Moving Through the Trauma: Dance/Movement Therapy as a Somatic-Based Intervention for Addressing Trauma and Stress Among Syrian Refugee Children - 23/10/19
, Heba Al-Saghir, BS a, Cassandra Wanna, BA a, Jenna Spinei, MA b, Arash Javanbakht, MD a, cRésumé |
Traumatic experiences are common in youth, with some reporting that 20% of youth have experienced trauma.1 Some populations have higher exposure. More than 50% of refugee youth with exposure to civilian war trauma and forced migration experience high anxiety; up to 30% screen positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).2,3 Trauma exposure during critical developmental periods can have detrimental social, educational, and physical consequences. Current evidence-based therapeutics have primarily been researched in adults; child anxiety disorders are undertreated and underresearched.4,5 Psychotherapy for refugee and other highly vulnerable populations may be limited by high cost and scarcity of skilled trauma specialists; culturally informed and language-capable clinicians who can meet the needs of refugee populations are even more rare. Furthermore, pharmacotherapy is limited by a sparse evidence base, parental and child preferences, and cost—all factors that again are more prevalent in refugee populations. Overall, evidence for treatment of PTSD and anxiety in refugee children is limited and largely extrapolated from treatment for children with other types of trauma exposure. Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is a manualized, multimodal intervention that aims to strengthen emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration. DMT sessions are led by a licensed dance/movement therapist with joint education in counseling.6 Owing to its integration of exposure, mindfulness, and somatic components, DMT may be a candidate for a multifaceted, multitarget treatment approach to trauma and stress addressing psychological and somatic symptoms, both of which can be present in trauma-related conditions. However, evidence of use of DMT to help traumatized children is lacking. With the state of Michigan’s high volume of Syrian refugees and knowing the need for intervention with understanding of barriers of culture, language, and access, our team selected to test acceptance and feasibility of DMT as a possible way to address trauma-related symptoms in Syrian refugee youth.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.| Funding support for this work was provided by: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation Student Award (Lana Ruvolo Grasser), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation Physician Investigator Award (Arash Javanbakht), Detroit Medical Center Foundation Grant (Arash Javanbakht), and State of Michigan Lycaki/Young Foundation (Arash Javanbakht). |
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| This research was conducted at Wayne State University in partnership with Samaritas resettlement agency, Hype Recreation Center, and Bloomfield Hills Schools. The authors would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their contributions: |
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| Ali Sayed, CEO of Hype Recreation Center (provided space for interventions); Mihaela Mitrofan, New Americans Program Manager of Samaritas Resettlement Agency (provided referrals for participants); Mohammad Isam Alsaud, MD, of Wayne State University (translation and data collection); Hiba Suhaiban, MD, of Wayne State University (participant recruitment); Suzanne Manji, RN, of Wayne State University (data collection and project administration); Samantha Sonderman, BS, of Wayne State University (data collection and project administration); Dalya Saleem, BS, of Wayne State University (translation and data collection); Hana Kallabat, BS, of Wayne State University (translation and data collection); Noor Hammoud, BS, of Wayne State University (translation and data collection); Antonio Dekhou, BS, of Wayne State University (translation and data collection); Jessica Arvan, Senior School Liaison of Samaritas Resettlement Agency (provided referrals for participants and coordinated transportation); Bill Schroers and Asyum AlWakeel (volunteer drivers); Bassem Saad, MD, of Wayne State University (translation and data collection); Luna Nasry, BS, of Wayne State University (translation and data collection); Wisam Brikho, MS, of Oakland Schools District (coordination between collaborators); Deyar Nasiri, Paraprofessional, of Bloomfield Hills Schools (provided referrals for participants); Lisa Lockhart, MA, of Bloomfield Hills Schools (provided referrals for participants); Ed Mischel, LMSW, of Wayne State University; and Alireza Amirsadri, MD, of Wayne State University. |
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| Clinical trial registration information: Alternative Therapies for High Stress and Trauma-Exposed Refugees; clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT03515564. |
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| Disclosure: Dr. Javanbakht and Mss. Grasser, Al-Saghir, Wanna, and Spinei report no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest. |
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| All statements expressed in this column are those of the authors and do not reflect the opinions of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. See the Instructions for Authors for information about the preparation and submission of Letters to the Editor. |
Vol 58 - N° 11
P. 1124-1126 - novembre 2019 Retour au numéro
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