Key words: Biodanza, wellbeing, stress, alexithymia

1. Health Effects derived from an annual course of Biodanza practise: en empirical study on 235 peopleSandra Capri Eindohoven July 2016

2. Why Biodanza Italia facilitators’ Associationcommissioned a research on Health Effects derived from Biodanza practise? Key words: Biodanza, wellbeing, stress, alexithymia

3. Otherresearches on Biodanza effects • Stück M., Villegas A. (2012). Overview on biodanza research an 8-aspect-approach. Biopsychological Basics of Life, 1: 4-13. • Sudres J.L., Villac M., Brandibas G. (2012). La Biodanza: une techniquemédiatisée integrative. Présentation et élémentsd’évalutation [Biodanza: an holistic mediatized technique. Presentation and elements of assessment]. ConfiniaPsychopathologica, • 1 (2): 51-86. • Villegas A. (2012). Investigation of the impact of the dance-oriented intervention method Biodanza. Basics of Life, 1: 14-23. • Carbonell-Baeza A., Aparicio V.A., Martins-Pereira C.M., Gatto-Cardia C.M., Ortega F.B., Huertas F.J., Tercedor P., Ruiz J.R. and Delgado-Fernandez M. (2010). Efficacy of Biodanza for treating women with fibromyalgia. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16 (11): 1191-200., • Stück M., Villegas A., Schroeder H., Sack U., Terren R., Toro V. and Toro R. (2004). Biodanza as Mirrored in the sciences: Research concerning the psychological, physiological and immunological effects of Biodanza. Arts in Psychotherapy, 31 (3): 204.

4. Healthis a state of psycho-physical and social 1948 Key words: Biodanza, wellbeing, stress, alexithymia

5. Characters strengths and virtues = LIFE SKILLS Wisdom and knowledgeCourageHumanityJusticeTemperanceTrascendenceCVS Seligman and Peterson 2004 Key words: Biodanza, wellbeing, stress, alexithymia

6. Key Biodanza elements • Expressive movement (dance) • Music • Group …. Vivencia

7. Dance – Expressive Movement

8. Penny Lewis BernsteinTheorethical approaches in dance/movement therapy “the body movement reflects the internal emotional states of the individual, then significant changes in motor behaviour can bring about changes in the psyche “ This is the theory which supports Biodanza practice because it entails expressive movement as the path to facilitate psycho-physical integration and change the body mind continuum.

9. Researchteam Maria Teresa Giannelli Professor Scuola di Specializzazione in Psicologia della Salute (Post Graduate School of Health Psycholgy) – “Sapienza” Università di Roma (research supervisor) resigiannelli@gmail.com Patrizia Giannino , Alessandro Mingarelli Specialist in Wellbeing Psychology , APRI Associazione Psicologi Ricerca e Intervento (indipendent researchers) patriziagiannino@gmail.com alessandro.mingarelli@psicosalute.com Project referents: Sandra Capri sociologist, Laura Terzoli physicianand 26 facilitators who enrolled the participants

10. Research project started in 2010 • 295 participants • 429 questionnaries (153 items ) = 65637 answers • 3 administrations in 12 months • 8 months of data elaboration • 4 months article subject to peer review Key words: Biodanza, wellbeing, stress, alexithymia Research and articletranslation commissioned by

11. Article published in 2015(Psychology of Health) by Franco Angeli peer reviewed journalIssue 1/2015, pp 84-107Original title Efficaciasulla salute di un corsoannuale di Biodanza: uno studio empirico Key words: Biodanza, wellbeing, stress, alexithymia Research and articletranslation commissioned by

12. ResearchObjectives To assess possible specific effects of Biodanza regular practise on some dimensions of wellbeing such as: • psychological wellbeing (Ryff, 1989) • stress (Lemyre et al., 1990) • alexithymia (Bagby et al., 1994)

13. ResearchHypotheses Biodanza practice promotes wellbeing • Increases psychological wellbeing • Decreases stress • Decreases emotional dysregulation

14. Psychological Wellbeing Carol Ryff, 1989paper, "Happiness is everything, or is it?” explores on the meaning of psychological well-being." she contrasts this with subjective well-being or hedonic well-being. Ryff attempted to combine different conceptions of well-being from the ancient Greek to the modern psychological such as theories of individuation from Carl Jung, Self-actualization from Abraham Maslow and others

