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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03681171

Therapeutic Dance Intervention for Children With Cerebral Palsy

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy Brain Damage, Chronic Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Diseases

Age range

9 year–15 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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.

Treatment and study plan

Therapeutic Dance

Other

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

Primary outcomes

  1. Congruent Trial (Hearts) Accuracy

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    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%

  2. Congruent Trial (Hearts) Response Time

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    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.

  3. Incongruent Trial (Flowers) Accuracy

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    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%

  4. Incongruent Trial (Flowers) Response Time

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    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.

  5. Mixed Trial (Hearts and Flowers) Accuracy

    Time frame: 8 weeks

    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%

  6. Mixed Trial (Hearts and Flowers) Response Time

    Time frame: 8 weeks

    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.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Shlomit Aizik

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A Pilot Study of a Therapeutic Dance Intervention for Children With Cerebral Palsy

Important dates

Study start
2016
Primary completion
2017
Study completion
2017
First posted
Sep 21, 2018
Registry last updated
Mar 12, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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