Elsevier

The Arts in Psychotherapy

Volume 41, Issue 5, November 2014, Pages 545-553
The Arts in Psychotherapy

Moving on the spectrum: Dance/movement therapy as a potential early intervention tool for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.10.003Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Early challenges found in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders is examined.

  • The pairing of motor development and social/communication functioning is discussed.

  • Dance/movement therapy framework offered for clients with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

  • Intervention ideas which include mirroring, body awareness, and rhythm are reviewed.

Abstract

The rising number of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses, in addition to the ability to recognize the disorder early, has led to much interest in early intervention tools. This theoretical work examines how dance/movement therapy (DMT) might be applied to address the early developmental connections between social and communication challenges and early motor maturation in young children diagnosed with ASDs. As a foundation for this discussion, literature pertaining to the early relationship of motor challenges and social/communication deficits is reviewed. A theoretical framework is proposed that promotes the integration and early development of these two realms based on DMT interventions and principles in children at high risk for or diagnosed with an ASD.

Section snippets

Autism Spectrum Disorder

ASD is a developmental disorder whose description has continued to evolve, from its original understandings by Kanner (1943) as an autistic disturbance, to the latest criteria of diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V). Currently, ASD is diagnosed according to “persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts” and “restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities” (American

A dance/movement therapy perspective on early treatment of ASDs: a theoretical treatment framework and application

The following treatment framework is based on the research provided, utilizing DMT to address the areas of challenge that are observed early in the life of a child at risk for or diagnosed with ASD. The dance/movement therapy interventions discussed below focus on meeting clients on their terms and levels of functioning, encouraging engagement and relationship, aiding in challenges with body awareness and coordination, and expanding and fostering rhythm and synchronization to help integrate the

Conclusion

By focusing on a child's functioning in the realms of body awareness, motor coordination, rhythm and timing, the dance/movement therapist can begin to address the early correlations and challenges observed in motor and social/communicative functioning of children with ASDs. The importance of addressing the developmental coupling of motor and social/communicative deficits as early as possible cannot be over-emphasized due to the cascading effects they have on continuing development. It is also

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      There have been continuous efforts to develop caregiver/parent focused intervention (Green & Garg, 2018). Research has found that such practices support parents by actively involving them and engaging them in learning (Bearss et al., 2015) and made significant difference in (a) a treatment’s effectiveness (Bottema-Beutel et al., 2014; Diggle et al., 2002; Green et al., 2013; Kasari et al., 2010; Matson et al., 2009; Rogers et al., 2014; Steiner et al., 2013); (b) organization of emotions (Berkovits et al., 2017; Kim, Wigram, & Gold, 2009); (c) expression and recognition of those emotions (Grossman, Klin, Carter, & Volkmar, 2000; Lindner & Rosen, 2006; Richard, More, & Joy, 2015); and (d) changes in nonverbal communication skills through body awareness and motor coordination in children with ASD (Koch, Mehl, Sobanski, Sieber, & Fuchs, 2014; Martin, 2014). Art experientials were designed for parents to simulate the ASD-related bodily experiences their children might have.

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    Submitted in partial satisfaction of Counseling Psychology Program requirements of a master's degree in Dance/Movement Therapy.

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