sports and any of the health-related outcomes. Our findings reveal the important role of social capital, specifically social support and trust, in promoting the health of women who participate in team sports.

A Philosophical Review of School Nursing Framed by the Holistic Nursing Theory of Barbara Dossey

This article is a philosophical review of school nursing and its constructs framed by Barbara Dossey's holistic nursing theory. The author describes the application of holistic nursing theory within the school nurse's area of activity. The review suggests that holistic nursing theory can be applied in several areas of school nursing. School nurses have a multifaceted occupation that includes meetings with students, parents, and school staff. Barbara Dossey's holistic nursing theory offers the school nurse tools to deal with people's varied experiences, feelings, and needs.

Effects of an African Circle Dance Programme on Internally Displaced Persons with Depressive Symptoms: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are people who have been forced to flee their homes due to disasters. Depressive symptoms, at over 31–67%, are prevalent in IDPs in Africa. Despite the evidence for the benefits of the promotion of dance interventions on psychological health, supporting information is needed to outline the benefits of an African Circle Dance (ACD) intervention for IDPs in Africa. Methods: A quasi-experimental design (pre-/post-test) was employed. Two IDP camps were randomized into the intervention group (psychoeducation and ACD intervention) and the control group (psychoeducation). Adults aged ≥18 years, living in an IDP camp, able to perform brisk walking, and who scored ≥10 on a depressive symptoms subscale were recruited. The intervention group received an 8-week ACD dance intervention and two 1-h psychoeducation sessions on stress management; the controls only received the psychoeducation sessions. Outcomes were depressive symptoms, stress, and anxiety. Data were collected at baseline (T0), immediately after the intervention at week 8 (T1), and at week 12 (T2) at the post-intervention and follow-up session. A generalized estimating equation was used to test the effects of the ACD intervention, with a 0.05 significance level. Results: 198 IDPs completed the study (n_control = 98; n_intervention = 100). The intervention group reported significantly greater improvements in depressive symptoms (v = 0.33, p < 0.001) and stress (v = 0.15, 0.008) than did the control group. Conclusions: ACD could be a valuable complementary intervention in health promotion but more research is needed.

An Intervention With Dance and Yoga for Girls With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders (Just in TIME): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) affect many children worldwide, predominantly girls, and cause considerable long-term negative consequences for individuals and society. Evidence-based and cost-effective treatments are therefore strongly needed. Physical activity has shown promising effects in the practical management of FAPDs. Dance and yoga are both popular activities that have been shown to provide significant psychological and pain-related benefits with minimal risk. The activities complement each other, in that dance involves dynamic, rhythmic physical activity, while yoga enhances relaxation and focus.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a dance and yoga intervention among girls aged 9 to 13 years with FAPDs.

METHODS

The study is a prospective randomized controlled trial among girls aged 9 to 13 years with functional abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, or both. The target sample size was 150 girls randomized into 2 arms: an intervention arm that receives dance and yoga sessions twice weekly for 8 months and a control arm that receives standard care. Outcomes will be measured at baseline and after 4, 8, 12, and 24 months, and long-term follow-up will be conducted 5 years from baseline. Questionnaires, interviews, and biomarker measures, such as cortisol in saliva and fecal microbiota, will be used. The primary outcome is the proportion of girls in each group with reduced pain, as measured by the faces pain scale-revised in a pain diary, immediately after the intervention. Secondary outcomes are gastrointestinal symptoms, general health, mental health, stress, and physical activity. The study also includes qualitative evaluations and health economic analyses. This study was approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board in Uppsala (No. 2016/082 1-2).

RESULTS

Data collection began in October 2016. The intervention has been performed in 3 periods from 2016 through 2019. The final 5-year follow-up is anticipated to be completed by fall 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

Cost-effective and easily accessible interventions are warranted to reduce the negative consequences arising from FAPDs in young girls. Physical activity is an effective strategy, but intervention studies are needed to better understand what types of activities facilitate regular participation in this target group. The Just in TIME (Try, Identify, Move, and Enjoy) study will provide insights regarding the effectiveness of dance and yoga and is anticipated to contribute to the challenging work of reducing the burden of FAPDs for young girls.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02920268); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02920268.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/19748.

Yoga and Aerobic Dance for Pain Management in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is one of the most common types of arthritis among children. According to JIA guidelines for physical activity (PA), structured PA interventions led to improved health outcomes. However, many PA programs, such as yoga and aerobic dance, have not been studied in this population despite being popular among youth. Web-based PA programs could provide patients with accessible and affordable interventions.

Objective

The primary aims of the proposed pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) are to examine (1) the feasibility of conducting a full-scale RCT to evaluate the effectiveness of two popular types of PA: a yoga training program and an aerobic dance training program, in female adolescents (aged 13-18 years) with JIA compared with an electronic pamphlet control group; and (2) the acceptability of these interventions.

Methods

A three-arm prospective randomized open-label study with a parallel group design will be used. A total of 25 female adolescents with JIA who have pain will be randomized in a ratio of 2:2:1 to one of the 3 groups: (1) online yoga training program (group A: n=10); (2) online aerobic dance training program (group B: n=10); and (3) electronic pamphlet control group (group C: n=5). Participants in groups A and B will complete 3 individual 1-hour sessions per week using online exercise videos, as well as a 1-hour virtual group session per week using a videoconferencing platform for 12 weeks. Participants from all groups will have access to an electronic educational pamphlet on PA for arthritis developed by the Arthritis Society. All participants will also take part in weekly online consultations with a research coordinator and discussions on Facebook with participants from their own group. Feasibility (ie, recruitment rate, self-reported adherence to the interventions, dropout rates, and percentage of missing data), acceptability, and usability of Facebook and the videoconferencing platform will be assessed at the end of the program. Pain intensity, participation in general PA, morning stiffness, functional status, fatigue, self-efficacy, patient global assessment, disease activity, and adverse events will be assessed using self-administered electronic surveys at baseline and then weekly until the end of the 12-week program.

Results

This pilot RCT has been funded by the Arthritis Health Professions Association. This protocol was approved by the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Ethics Board (#17/08X). As of May 11, 2020, recruitment and data collection have not started.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the effectiveness of yoga and aerobic dance as pain management interventions for female adolescents with JIA. The use of online programs to disseminate these 2 PA interventions may facilitate access to alternative methods of pain management. This study can lead to a full-scale RCT.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/12823