The need for robust critique of arts and health research: Dance-movement therapy, girls, and depression

Katarzyna Grebosz-Haring, Leonhard Thun-Hohenstein, Anna K Schuchter-Wiegand, Arne C Bathke, Stephen Clift

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We examine a highly cited randomized controlled trial on dance-movement therapy with adolescent girls with mild depression and examine its treatment in 14 evidence reviews and meta-analyses of dance research. We demonstrate substantial limitations in the trial which seriously undermine the conclusions reached regarding the effectiveness of dance movement therapy in reducing depression. We also show that the dance research reviews vary substantially in their treatment of the study. Some reviews provide a positive assessment of the study and take its findings at face value without critical commentary. Others are critical of the study, identifying significant limitations, but showing marked differences in Cochrane Risk of Bias assessments. Drawing on recent criticisms of systematic reviewing and meta-analysis, we consider how reviews can be so variable and discuss what is needed to improve the quality of primary studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses in the field of creative arts and health.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)128-139
Number of pages12
JournalAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences
Volume1525
Issue number1
Early online date25 May 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25 May 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.

Keywords

  • adolescent girls
  • arts and health
  • dance-movement therapy
  • depression
  • meta-analyses
  • reviews

Fields of Science and Technology Classification 2012

  • 305 Other Human Medicine, Health Sciences

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