15. Stress (Lemyre and others, 1990) Activation of the organism in relation to the eventsperceived and interpretedasthreats to theirmental and physicalwellbeing

16. Alexithymia The core characteristics of alexithymia are marked dysfunction in emotional awareness, social attachment, and interpersonal relating.Furthermore, individuals suffering from alexithymia also have difficulty in distinguishing and appreciating the emotions of others, which is thought to lead to unempathic and ineffective emotional responding

17. Research participants 3 groups one experimental and two control 1) Experimental Biodanza Group, 96 people who started a Biodanza course for the first time in various italian cities; 2) Control Group Physical Activity 71 people who began tango courses or latin american dances that have the non-specific characteristics of Biodanza (dance 86,76% Gym 13,24% ). 3) Sedentary control group, 68 people who did not carry out any physical activity on a weekly basis

18. PROCEDURE Thanks to 26 facilitators members of Biodanza Italia Association who enrolled research participants among their beginners’ groups For the two control groups (Physical Activity and Sedentary) people were identified, in the same territories, having similar sex and age of the Biodanza beginners The questionnaires were filled in in 3 phases : sept/ oct early (pre-test) at the end of the courses (may) , which lasted about 9 months (post-test) and a follow up the following sept/oct. Participants received material electronically and on paper (a letter of presentation of the research, a form for informed consent, a registration card and questionnaires in a sealed envelope).  The questionnaires filled in on paper were delivered to teachers in a sealed envelope, signed on the flap, while those compiled in electronic format, were sent by the participants directly to the researchers. All questionnaires were treated with the utmost confidentiality, in accordance with law no. 196/2003 on the protection of privacy and personal data.

19. Data Analysis VarianceAnalisys (multivariate MANCOVA and univariate UNICOVA ) Two initial blocks of analysis were conducted: • The first block evaluated any initial differences among the three groups in relation to the investigated measures; • The second block was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of Biodanza and considered the PHASE (pre-course and post-course) On the basis of the data emerged in the first two blocks, a third analysis block was carried out 5 monthslater (follow up)

20. Tab. 1 - Descriptive statistics of the three groups Biodanza : 96 beginners (18 males, 78 females) Control group 1 physical activity : 71 beginners (22 males, 49 females) Control group 2 sedentary people: 68 (13 males, 55 females)

21. Age and Gender

22. INSTRUMENTS All 295 research participants received the same battery of three questionnaires -The Psychological wellbeing was measured with the Italian version of the Psychological Wellbeing Scale 84 items -The Stress was measured with the Italian version of Measure du Stress Psychologique (MSP) 49 itemsIn addition to the total score of the stress level the following sub-dimensions can be analized : loss of control, irritability; psychophysiological sensations; sense of effort and confusion; depressive anxiety; pain and physical problems; hyperactivity, acceleration behaviour. - The Alexithymia was evaluated with the Italian version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale 20 items (TAS-20; Bressi et al., 1996; Bagby et al., 1994).

23. Psychological Wellbeing Scale 84 item questionnaire ( et et al.,

24. Measure du Stress Psychologique 49 item questionnaire ( et • Loss of control • Irritability • Psychophysiological sensations • Sens of effort and confusion • Depressive anxiety • Pain and phisical problems • Hyperactivity • Acceleration behaviour

25. Alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia scale) 20 item questionnaire ( et et al., Level of emotionaldysregulation • Difficulty in identifyingemotions and distinguishthem from bodilysensations • Difficulty in describingemotions and thencommunicatingthem to others • Externallyoriented and thenhyper-realisticthinking

26. Differences between the groups according to the Phase in Self-acceptance scale, Positive Relations, Autonomy

27. Differences between the groups in relation to the Phase in Environmental Control, Purpose in Life, Personal Growth measures

28. Differences between groups in the STRESS levels in function of the Phase

29. Differences between the groups according to the phase in aspects of Loss of Control, Psychophysical Sensation, Effort and confusion

30. Differences between the groups according to phase in Depressive Anxiety, Pain, Hyperactivity measures.

31. Differences between groups in the levels of total Alexithymia according to phase

32. Biodanza and Well BeingResearch results The research results support the hypothesis that the Biodanza is actually a practice for the promotion of health, Data are convergent and persistent

33. Biodanza and Well BeingResearch results tendency to maintain higherlevels of + positive relationships + autonomy +environmental control

34. Biodanza and Well BeingResearch results tendency to lowerlevels of - Stress - control loss - depressive anxiety