| This Project Demonstrating Excellence is presented in the form of a book manuscript intended for publication. Sources for the text included journal articles, edited and single author books, master's theses and doctoral dissertations, interviews with medical dance/movement therapy (DMT) specialists, and the author's own research and clinical experience. Clinical examples and case vignettes illustrate medical DMT techniques and describe patient responses. Key research findings from DMT and the neighboring disciplines of psychology, nursing, medicine and neuroscience are included as well.; The creative arts therapy discipline of dance/movement therapy has traditionally functioned within the mental health and special education arenas. Since the mid-1980's, however, reports have emerged concerning the application of dance/movement therapy as a psychosocial support service for people with primary medical illness. This book is an attempt to compile and describe the known and available work in this emerging specialty of the field, and to place that work in a relevant context with other medical psychosocial services. The bulk of the work included in this volume has been conducted in the United States, with selected examples from abroad.; Part One is an overview of knowledge from DMT and related fields and provides a foundation for practice and research in medical DMT. Information from the fields of health psychology and psychoneuroimmunology is emphasized. Part Two chronicles the known work in medical DMT to date in three chapters. Chapter Four covers general medical applications of the modality with adult and child populations. Chapter Five covers specific issues and use of DMT in cancer care. Chapter Six includes related applications with family members and caregivers as well as work with death and dying. Part Three discusses research and education issues for this emerging specialty in DMT, including a research agenda, methodological concerns, professional preparation and one potent area for DMT research attention: patient-provider communication. |
