Therapeutic Dance Intervention for Children With Cerebral Palsy

March 11, 2026 updated by: Shlomit Aizik

A Pilot Study of a Therapeutic Dance Intervention for Children With Cerebral Palsy

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have motor impairments that may limit participation in standard physical activity (PA) programs. Adapted PA interventions may help address this gap. Dance-based interventions may support coordination, posture, muscle strength, motor learning, and executive function. This pilot study evaluates the feasibility and preliminary effects of a therapeutic ballet intervention designed for children with CP on physiological and executive function outcomes.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Eight children with cerebral palsy (CP), ages 9 to 14 years, participated in a six-week therapeutic ballet intervention. Participants underwent pre- and post-intervention assessments of body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), muscle strength by hand-grip dynamometry, habitual physical activity, gait, selective motor control, and executive function. Follow-up assessments of habitual physical activity, gait, and executive function were completed 4 to 5 weeks after the intervention.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
9

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

9 years to 15 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Cerebral palsy spastic diplegia and/or hemiplegia
  • Absence of health problems that would preclude participation in exercise
  • Male or female age 9 - 15 years inclusive at the time of consent
  • Minimum level of intellectual functioning (e.g., as determined by an IQ score of 80 or above or other education placement and testing indicating sufficient understanding)
  • Ability to complete study measures at the assessment
  • Ability to participate in dance classes conducted in English
  • Interest in learning ballet
  • Intact vision
  • Intact hearing
  • Able to ambulate independently in the community with or without a device
  • Intact proprioception in lower extremities
  • Able to complete assessment measures and consents in English
  • Referral from the child's pediatrician or other physician indicating that the child is physically able to participate in an exercise intervention

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children with a current diagnosis of severe Major Depressive Disorder
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Epilepsy
  • Autism
  • Other major medical conditions that prohibit full participation and children with severe developmental disorders (e.g., mental retardation, severe autism) or with physical impairments that prohibit full participation were excluded from the study.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Children with CP
Children with CP (9-15 years old) participated in a therapeutic dance program to improve physical, physiological and cognitive outcomes.
Other: Therapeutic Dance
Participants attended therapeutic ballet sessions three times per week for six weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Congruent Trial (Hearts) Accuracy
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (hearts and flowers computer task) The scale title is Accuracy (%) and the measurement is percent correct, where the higher scores mean better results and more accuracy. Accuracy ranges from about 20%-100%
12 weeks
Congruent Trial (Hearts) Response Time
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (hearts and flowers computer task) The scale title is Response Time in milliseconds (ms), the lower the number the better the score. The range is about 550ms-1100ms.
12 weeks
Incongruent Trial (Flowers) Accuracy
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (hearts and flowers computer task) The scale title is Accuracy (%) and the measurement is percent correct, where the higher scores mean better results and more accuracy. Accuracy ranges from about 20%-100%
12 weeks
Incongruent Trial (Flowers) Response Time
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (hearts and flowers computer task) The scale title is Response Time in milliseconds (ms), the lower the number the better the score. The range is about 550ms-1100ms.
12 weeks
Mixed Trial (Hearts and Flowers) Accuracy
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (hearts and flowers computer task) The scale title is Accuracy (%) and the measurement is percent correct, where the higher scores mean better results and more accuracy. Accuracy ranges from about 20%-100%
8 weeks
Mixed Trial (Hearts and Flowers) Response Time
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (hearts and flowers computer task) The scale title is Response Time in milliseconds (ms), the lower the number the better the score. The range is about 550ms-1100ms.
8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Body Composition Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, DXA scan before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program.
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Assessment of Lean Body Mass
8 weeks
Body Composition Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, DXA scan before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program.
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Assessment of Percent Body Fat
8 weeks
Body Composition Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, DXA scan before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program.
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Assessment of bone density
8 weeks
Muscle Strength
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Handgrip (evaluated maximum isometric strength (Kg) before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program.
8 weeks
CBC
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Includes hemoglobin measures for anemia and inflammation factors
8 weeks
Lipid Panel
Time Frame: 8 weeks
CVD risk factors (lipid screen ) before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program
8 weeks
Habitual Physical Activity assessment
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Physical activity was measured using ActiGraph accelerometers before and immediately after six-week therapeutic ballet program and 4-5 weeks post intervention.
12 weeks
Social and Emotional Functioning measured by Self-Efficacy Survey (Child)
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Measures individual perceptions of one's capacity to manage one's functioning and control over events before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program.
8 weeks
Social and Emotional Functioning measured by Self-Perception Profile for Children
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Measures Scholastic Competence, Athletic Competence, Social Competence, Physical Appearance, and Behavioral Conduct.
8 weeks
Social and Emotional Functioning measured by Positive Affect Survey.
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Measures feelings of pleasurable engagement with the environment (happiness, joy, excitement, engagement).
8 weeks
Social and Emotional Functioning measured by Perceived Stress Self-Report Scale
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Asks participants to rate how they have felt over the last month
8 weeks
Social and Emotional Functioning measured by Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)
Time Frame: 8 weeks
SDQ is a brief questionnaire that assesses children's emotional problems
8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Shlomit Aizik

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Shlomit Aizik, PhD, University of California, Irvine

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 6, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 15, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 15, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 30, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 20, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 21, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 11, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 20162682

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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