Explore the vast range of titles available.

The Moving Child II film provides in depth exploration of how essential and dynamic movement can be integrated into the life, learning and healing of children. With case studies using Dance/Movement Therapy with children and youth, the film links dynamic, creative and expressive movement with physical, social, emotional and cognitive issues, growth and healing. Board Certified Dance Therapists demonstrate case studies and show best practices for engaging children's bodies, minds and hearts, sharing movement ideas for teachers, therapists, parents and caregivers in relationship with children.

The contributors draw on their professional experience in school and community settings to describe a wide variety of suitable therapeutic interventions that enable children to deal with experiences of trauma, loss, abuse, and other risk factors that may affect their ability to reach their full academic and personal potentials.

This classic and universally acclaimed documentary demonstrates the importance and the delights of experiencing one's body. It provides a unique record of dance therapist Janet Adler working to develop movement awareness with normal and emotionally disturbed children and with a group of teachers. The highlight is an unforgettable sequence in which Adler works individually with two autistic girls aged two and five and gradually, through body movement, brings them out of their shells and isolation. She begins by trying to enter their world in their terms, and reflects their movements until they recognize her responses. Little by little each child develops trust in the relationship until they transform it into an infantile and symbiotic mother-child relationship: they want to be held constantly and explore all parts of the therapist's body. Finally, each child becomes aware that the relationship consists of two different people, and the film captures the joyful emergence of physical and emotional experiences shared for the first time. Janet Adler comments that in our over-intellectualized society we tend to forget that our first sense of the world was a body sense, and that the more we can reduce the gap between body language and verbal language, the more honest we can be with ourselves and others. For a more recent work featuring Janet Adler, see 'Still Looking.' 'Looking for Me' is of interest to anyone concerned with autism, mental health, nonverbal communication, movement therapy, and psychology. It was directed by Virginia Bartlett and Norris Brock for the Shady Lane School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was written and narrated by and features Janet Adler.

Recent studies refer to physical expressions in different attachment patterns and indicate that identifying physical expressions can contribute to clinical understanding and assist in building treatment plans. However, there is a lack of research identifying and mapping physical manifestations of anxiety symptoms as they appear. Addressing this lacuna in the context of treatment can assist clinicians in devising effective treatment plans. Using a participatory observation study process, this study examined the mental and physical characteristics of children coping with anxiety symptoms during dance/movement therapy (DMT) sessions, as recorded in therapy logs of eight patients, aged 8–11 who underwent one to two years of treatment. The therapy logs were analyzed based on the Milner method for subjective autobiographical writing and psychoanalytical self-exploration. The findings revealed four themes: (1) disconnection to connection; (2) avoidance to presence; (3) merging to independence; and (4) control to release. In each theme, patterns were identified regarding movement in relation to others, body positions, movement in space, and transference and countertransference physical and mental patterns. The findings illustrate that movement occurs in the mind and body, and that physical and mental patterns coincide. Our insights can lead to a holistic understanding of how anxiety manifests in the body and mind, providing a foundation for a diagnostic model than can help in devising more effective treatment plans for children with anxiety symptoms.

Loneliness and physical inactivity are issues that affect both young people and older adults. This can have negative health outcomes and well as high costs on health services. Physical activity can positively influence both physical and psychosocial health outcomes, however enjoyment is necessary for adherence. Combining exercise with arts-based activities can improve enjoyment for older adults and young people. Dance has been found to be a safe and enjoyable form of physical activity that can be equally or more effective than conventional exercise options. Intergenerational interventions can improve relationships between generations. The aim of this scoping review was to collate and map the available evidence for intergenerational dance. This scoping review followed the guidance outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute. A systematic search of nine multidisciplinary databases and four repositories was conducted. Inclusion criteria were intergenerational dance or movement to music programmes. Exclusion criteria included dance movement therapy or groups with less than one generational gap. Data were extracted and summarised using narrative synthesis and research papers were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The search identified eleven research studies, seven expert opinion/practice expertise and 13 sources from the grey literature. Dance classes were typically 11-12 weeks long. Genres varied with some programmes including co-creation through choreography. Experiences and social outcomes were the most assessed outcomes, with a lack of studies examining physical outcomes. Participants reported enjoying the programmes stating they felt proud for taking part and looked forward to sessions. The term intergenerational was not defined in any paper. Intergenerational dance is an emerging area of research. Many programmes run in communities but are not researched, therefore several gaps remain. More large-scale trials are needed around intergenerational dance. Definitions and descriptions of dance and intergenerational activity should be considered in future studies to ensure consistency.

