Therapeutic Dance Intervention for Children With Cerebral Palsy

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: Completed
• Conditions: Cerebral Palsy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Therapeutic Dance

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: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 9
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• 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

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
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

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Congruent Trial (Hearts) Accuracy	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	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	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	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	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	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

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Body Composition Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, DXA scan before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program.	Assessment of Lean Body Mass	8 weeks
Body Composition Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, DXA scan before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program.	Assessment of Percent Body Fat	8 weeks
Body Composition Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, DXA scan before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program.	Assessment of bone density	8 weeks
Muscle Strength	Handgrip (evaluated maximum isometric strength (Kg) before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program.	8 weeks
CBC	Includes hemoglobin measures for anemia and inflammation factors	8 weeks
Lipid Panel	CVD risk factors (lipid screen ) before and after six-week therapeutic ballet program	8 weeks
Habitual Physical Activity assessment	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)	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	Measures Scholastic Competence, Athletic Competence, Social Competence, Physical Appearance, and Behavioral Conduct.	8 weeks
Social and Emotional Functioning measured by Positive Affect Survey.	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	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)	SDQ is a brief questionnaire that assesses children's emotional problems	8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Shlomit Aizik
• Investigators: Study Director: Shlomit Aizik, PhD, University of California, Irvine

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Lakes KD, Sharp K, Grant-Beuttler M, Neville R, Haddad F, Sunico R, Ho D, Schneider M, Sawitz S, Paulsen J, Caputo K, Lu KD, Aminian A, Lopez-Ortiz C, Radom-Aizik S. A Six Week Therapeutic Ballet Intervention Improved Gait and Inhibitory Control in Children With Cerebral Palsy-A Pilot Study. Front Public Health. 2019 Jun 25;7:137. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00137. eCollection 2019.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 6, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 15, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): June 15, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 30, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 20, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): September 21, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 12, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 11, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Brain Damage, Chronic; Cerebral Palsy
• Other Study ID 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