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

Recruiting now

Conditions studied: Cerebral Palsy (CP)

In brief

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).

Key facts

Study ID: NCT07500896
Run by: University Hospital, Toulouse
People needed: 6
Starts: 2026-03-17
Expected to finish: 2026-12-31
Last updated by the study team: 2026-03-30

Who can join

Age: 6 and older, up to 17. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

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)

Where it is running

CHU Toulouse - Hôpital Raymonde Fournet — Toulouse, Occitanie, France (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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