Cassie Jeng

Susan Kierr, BC-DMT, NCC, AD, MA

Andree Schelleschi, RICA DMT
Ms. Mary Jane Sasser
IR-3/ AP 11

IR Presentation Board Information

Color Scheme:
 Dark Green Display Board
 Pastel Salmon Cardstock
 Glitter White Cardstock

Board Dimensions:
 36’’ tall board
 11 7/8’’ wide wing
 24’’ wide center
 36’’ long header
 10’’ wide header

Purpose:
To propose a new method for eating disorder treatment that combines the beneficial
aspects of dance/movement therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, and to evaluate
whether this new method has a sufficient anticipated potential by professionals in both
techniques.

Research Questions:
Is there a way to create a new method of eating disorder treatment that will encompass
the needs of patients who are not responding to the current techniques?

Hypothesis:
Cognitive-behavioral therapists do not know a sufficient amount about dance/movement
therapy since it is such a new technique, and dance/movement therapists are not aware of the
details of cognitive behavioral therapy. However, both will see the potential in the new proposed
method of using the two in collaboration.

Procedure:
i. Read and analyze scholarly articles and journals regarding eating disorders, cognitive
behavioral therapy, and dance/movement therapy.
ii. Complete interviews with dance/movement therapist and cognitive behavioral therapy
experts about their profession and treatment techniques.
iii. Site visit the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA) to understand the
treatment environment and the patients who live there.
 iv. Consult professional advisor, and dance/movement therapist about research.
v. Write a cohesive research paper to synthesize the information collected about both
therapies and the proposed method.
vi. Contact MedSurvey organization for access to the Likert-Scale Anchor Response vetted
survey template.
vii. Create a survey with Likert-Scale questions. One for CBT that inquiries about their
knowledge of dance/movement therapy and their opinion on the new proposed method.
One for DMT that inquiries about their knowledge of cognitive behavioral therapy and
their opinions on the new proposed method.
viii. Distribute surveys to appropriate audience. Allow advisors to help reach therapists
through professional media such as LISTSERV of associations.
ix. Collect responses from survey.
x. Analyze opinions of the proposed method and awareness of the other therapy type.

Terminology:
An eating disorder is a type of mental illness that is characterized by abnormal eating
habits and obsessions with body appearance and image. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a
traditional form of treatment for eating disorders, working with the patients through either an
inpatient or outpatient facility to verbally talk through their challenges with a professional
therapist or psychologist. Dance/movement therapy is a more recently developed form of
treatment for eating disorders that uses direct contact with the body and physical movement in
order to reestablish a connection between the patients’ mind and body, since eating disorders are
so largely body-oriented.

Background:
Mental health is a major concern for modern medicine as it affects, on average during any
one year, 15 percent of the population (Taylor 196). While there are traditional effective methods
for treating mental health, newer, broader, and non-traditional methods of care can widen the
opportunities for health for caregivers. Specifically, regarding patients with eating disorders,
there are benefits to combining classic with less traditional treatments. Traditional cognitive
therapy techniques encourage patients to rationalize patterns of thought and behavior through
discussion and to challenge these patterns by incorporating an outside perspective. However, less
traditional, more innovative modalities such as dance movement therapy encourage patients with
eating disorders to create stronger awareness, utilize movement as communication, and
reestablish a sense of control in their life. When the two therapies are used simultaneously, there
is higher treatment success for eating disorders because the approaches combine the best aspects
of both to meet the patients’ needs and solve obstacles that are introduced when using each
individually.
Psychological disorders are very prevalent in our modern society, calling for effective
treatment methods to handle the variety of instances threatening lives around the world (“Eating
Disorders: Symptoms” 1). Eating disorders are a form of psychological disorder that are
characterized by irregular and damaging eating habits (“Eating Disorders” 1). The most common
types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating. While they primarily
focus on body image, weight, and shape, eating disorders are not just an issue with consuming
food. The combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and dance/movement therapy would
create the opportunity to incorporate the most beneficial aspects of both into a single therapy
method. Cognitive behavioral therapies are better at introducing and incorporating the outside
perspective and support. Through this type of therapy, the patient can discuss the patterns and
reach verbal solutions and explanations for different behaviors. DMT works better with
identifying hidden patterns by using movement to access the subconscious. The dance/movement
therapists are able to analyze the behaviors that one isn’t thinking about, and “by working at the
level of the involuntary physical functions, and bringing awareness to the unknown or blind
spots, we can change old patterns” (Halprin 58). Therapy is more than countering bad eating
habits. Therapy is a way for the individual to leave in a better state than they entered: more
connected with themselves and those around them. Treatment can be very personal; it requires a
strong understanding of the needs of the individual.

