Using a Dance/Movement Therapy-Based Wellness Curriculum: An Adolescent Case Study

This study examined the relationship between an adolescent female’s overall wellness, defined by quality of life, and her participation in a dance/movement therapy (DMT)-based holistic wellness curriculum. The curriculum focused on the topics of nutrition, mindfulness, movement, body image, and friendships. Research indicates that the curriculum topics, holistic wellness models, and DMT are each relatively effective for work with adolescent females, but their combination had yet to be explored using the format of the current study. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered using the Youth Quality of Life-Research Version, as well as parent surveys and session transcriptions. Themes emerging from these data suggest that through engagement with the curriculum the participant increased knowledge about herself and how her body functioned, and that the use of DMT was appropriate in this particular situation. Future in-depth research with groups and different populations is warranted.
Source: American Journal of Dance Therapy - Category: Complementary Medicine Source Type: research