An application of the Primitive Expression form of dance therapy in a psychiatric population

Abstract Primitive Expression (PE) is a form of dance therapy providing physical and neuropsychological benefits. It involves ethologically and socially based forms which are supplied for re-enactment, as well as an incentive for successful performance and a challenge to “transcend”. In PE, play, rhythm, dance and song work on a symbolic level. The aim is to alert the participants to act and express themselves, while orienting their drives in a positive way. In this paper we present preliminary results of a PE-based protocol with a small group of psychiatric patients (psychotic and depressive disorders). It is shown that a relatively short duration of PE treatment led to observable changes in psychological state, behavior, and brain physiology. It was found that the patients (1) experienced an increase in their happiness level, (2) expressed a positive attitude to the PE process by utilizing appropriate word associations, and (3) exhibited (a patient subset) an increase in EEG activity related to a relaxed awake state. This study presents encouraging results related to the application of PE therapy with psychiatric patients. PE can be added to other dance therapy methodologies which have been shown to be promising therapeutic approaches in psychiatric populations.