Results:
After allotting time for survey distribution, the responses were collected and organized. It
was found that the cognitive behavioral therapists surveyed had a variety of familiarity with
dance/movement therapy, ranging from 14.3% being extremely familiar to 14.3% being not
familiar at all. On the contrary, 53.5% of the dance/movement therapists surveyed were
extremely familiar with cognitive behavioral therapy and the rest had at least a slight familiarity
with the practice. In response to the proposed integration of techniques, 71.5% of CBT and 80%
of DMT thought that the collaboration was appropriate or absolutely appropriate and acceptable
or perfectly acceptable. However, the surveyed cognitive behavioral therapists seemed to regard
the proposed method as less comprehendible, as 53.3% of DMT thought the method was easy or
very easy to understand, while only 28.6% of the CBT responded in this same manner. In
addition, 85.7% of CBT and 66.7% of DMT voted that the method had somewhat probable or
very probable chance of success if it were to be developed. For the level of influence on eating
disorder treatment, cognitive behavioral therapists responded that 85.7% thought that it would be
somewhat influential and 14.3% felt it would be very influential. In contrast to this,
dance/movement therapists responded in a more diverse fashion with 13.4% believing it would
be not at all or only slightly influential, 26.7% believing it would have somewhat of an influence,
and 60% believing it would be very or extremely influential. However, in the end, 93.4% of
DMT and 71.4% of CBT felt that the integration of the two techniques would be either
somewhat or much better than only using one therapeutic method for eating disorder treatment.

Conclusion:
 With analysis of the responses, it was found that the preliminary data supported most of
the hypothesis. It was originally hypothesized that CBT and DMT are not sufficiently aware of
one another, however both will support the concept of the integration. According to the data, it
was correct that cognitive behavioral therapists were not familiar with nor participated in
dance/movement therapy practices, however, the dance/movement therapists seemed to have a
solid familiarity of cognitive behavioral therapy. Regarding the proposed collaboration of
techniques, it was found that a majority of cognitive behavioral therapists and dance/movement
therapists did, indeed, agree with the concept and felt it would be influential for eating disorder
treatment. There were some barriers presented in the survey, however, the therapists still
responded that they believed this method would have a possibility of success and would be better
than using either of the therapeutic methods alone.
From the responses to the survey, it can be gathered that it would be both useful and
supported to work to develop this integrated method for eating disorder treatment. While there
are still concepts within the idea that need to be refined, the barriers mentioned were minor and,
for the most part, did not affect the predicted success and influence of the overall collaboration.

Learning outcomes:
Throughout this research, this researcher has learned about the many approaches to eating
disorder treatment, as well as the many associations that work to help these patients. A strong
network was established with professionals in this department and other dance/movement
therapists. This researcher was able to visit the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents
(RICA) in Baltimore with an employed dance/movement therapist, Andree Schelleschi, to
observe the learning and living environment of children who are experiencing emotional,
behavioral, and learning difficulties in this mental treatment facility.

Nameplate:
Cassie An Jeng
River Hill High School
Ms. Mary Jane Sasser
G/T Independent Research I
Susan Kierr, BC-DMT, NCC, AD, MA
Andree Schelleschi, RICA DMT

DMT Survey Sample- Key Questions:

Integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques into the practice of Dance/Movement
therapy for clients with Eating disorders.
This survey is adapted from the Likert-Type Scale Response Anchors.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Please respond to the following questions based on your
knowledge of the topic above.

1. Level of Familiarity
o 1- Not at all familiar
o 2- Slightly familiar
o 3- Somewhat familiar
o 4- Moderately familiar
o 5- Extremely familiar

2. Level of Participation (with 3. Level of Awareness

cognitive behavioral therapy) o 1- Not at all aware
o 1- No, and not considered o 2- Slightly aware
o 2- No, but considered o 3- Somewhat aware
o 3- Yes o 4- Moderately aware
o 5- Extremely aware

Integrating Therapeutic techniques of Cognitive behavioral therapy with Dance/Movement

therapy. - Please respond to the following questions based on your opinion of the concept above.

1. Level of Acceptability
o 1- Totally unacceptable 4. Perceived barrier present?
o 2- Unacceptable o 1- Not a barrier
o 3- Slightly unacceptable o 2- Somewhat of a barrier
o 4- Neutral o 3- Moderate barrier
o 5- Slightly acceptable o 4- Extreme barrier
o 6- Acceptable
o 7- Perfectly acceptable If you perceive barriers, please elaborate.
_____________________________
2. Effect on Eating Disorder Treatment _____________________________
o 1- No effect _____________________________
o 2- Minor effect _____________________________
o 3- Neutral
o 4- Moderate effect 5. Integrating CBT with DMT vs.
o 5- Major effect only using one therapeutic method
o 1- Much worse
3. Level of Probability (of success) o 2- Somewhat worse
o 1- Not probable o 3- About the same
o 2- Somewhat improbable o 4- Somewhat better
o 3- Neutral o 5- Much better
o 4- Somewhat probable
o 5- Very probable
Images:

Charts: