# A study of the effects of dance/movement therapy on parenting stress and emotions in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder

## TL;DR

This study shows that dance/movement therapy helps reduce stress, depression, and anxiety in mothers of children with autism.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that DMT reduces parenting stress by mediating depression and anxiety in mothers of children with ASD.

## Key findings

- Dance/movement therapy significantly reduced parenting stress in mothers of children with autism.
- Depression and anxiety scores were significantly lowered after the DMT intervention.
- Depression and anxiety mediated the effects of DMT on parenting stress.

## Abstract

Currently, many scholars are working to improve the core symptoms of children with autism spectrum disorder, while neglecting the mental health of caregivers of children with ASD. This study examined the effectiveness of dance/movement therapy (DMT) in reducing parenting stress in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder and whether depression and anxiety mediated the effects thereof.

Forty mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder were recruited in Nanchang, China, and divided into an experimental group (20) and a control group (20). The subjects were assessed before and after 12 weeks of dance/movement therapy (DMT) using the Parenting Stress Index/Short Form (PSI-SF), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) as the assessment tools.

The results found that parenting stress, depression, and anxiety scores of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder were significantly reduced after the dance/movement therapy (DMT) intervention.

The mediating effects of depression and anxiety were significant, indicating that dance/movement therapy (DMT) is effective in reducing the levels of parenting stress, depression, and anxiety in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder, and can indirectly play a role in reducing the levels of parenting stress in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder by reducing their depression and anxiety.