Ballet and Movement-Based Interventions for People With Parkinson’s Disease

PURPOSE: This study reports on the holistic effects of using dance as an intervention for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND: PD is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the lives of more than 1 million people across the United States. Motor symptoms can be merged under the acronym TRAP, which stands for tremor, rigidity, akinesia (bradykinesia), and postural instability. These symptoms hinder a person’s ability to perform activities of daily living. As a result, PD is correlated with reduced quality of life and can lead to dependence on others.

Previous research has shown that movement and exercise are beneficial interventions for people with PD, but the holistic effects, which include the physical, mental, social, and emotional effects, of dance have not been as well reported. Research in occupational therapy is needed to understand the holistic effects of dance on people with PD.

METHOD: A phenomenological design was used to gather data regarding the shared phenomena of participation in a Parkinson’s ballet class. After the researchers attended the ballet class, they implemented a qualitative, semistructured focus group that involved participants answering open-ended questions aimed at eliciting information on their experience and facilitation of an in-depth discussion of issues and the generation of rich data. Dancers with PD currently participating in two separate ballet programs were invited to attend one of two separate focus groups that were held at each dance studio.

After the interviews were audio recorded, they were transcribed and then read for transcript accuracy. Thematic analysis started with open coding of the collected data. The researchers open coded individually. The next step incorporated axial coding that related to the categories developed during open coding in an attempt to narrow down the number of categories. This process involved the researchers coming together and deciding on the main themes within the data. Disputes were settled by discussion with a research mentor and ensuing reflection. The researchers then separated and categorized the data. Lastly, the researchers came back together to selective code, which was used to refine and finalize themes from the data. Researchers used member checking with the participants to verify themes.

RESULTS: The identified themes demonstrated that the benefits of participation in a dance class designed for people with PD went beyond just physical outcomes and involved holistic improvements that included social, emotional, and cognitive benefits.

CONCLUSION: After reflecting on the clinical significance of these findings, we concluded that the effects of a dance class designed for people with PD can go beyond just physical outcomes to involve holistic improvements that are within the scope of occupational therapy.

IMPACT STATEMENT: Dance interventions can provide holistic social, emotional, cognitive, and physical benefits for people with PD. This research directly relates to the prevention and management of chronic conditions, specifically through the use of dance as an occupational therapy intervention for people with Parkinson’s disease.

References

de Sonneville-Koedoot, C., Adams, S. A., Stolk, E. A., & Franken, M. (2015). Perspectives of clinicians involved in the RESTART-Study: Outcomes of a focus group. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 24, 708–716. https://doi.org/10.1044/2015_AJSLP-14-0215

McNeely, M., Duncan, R., & Earhart, G. (2015). A comparison of dance interventions in people with Parkinson disease and older adults. Maturitas, 81, 10–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.02.007

Sumec, R., Filip, P., Sheardova, K., & Bares, A. (2015). Psychological benefits of nonpharmacological methods aimed for improving balance in Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review. Behavioural Neurology, 2015, 620674. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/620674