Effectiveness of dance/movement therapy in individuals with intellectual disability: a systematic review

This systematic review aimed to verify the quality of analyses using PRISMA guidelines and evaluate the effectiveness of dance/movement therapy (DMT) interventions in individuals with intellectual disabilities. As search engines, Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science were used to select the studies under specific requirements. We also used the American Journal of Dance Therapy as an additional search. Five studies were selected after the final screening. Regarding the levels of evidence (LOE), two studies had an LOE of 3 and three studies had an LOE of 4. The risk of bias (ROB) through quality assessment of controlled intervention studies showed a high ROB in all selected studies. Although the results showed the low LOE and high ROB, the selected studies reported that DMT interventions improved motor skills, body knowledge, emotional well-being, skin temperature in fingers, and muscle relaxation in individuals with moderate to severe IQ from young adults to middle-aged adults.