MOVEMENT

Attention Deficit

Attention Deficit
Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., & Thimas, E., (2000). Attention deficit Hyperactivity disorder benefit from Tai Chi. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 5, 120-123.
• Thirteen adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) participated in Tai Chi classes twice a week for 5 weeks. After 10 Tai Chi sessions that adolescents displayed less anxiety, improved conduct, less daydreaming behaviors, less inappropriate emotions, and less hyperactivity.
____________________________________________________________________

Autism
Hartshorn, K., Olds, L., Field, T., Delage, J., Cullen, C. & Escalona, A. (2001). Creative movement therapy benefits children with autism. Early Child Development and Care, 166, 1-5.
• Thirty-eight children with autism given movement therapy in small groups led by a trained movement therapist. After two months of biweekly sessions, the movement therapy versus the control children spent less time wandering, more time showing on-task behavior, less time showing negative responses to being touched, and less time resisting the teacher.
____________________________________________________________________

Senior Citizens
Hartshorn, K., Delage, J, Field, T. & Olds, L. (2001). Senior citizens benefit from movement therapy. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 5, 1-5.
• Sixteen senior citizens participated in four, 50-min movement therapy sessions over a 2-week period and were compared to 16 senior citizens who belonged to a wait list control group who received the movement sessions only after the end of the study. The movement therapy participants improved in their functional motion on the Tinetti scale, and specifically on the gait scale, their leg strength increased, and their leg pain significantly decreased.
____________________________________________________________________