Published Paper Details:

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects children's ability to focus, control impulses, and manage behaviors, often leading to challenges in emotional regulation and interpersonal relationships. Dance therapy, an expressive form of therapy that combines movement with psychological benefits, has gained attention for its potential to improve emotional well-being and social skills in children with ADHD. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of dance therapy in enhancing interpersonal relationships among children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A quasi-experimental design was employed, with a sample of 8 children from a special children's center in Chidambaram. The Children's Interpersonal Relationships and Attitudes Assessment (CIRAA) by Holliman & Ray (2013) was used to measure interpersonal relationships, respectively. Participants underwent a structured dance therapy program over 8 sessions during four weeks. To analyze the pre- and post-intervention data, a paired-sample t-test was employed to determine statistical significance in changes in interpersonal relationship scores. Results indicated that after the intervention, there was a statistically significant improvement in interpersonal relationships among the ADHD children. These findings suggest that dance therapy could be an effective complementary approach in enhancing emotional and social outcomes in children with ADHD. Further research with larger samples and control groups is recommended to validate these findings and explore the mechanisms underlying the benefits of dance therapy in this context.