Background Participation in community activities has shown positive outcomes for all children, yet those with cerebral palsy (CP) still experience varying levels of inclusion. This study aimed to address the challenges faced by families of children with CP in accessing community‐based dance classes by co‐designing a practical guide to support their inclusion. Design The guide was developed through a collaborative process involving academic researchers, dance professionals, therapists and families of children with CP. The co‐design phase was guided by the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2), workshops were conducted with 11 research partners, including two parents of children with CP, two community dance teachers, two therapists with experience in dance interventions and five academic researchers. Feedback from ‘Dance Teacher Reviewers’ who were not involved in the co‐design was also incorporated to support the guide's initial feasibility. Results The collaborative efforts resulted in an evidence‐based guide shaped by lived experiences. It provides actionable strategies to implement inclusive dance approaches effectively, supporting the inclusion of children with CP in community dance settings. Conclusion The co‐designed guide represents a significant step toward facilitating inclusive dance classes for children with CP. Future research should explore the guide's effectiveness and feasibility of implementation across various community settings to ensure its broader applicability and impact. Patient or Public Contribution Parents of children with CP, dance teachers and therapists actively contributed to all stages of this study, from public consultation to collaborative co‐design workshops, decision‐making, review and refinement of the guide.

Children's drawings powerfully illuminate their views and opinions about movement experiences in a range of environments. For younger children it is more pertinent to seek their ideas via their drawings. Using the voices and images of primary school age girls, we examine their understandings of movement and dance. Using an intrinsic case study method, two classes of eight-to-ten-year-old girls in a suburban primary school in Melbourne Australia were asked to produce a drawing of \"me dancing.\" Each child was invited to expand on their drawing in a short open-ended interview. The drawings were analysed in different ways and compared with the children's explanations. We probed the oral and visual viewpoints of child-dancers. The findings reveal many different interpretations of the meaning of movement and dance in young girls' lives. There are implications for future dance education which may improve dance teaching and learning within this age group. Keywords: primary school girls' movement and dance; drawings as data; dance in children's lives; intrinsic case study; creative expression; dance in Australian schools

Background Cerebral palsy (CP) is considered the most prevalent developmental motor disorder in children. There is a need for training programs that enhance motor abilities and normalize function from an early age. Previous studies report improved motor outcomes in dance interventions for CP. Investigating the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying such improvements is necessary for efficient and safe intervention design. This study reports changes in stretch reflex responses as the primary neurophysiological motor outcome of a targeted ballet class intervention. Results A case series of participants with mixed spastic and dyskinetic CP (n = 4, mean age = 12.5 years, SD = 6.9S years, three female, one male) who learned ballet technique in a course of one-hour classes twice per week for six weeks is presented. Changes in stretch reflex responses and in clinical motor tests as secondary outcomes were observed after the course and at one-month follow-up. Quantitative measures of elbow or ankle stretch reflex were obtained using electromyography and electrogoniometry. The joint angle of the stretch reflex onset varied across velocities of stretch, and its variability decreased after the intervention. Within-subject tests of the central tendency of stretch reflex angle coefficients of variation and frequency distribution demonstrated significant changes (p-values < 0.05). Secondary outcomes included the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST), Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS), Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS), Dyskinesia Impairment Scale (DIS), and Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity (SCALE). All the participants demonstrated improvements larger than the minimal clinical important difference (MCID) or the smallest detectable difference (SDD), as applicable. Conclusions Evidence of changes in the stretch reflex responses in these four cases of mixed CP was observed. The observed variability in the stretch reflex responses may be due to the dyskinetic component of the mixed CP presentations. More studies with a larger sample size and longer duration of learning and practice of ballet technique are necessary to establish the extent of possible modulation and adaptation of the stretch reflex response as a neurophysiological basis for observed improvements in clinical measures. Trial registration : This study was registered in the Clinical Trials Protocol Registration and Results System (NCT04237506, January 17, 2020).

Play-Based Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders explores the most recognized, researched, and practical methods for using play therapy with the increasing number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), and shows clincians how to integrate these methods into their practices. Using a diverse array of play-based approaches, the book brings together the voices of researchers and practicing clinicians who are successfully utilizing play and play-based interventions with children and adolescents on the autism spectrum. It also examines the neurobiological underpinnings of play in children on the autism spectrum and the overall effect of play on neuro-typical and neuro-atypical development. Finally, through careful integration of theory with real-world clinical case application, each chapter also shows clinicians how to incorporate a particular treatment approach and make it a viable and effective part of their work with this challenging clinical population.

Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), especially inpatient units, have arguably never been more in demand and yet more in need of reform. Progress in psychotherapy and more broadly in mental health care is strongly predicted by the therapeutic relationship between professional and service user. This link is particularly pertinent in child and adolescent mental health inpatient services where relationships are especially complex and difficult to develop and maintain. This article describes a qualitative exploration of the lived experienced of 24 participants (8 young people, 8 family members/carers and 8 nursing staff) within inpatient CAMHS across four sites in the UK. We interviewed participants individually and analysed the transcripts using thematic analysis within a critical realist framework. We synthesised data across groups and present six themes, encapsulating the intricacies and impact of therapeutic relationships; their development and maintenance: Therapeutic relationships are the treatment , Cultivating connection , Knowledge is power , Being human , The dance , and It’s tough for all of us in here . We hope these findings can be used to improve quality of care by providing a blueprint for policy, training, systemic structures and staff support.