NCT03681171 - Therapeutic Dance Intervention for Children With Cerebral Palsy | Crick

Overview

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.

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

Allocation

NA

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

9

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy

Interventions

Therapeutic DanceOTHER

Participants attended therapeutic ballet sessions three times per week for six weeks.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 9 YearsMax age: 15 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

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.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

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%

Time frame: 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.

Time frame: 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%

Time frame: 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.

Time frame: 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%

Time frame: 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.