ABSTRACT

Aim and Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects that dance interventions have on the somatic symptoms and psychological health of teenage girls and to offer a non-pharmacological supplement to the health services provided by schools. Methodology: The participants in the research were female adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18 years old (mean years: 15.89±2.85). The criteria for inclusion were internalizing difficulties that were connected to stress, as well as several visits to the school nurse for both physical symptoms (such as headaches, stomachaches, weariness, and hurting shoulders) and emotional discomfort (e.g. persistent feelings of stress, nervousness, and anxiety). There were a total of one hundred teenage girls with stress-related internalizing disorders who participated in the research study. Of them, fifty were assigned at random to the dance intervention group, while the remaining fifty were assigned to the control group. Results:  The majority of the females are between the ages of 14 and 16. Girls were present at a rate of 44% in the intervention group and 40% in the control group respectively. This was followed by a rate of 42% in the age group for 16–18 years old and 38% in the age group for 12–14 year olds. In the age group of 10–12 year olds, only 4% of girls were present. 78% of boys and 70% of girls engage in physical activity. For those participating in the dancing intervention and those serving as the control, respectively. At the beginning of the study, the total mean value for somatic symptoms was 3.25± 1.25, and the mean value for emotional distress was 3.89± 1.33. The emotional distress and somatic symptoms connection has a Pearson value of r = 0.84, which indicates a strong relationship between the two.  The levels of emotional distress before and after the intervention were as follows: stress 47 (94%) and 6 (12%), nervousness 45 (90%) and 5 (12%), anxiety 49 (98%) and 6 (12%), sadness 46 (92%) and 5 (12%), irritation 44 (88%) and 4 (8%), and powerlessness 47 (94%) and 4 (8%). Conclusion:  According to the findings of the current research, dance therapies can alleviate stress-related physical symptoms as well as mental discomfort in teenage females. Nevertheless, the impact of the intervention was not sustained one year after the session had been completed, which suggests that participants need to continue frequent involvement in the intervention for the outcomes to be permanent.  To assess the efficacy of the intervention in a variety of contexts, more randomized trials are necessary.