Exciting collaborations
Dr Jill Bunce will be jointly managing the project with Professor Sarah Grogan of Staffordshire University
Can dance movement therapy improve body image in young people?
This is the question which will be explored in a joint collaboration between the University of Derby, Staffordshire College and Newcastle-under-Lyme College.
There is some evidence that aerobic dance interventions can improve body image in young women, but this study will focus on creative dance and will look at the impact upon young men as well as young women.
Our aim
Our aim is to see whether a dance movement therapy intervention impacts on participant's subjective experiences of body image amd embodiment. This will help us to see whether there are things that can be done to ensure dance movement therapy intervention is delivered effectively.
How will we do it?
16 young people (8 men and 8 women) at Newcastle College will take part in a dance movement therapy intervention which involves viewing a recording of Dance 123 (exploring body image issues and a healthy mind body balance) and engaging in a session of dance movement therapy including exploring feelings, mindfulness and creativity. The participants will then take part in focus groups and individual interviews to discuss the intervention and reflect on whether there has been any effect on their body image.
What next?
By using these accounts we hope to design a dance intervention which will effectively improve young people's body image. This will be rolled out to a larger sample of young people in Staffordshire and Derbyshire.
