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Article

Effects of Dance Movement Therapy on Adult Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

1
Department of Therapy Sciences, SRH University Heidelberg, 69123 Heidelberg, Germany
2
Department of Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
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Creative Arts Therapies, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
4
University College, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
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SALO AG, Ludwigspl. 9A, 67059 Ludwigshafen, Germany
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Forensic Department, Psychiatrisches Zentrum Nordbaden, Heidelberger Str. 1a, 69168 Wiesloch, Germany
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Psychosomatic Department, Fürst Stirum Klinik Bruchsal, Gutleutstraße 1/14, 76646 Bruchsal, Germany
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Psychiatry Department, Johannes-Diakonie Mosbach, Neckarburkener Str. 2, 74821 Mosbach, Germany
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Research Institute for Creative Arts Therapies (RIArT), Alanus University Alfter, 53347 Alfter, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Behav. Sci. 2018, 8(7), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8070061
Received: 17 April 2018 / Revised: 28 May 2018 / Accepted: 21 June 2018 / Published: 29 June 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Embodied Aesthetics and Interpersonal Resonance)
This study examines the effects of dance movement therapy (DMT) on empathy for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DMT based on the embodiment approach offers body-centered interventions, such as mirroring techniques, to address the needs of ASD patients. Accordingly, findings of a feasibility study suggest that DMT may be an effective approach for clients on the ASD spectrum. The present study is a randomized controlled trial that was conducted as a multicenter study within the framework of the EU-funded research project TESIS (Toward an Embodied Science of Intersubjectivity), and employed a two-factorial between-subject design. The treatment group (n = 35) participated in a 10-week manualized DMT intervention, whereas the control group (n = 22) received treatment only after a waiting period. Empathy, measured with the Cognitive and Emotional Empathy Questionnaire (CEEQ), was the main variable of interest, analyzed by a repeated measures analysis of variance. In order to also include incomplete data cases, we used the expectation-maximization algorithm for missing data estimation. Results suggest no significant changes in overall empathy between groups. We discuss the results and limitations, as well as future research options. View Full-Text
Keywords: dance movement therapy; DMT; autism spectrum disorder (ASD); randomized controlled trial; embodiment; empathy; mirroring dance movement therapy; DMT; autism spectrum disorder (ASD); randomized controlled trial; embodiment; empathy; mirroring
MDPI and ACS Style

Mastrominico, A.; Fuchs, T.; Manders, E.; Steffinger, L.; Hirjak, D.; Sieber, M.; Thomas, E.; Holzinger, A.; Konrad, A.; Bopp, N.; Koch, S.C. Effects of Dance Movement Therapy on Adult Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Behav. Sci. 2018, 8, 61. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8070061

AMA Style

Mastrominico A, Fuchs T, Manders E, Steffinger L, Hirjak D, Sieber M, Thomas E, Holzinger A, Konrad A, Bopp N, Koch SC. Effects of Dance Movement Therapy on Adult Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Behavioral Sciences. 2018; 8(7):61. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8070061

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mastrominico, Anna, Thomas Fuchs, Elizabeth Manders, Lena Steffinger, Dusan Hirjak, Maik Sieber, Elisabeth Thomas, Anja Holzinger, Ariane Konrad, Nina Bopp, and Sabine C. Koch. 2018. "Effects of Dance Movement Therapy on Adult Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial" Behavioral Sciences 8, no. 7: 61. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8070061

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