Social Goals in Adults with ASD: The Case for Ballroom in Dance/Movement Therapy

Author

Stacey Crimans, Lesley UniversityFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-18-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA - Master of Arts

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Michelle Napoli

Abstract

The author explores the challenges experienced by adults with Autism (ASD) and their families, especially once they have left the public school system and are faced with entering college, a job, and any other goals they may desire. Adults with Autism generally are not researched nearly as much as children with Autism, but there is even less research using the modality of Dance/Movement Therapy as treatment for this population. The author explores how Dance/Movement Therapy might benefit from the incorporation of Polyvagal Theory with this population as well as elements of ballroom dancing. Specifics concerning why elements of social ballroom dancing would benefit this population are included based primarily on the author’s phenomenological experience.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Crimans, Stacey, "Social Goals in Adults with ASD: The Case for Ballroom in Dance/Movement Therapy" (2019). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 159.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/159