Dance/Movement Therapists in Action: A Working Guide to Research Options

This updated and expanded new edition continues the theme of the first edition that presents a spectrum of research alternatives that can inform clinical practice, inspire the clinician, and guide scholarly dance/movement therapy (DMT) research. It highlights two basic research frameworks quantitative (objective) and qualitative (interpretative) including their underlying philosophic and theoretical tenets. The book is divided into four sections. Section 1 provides a sequential guide to the contents of the volume and establishes a rationale for the relevance of research to the field of dance/movement therapy. Section 2 explores the 'Traditional Methods and Research Considerations' and is primarily devoted to experimental designs and the alternatives within the quantitative research paradigm. Section 3 addresses varying modes of qualitative approaches, and the interpretive designs that continue to evolve to meet the changing conditions of research inquiry in the arts and behavioral sciences. Section 4 comprises chapters that examine research alternatives and growing trends. These chapters include a spectrum of research models and methods such as evaluation research, embodied artistic inquiry, and mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in a single study. Throughout the book, many examples are given that provide knowledge and awareness of the living body, the diverse ways of working, and the importance of creative expression and integration. In addition, creative alternatives and options, artistic inquiry, single-subject design (SSD), individual case study, issues of reliability and validity, interviews, observations, and content analysis are explored that will assist the dance/movement therapist. This text will be an accessible introduction for students and interns as well as a useful guide for seasoned professionals.