Abstract
Contemporary children and adolescents are exposed to increasing psychosocial stressors, including social instability, educational pressure, digital overstimulation, disrupted relational environments, and global uncertainty. These conditions contribute to rising levels of emotional dysregulation, anxiety, behavioral disturbance, somatic distress, and relational withdrawal. Such difficulties are frequently communicated through bodily states, movement patterns, and nonverbal behavior rather than through explicit verbal articulation. This conceptual commentary examines Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) through a developmental-relational and neurobiological framework, drawing on attachment theory, embodied cognition, affective neuroscience, and movement-based therapeutic practice. The article explores mechanisms through which DMT may support affect regulation, relational attunement, embodied self-awareness, resilience-building, and developmental integration in children and adolescents. Particular emphasis is placed on embodied safety, nonverbal therapeutic alliance formation, sensory attunement, rhythmic regulation, creativity, and agency development. Clinical examples are included to contextualize theoretical arguments. While empirical evidence remains comparatively limited relative to established verbal psychotherapies, DMT demonstrates conceptual and clinical relevance as both a complementary and, in selected contexts, primary intervention within multidisciplinary child and adolescent mental health care.
Keywords
Dance/movement therapy, Child and adolescent mental health, Embodied psychotherapy, Affect regulation, Resilience, Nonverbal intervention