Effects of an Intensive Rhythmic Dance Program on Learning Skills in Children With Cerebral Palsy

NCT07500896 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: RC31/25/0654
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 6
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that affects 1 in 1,000 children and causes motor disability , with sometimes sensorymotor disability which have consequences on daily life. The aim of rehabilitation for people with cerebral palsy is to improve patients' independence and quality of life. A major stake for these people is therefore to learn new behaviors by fostering motor, cognitive, and psychosocial development. Dance is a relevant activity, as it is a physical and enjoyable learning activity and a multisensory environment. Moreover, scientific literature suggests motor and psycho-affective benefits associated with dance practice in children with cerebral palsy, especially when it involves rhythmic stimulation. The aim of this project is therefore to assess the effect of a rhythm-based dance program on motor learning ability, as rhythmic auditory stimulation can improve motor control in patients with other neurological disorders (e.g., Thaut, 2015). We suppose that being able to synchronize through the practice of rhythmic dance could facilitate the learning of cognitive and psychosocial motor skills. To reach this goal, we will conduct a Single Case Experimental Study (SCED). Using this individual analysis method, we will repeatedly evaluate a target behavior to determine whether a dance program facilitates motor, cognitive, and psychosocial learning for each participant. The dance program will take place over two weeks. Three instructors will lead dance classes (two 2-hour sessions per day with breaks) during the first week, and three one-hour dance classes during the second week. Assessments will be conducted before (baseline, phase A), during (intervention, phase B), after the dance workshop (follow-up phase, FU), and far from it (final study visit).

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Keywords

Dance program; Cerebral palsy; Learning skills

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Evolution of the Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) score throughout the study

  The main criterion is the evolution of the Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) score throughout the study. The GAS corresponds to the individual goals set with each child at the beginning of the study. Three individualized and specific goals will be defined for each child, covering motor, cognitive, and psychosocial domains. These measurements will be assessed repeatedly during the dance program: reference phase (baseline, phase A), during the dance program (intervention, phase B), and after the dance program (follow-up phase, FU), with a final assessment at a distance from the intervention phase (final study visit).

  From baseline to the final study visit (up to approximately 9 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) scores

  From baseline to the final study visit (up to approximately 9 weeks)

• Physical activity levels measured by heart rate monitoring

  From baseline to the final study visit (up to approximately 9 weeks)

• Socio-demographic characteristics

  baseline

• Initial perceptions of the children

  baseline

Interventions

Repeated assessments OTHER

It is a multiple baseline SCED study with four successive phases (A-B-Follow UP) for each participant. Repeated assessments take place for 8 consecutive weeks, with the final assessments taking place up to one week after the end-of-year show

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants with cerebral palsy will be recruited from ASEI ((Agir, Soigner, Eduquer, Insérer), a public utility organization governed by the French law of July 1, 1901).

You may qualify if:

• Age between 6 and 17 years old
• Diagnosis of cerebral palsy
• Level I to IV on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS, Palisano et al., 2008) : with or without an armchair
• Level I to IV on the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS, Eliasson et al., 2006)
• Affiliation with or beneficiary of a Social Security scheme
• Ability to understand instructions (investigator's assessment)

You may not qualify if:

• Autism spectrum disorder diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria (APA, 2013)
• Hearing impairment diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria (APA, 2013) or uncorrected hearing impairment that prevents the individual from hearing music at a volume between 45 and 70 decibels
• Visual impairment diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria (APA, 2013) and uncorrected
• Intellectual Developmental Disorder diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria (APA, 2013)
• Behavioral/conduct disorders diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria (APA, 2013)
• Child enrolled in a dance program specifically focused on rhythm
• Child whose parents are both subject to legal protection measures (guardianship, curatorship, judicial protection)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Toulouse: lead

Study Sites (1)

CHU Toulouse - Hôpital Raymonde Fournet

Toulouse, Occitanie, 31059, France

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Damage, Chronic; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 24, 2026
• First Posted: March 30, 2026
• Study Start: March 17, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Locations

FR (1)