Psycho-Immunological Process Evaluation of Biodanza

Abstract

Introduction. Biodanza is an intervention intended to promote health by encouraging self-expression and autoregulation through music, dance and interaction as developed by R. Toro. Aim of the Study. To examine the effects of Biodanza on the secretion of IgA and the feeling of relaxation before and after the Biodanza sessions in a group of schoolteachers. Materials and Methods. This study can be supported by other studies with adults, which have established moderate correlations between auto-regulative trainings and increases in the secretion of IgA (Green, R. G., Green, M. L., 1987; Jasnoski, Kugler, 1987; Green, R. G., Green, M. L., Santoro, 1988). Our studies are the first to examine these effects with Biodanza based on 10 points of measurement of IgA. An experimental group (EG, Biodanza) and a control group (CG, STRAIMY ® ,Yoga programme) took part in 10 sessions. Before and after each session IgA and feeling of relaxation were measured. After 10 sessions the EG (Biodanza) continued Biodanza for 10 more sessions. Results. The subjects out of the EG and the CG showed a significant increase (p≤.05) in IgA in 6 out of 10 sessions. The effect sizes (concerning IgA) in the first 6 sessions (d'≥1.05) of Biodanza point towards a large difference between pre and post measures. The lack of pre-post-effects from the seventh Biodanza-session onward, in comparision to the CG, may be due to an increase in pre IgA-values in the EG for the first and last sessions on a 10% significance level with a high effect size (d'=.72). Follow-up examinations after 10 weeks without Biodanza showed that the IgA-group-average-value of the group that did not practice Biodanza between the 10 th and the 20 th session sank significantly (p