De-escalation with Dance/Movement Therapy: A Program Evaluation

Psychiatric inpatient facilities may treat patients with a history of or current aggressive tendencies. Restraint and seclusion (R/S) techniques have been a controversial choice for patient and staff safety. Literature on aggression and restraints in psychiatric facilities suggested a need for further training on de-escalation and violence prevention to support safer environments for patients and staff. A 5-hour de-escalation and violence prevention training program based on dance/movement therapy (DMT) techniques was developed and taught to Drexel University students in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Master’s program (N = 73). The training program, De-escalation with DMT, focused on teaching observational skill building, empathy building, and self-efficacy in order to support violence prevention and de-escalation. This article looks at the effectiveness of the training program in each of the three skill areas, as well as, participants’ views on the overall effectiveness of the program as it relates to de-escalation, violence prevention, and the use of R/S. Findings suggest an increase in observational skills, empathy levels, and self-efficacy, and positive views regarding the overall training program as reported by participants. Results from this program evaluation suggest that De-escalation with DMT could be useful in increasing skills that would support safe and effective de-escalations. © 2017, American Dance Therapy Association.