None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Community-based dance programs may offer multiple benefits for Autistic children, including improvements in motor, social, and cognitive functioning. However, rigorous empirical research, particularly randomised controlled trials, evaluating these benefits remains limited. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to assess whether participation in the community-based dance program, AllPlay Dance, improves children’s movement abilities, social functioning, thinking skills, emotional and behavioural functioning, as well parental stress compared to a treatment-as-usual waitlist control condition, from pre- to post-intervention. Additionally, we will assess the acceptability and feasibility of the AllPlay Dance program post-intervention for families and buddies, as well as whether families continue participating in community-based dance programs and how they describe their experiences at follow-up.
Interventions
The AllPlay Dance program aims to ensure that children with disability and developmental conditions can access dance classes in the community (see allplaydance.org.au). The program was designed and will be delivered by dance and disability experts with more than 20 years of professional dance performance experience and/or experience in research, clinical practice, and teaching dance in the disability and autism field. It will be delivered at a dance studio located at Deakin University, Burwood c
The AllPlay Dance program aims to ensure that children with disability and developmental conditions can access dance classes in the community (see allplaydance.org.au). The program was designed and will be delivered by dance and disability experts with more than 20 years of professional dance performance experience and/or experience in research, clinical practice, and teaching dance in the disability and autism field. It will be delivered at a dance studio located at Deakin University, Burwood campus. The current intervention focuses on autism and consists of 8 weekly 50-minute dance sessions plus a final 100-minute session in the 9th week, which includes a rehearsal and an informal performance. Families will receive orientation material before the first dance class to familiarise them with the program. The sessions will follow a consistent structure. After a warm-up incorporating both set movement material and improvisation, children will work in pairs or small groups on common creative tasks. After this, they will come back together to show their dances and watch each other (see Millard et al.., 2021 for a full description). All dance classes will be adapted to the child’s needs, and alternative movement variations and participation options will be provided to cater to the child's strengths. During each session, children are paired with older dancers, ‘buddies’, who support their participation through dancing and collaborating with them in creative exercises. These buddies will predominantly be university students enrolled in Dance units at Deakin University. Buddies will complete AllPlay Dance’s professional development training and attend an online briefing session prior to supporting children. Intervention adherence will be assessed by the research team through self-report and attendance logs.
Sponsors
Monash University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
7 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
For children: 1. Aged between 7 years to 12 years and 11 months at the time of randomisation 2. Pre-existing formal Autism diagnosis without a co-occurring diagnosis of intellectual disability 3. Able to understand and follow simple verbal and visual instructions 4. Available to attend the dance program in Term 3 (2025) or Term 1 (2026) if randomly allocated to the intervention group 4. Have not previously participated in a similar dance program in the community on an ongoing basis 5. Will not commence any other dance program during the 13-week intervention and data collection period 6. Living in Victoria, Australia For parents: 1. Parent/guardian of a child with a diagnosis of Autism who is involved in the study 2. Sufficient English proficiency to provide informed consent and complete questionnaires For buddies 1. Are currently/have previously completed training in dance 2. Have a working with children check 3. Are available to support at least one group of children through the dance program 4. Sufficient English proficiency to provide informed consent and complete questionnaires 5. Living in Victoria, Australia
Exclusion criteria
None
Outcome results
None listed