Professional paper
Effects of Dance Movement Therapy on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Antonija Blažević
Abstract
This case study will present the effectiveness of dance movement therapy on
the development of communication, reduction of self-aggressive behavior, and
improving eye contact in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD
is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that covers all aspects of a child’s
personality (communication, motor skills, behavior, and learning).
People with autism have trouble understanding what other people think and
feel. This makes it hard for them to express themselves through words or
gestures, facial expressions, and touch.
Because dance movement therapy is based on non-verbal communication, it is
a successful therapeutic modality for children with autism spectrum disorder
whose behavior is non-verbal. Therefore, they can express themselves and
communicate easily through dance and movement.
The study was conducted as a case study with an autistic girl through 30
sessions led by a dance movement therapy student.
An autistic girl (age 5) is entirely non-verbal with pronounced autoaggression. Body movements are predominantly made with hands, always in the
same place in a dance studio. Although she makes eye contact with the DMT
therapist, it is made only through mirrors. The sessions were held once a week
with various dance movement therapy techniques. This study showed the positive effects of dance movement therapy on the
development of communication and the reduction of auto aggression in a girl
with ASD. Eye contact was made without the use of a mirror. There has also
been a slight shift in verbal communication. Auto aggression was reduced, fullbody mobility was achieved, and the girl became aware of the sense of space in
which the sessions took place.
Keywords
autism, dance movement therapy, children, autoaggression, (verbal and non-verbal) communication
Hrčak ID:
314704
URI
Publication date:
20.12.2023.
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