Students take part in body image study

Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) is working with Staffordshire University and the University of Derby to investigate the effects of dance on body image.

16 A Level Psychology students from NULC will take part in a dance movement therapy intervention and will then take part in focus groups and interviews where they will discuss the experience.

The project will be managed by Professor Sarah Grogan from Staffordshire University and Dr Jill Bunce from the University of Derby who will both be involved at all stages of the study. Simone Heyland will run the dance movement therapy intervention at NULC and two research assistants from the University of Derby will run the focus groups and interviews with the students.

The study will be the first in the UK to investigate the effects of a contemporary dance intervention on young men and women’s body image and experiences of embodiment, and the first to look at the impact of dance interventions on young men’s body image.

The results will be used to inform a larger-scale study and to help to understand how to make these kinds of dance therapy movement interventions more effective in improving young people’s body image.

To find out more about the study contact Wendy Davies on wendy.davies6@mypostoffice.co.uk.