Exploring the impact of a clinical dance therapy program on the mobility of adults with a neurological condition using a single-case experimental design

ABSTRACT

Background

This study built upon previous quasi-experimental design research studying the effectiveness of a 12-week dance therapy program for persons with a physical disability (DTPD) aiming to improve mobility.

Methods

We conducted a single-case experimental design (SCED), including pre- and post-interventions measures, with seven participants with repeated measures during pre-dance (A1), dance program (B) and post-dance phases (A2).

Results

Five participants completed the study and significantly (p < 0.05) improved their scores on the MiniBESTest; 2/5 and 4/5 improved scores for the 4 Square Step Test and the Multidirectional Reach Test–Behind, respectively, with very large effect size (ES). Aggregated ES (A1-A2) went from moderate to very large.

Conclusions

Results support the effectiveness of the DTPD program for adults with neurological conditions, and for the use of SCED to explore effectiveness of dance interventions for heterogeneous cohorts.

KEYWORDS:

• Rehabilitation
• dance therapy
• single-case experimental design
• neurological condition
• mobility

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the contributions of the 4^th year physiotherapy students at Université de Montréal in identifying the outcome measures used: Camille Charlebois, Roxanne Pelletier, Maude Provost and Anne Nhu Truc Vu.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the Fonds de recherche santé Québec [260816].