Dance/movement therapy in psychotic disorders and eating disorders: a systematic review
Abstract
Background: Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) is a body-oriented form of creative arts therapy that uses movement and embodied awareness to support emotional regulation and psychosocial functioning. Interest in embodied and non-verbal interventions has increased in psychiatry, particularly for disorders characterized by disturbances in bodily experience and affect regulation, such as psychotic disorders and eating disorders (EDs). However, evidence on DMT remains fragmented and is often embedded within broader research on creative arts therapies.
Objectives: This systematic review aimed to synthesize and critically evaluate the available evidence on DMT as an adjunctive intervention in psychiatric populations, with particular focus on psychotic disorders and EDs.
Methods: A systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE was conducted for studies published in English between January 2016 and December 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, non-randomized or quasi-experimental studies, observational designs, and qualitative or mixed methods investigations involving adolescents or adults with psychotic disorders or EDs receiving DMT-based interventions. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 and ROBINS-I tools. Due to methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesized narratively.
Results: Twelve studies met inclusion criteria. Across diagnostic groups, DMT was most consistently associated with improvements in embodied and psychosocial domains, including bodily…
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