Dance Your Way To Better Health To 2007
8 January 2007
A study by Matt Birks (left) has found salsa dancing can tackle depression.
The results show a significant improvement at each stage of the assessment process for all class members who completed the experiment – a 100 per cent success rate.
”Matt Birks
It's official! Academics at the University of Derby have proved salsa dancing could help tackle depression or even just the New Year blues.
Mental Health lecturers organised a nine-week study last semester to investigate their theory that the Cuban dance which has African influences can lift people’s moods.
All eight participants who completed a nine-week confidential experiment registered an improvement in their condition after the event through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), a questionnaire-based system used to record and evaluate depression levels.
Their average score at the start was 24 on the BDI and this figure fell to just 8.625 by the end of the experiment. The most dramatic change in one participant was from 26 to just 1.
In the BDI 63 denotes maximum depression, 24 denotes moderate depression and 8 would indicate little or no depression at all.
The Results
- Total people starting the experiment – 24. Of these 22 were female and 2 male.
- Total completing experiment – 8. Of these just 1 was male.
- All 8 of those who finished showed significant fall in depression levels:
| Volunteer | BDI before experiment | BDI after experiment |
|---|---|---|
| A | 24 | 16 |
| B | 28 | 14 |
| C | 26 | 1 |
| D | 24 | 9 |
| E | 15 | 8 |
| F | 23 | 9 |
| G | 30 | 6 |
| H | 22 | 6 |
Salsa incorporates the steps and rhythms of other dances, such as Mambo and Cha Cha Cha. Derby’s Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Matt Birks teamed up with local salsa company Absolute Salsa to lead the experiment.
Matt said: “The results show a significant improvement at each stage of the assessment process for all class members who completed the experiment – a 100 per cent success rate.
“Some of the respondents who were taking antidepressant medication throughout seem to have made the biggest improvements, but the numbers were not high enough to draw specific conclusions from this.
“However, we can conclude physical exercise has been shown to be of benefit to people suffering from depression with salsa no exception.
“Behavioural activation in attending these classes may have been further enhanced by a variety of factors - social interaction, shared experience, concentrating on learning a new skill and the confidence this can bring - these probably all played a part.
“However, one concern is the number of respondents who dropped out of the study - some at quite an early stage and this merits further investigation.”
Indeed, just one man completed the course, and about a dozen dropped out during the study, but Matt hopes positive role models such as former cricketer Mark Ramprakash, who won the recent Strictly Come Dancing final on BBC One could encourage others to take up salsa or other dances.
Matt is himself a keen salsa dancer, and has been a member of the Absolute Salsa dance group for five years.
He concluded: “The dance class chosen does not necessarily have to be salsa - or Latin for that matter.
“For many people, the thought of taking medication for depression is unappealing. The rise of alternative and complementary therapies is testament to this. Dance classes may be another hitherto unexplored option in this area.”
Absolute Salsa meets each week at Jimmy’s Club, in St James’ Street, and the Polish Club in Kedleston Road. It has over 300 members with classes in Derby, Chesterfield and Long Eaton.
Its founding director Lee Hunter, was nominated Best UK Teacher at the UK Salsa Congress, the country’s biggest Salsa Organisation – one of three nominees nationwide.
Lee said: “Salsa is a great social activity and it’s fair to say it’s a great confidence builder. You do notice positive changes in people who regularly come to lessons.”
At the University of Derby, Matt teaches on the pre-registration nursing course (ADNS) and is module leader for acute mental health nursing theory and practice.
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For further information call: Simon Redfern, Senior Press and PR Officer, University of Derby on 01332 591942, or email s.redfern@derby.ac.uk.
