The Psychiatry-Related European DMT Experience

Abstract

The professional practice of DMT is widespread throughout Europe in particular, there are DMT professional associations in 26 countries, with over 2000 professionals. The psychiatric field represents a privileged sector of intervention of the DMT, several studies testify clinical experiences (Puxeddu et al., DanzaMovimentoTerapia - Modelli e pratiche nell’esperienza Italiana, Edizioni MAGI, Rome, 2014, Margariti et al., Arts Psychother 39, 95–101, 2012 and some specific survey). A first study At the S.P.D.C. (Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment Service) in Cagliari, Sardinia (Puxeddu et al., DanzaMovimentoTerapia - Modelli e pratiche nell’esperienza Italiana, Edizioni MAGI, Rome, 2004): 118 patients (58 females and 60 males), aged between 20 and 77 years, were taken care of, for a total of 245 attendances, over 12 months. The evaluation of the project, aimed at improving the daily quality of life of patients hospitalized in the acute phase, took place on the basis of observation charts for movement and participation, and self-assessment questionnaires to be completed by patients and operators. A preliminary study carried out at Athens University Psychiatric Clinic in Greece (Margaritiet al., Arts Psychother 39, 95–101, 2012), which concerns a specific Dance Therapy technique, called Primitive Expression (PE), providing physical and neuropsychological benefits. It is shown that a relatively short duration of 12 PE sessions, twicea week, for 6 weeks of treatment, led to observable changes in psychological state, behaviour, and brain physiology. It was found that the patients experienced an increase in their happiness level(OHQ—Oxford Happiness Questionnaire), expressed a positive attitude to the PE process by using appropriate word associations(WAQ—Word Association Questionnaire), and exhibited (in a patient subset) an increase in EEG activity related to a relaxed walking state.