Using dance/movement therapy to augment the effectiveness of therapeutic holding with children.
OBJECTIVE
Therapeutic holding is a commonly used tool for the containment of aggressive behavior in children. Although often effective, the intervention has inherent physical and emotional safety risks. Can a body-based therapy be used to limit these risks?


METHODS
Research was conducted incorporating dance/movement therapy techniques (D/MT) before and after therapeutic holding to investigate this question. Volunteer residential treatment center staff participated in a 4-hour D/MT-based training workshop integrating the techniques with the intervention. Children participated via self-report.


RESULTS
D/MT training increased adult awareness, sensitivity, perspective shifting ability, and confidence in the intervention while decreasing the necessity for physicality.


CONCLUSIONS
Integrating D/MT therapy training with therapeutic holding decreased the threat of trauma to adult participants. Further research into the integration of D/MT techniques with safe holding procedures may prove helpful in the challenge of making restraints safer for both children and adults.
Lundy
Heather
H
MCP Hahnemann University Philadelphia,PA, USA. hlundy@comcast.net
McGuffin
Patrick
P
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D002665:Child Psychiatry / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D003142:Communication; D003614:Dance Therapy / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration; D007697:Kinesics; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012114:Residential Treatment / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology