Effects of Popping For Parkinson’s dance class on the mood of people with Parkinson’s disease

Depression, low mood and apathy can affect people with Parkinson’s disease, impacting on their quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of one Popping For Parkinson’s dance session on the mood of people with Parkinson’s disease. A total of 33 people with Parkinson’s disease, with a mean age of 67.5 years (standard deviation 10.3 years), mean Parkinson’s level of 1.8 (standard deviation 1.6), took part in one Popping For Parkinson's dance class at four different locations: London (UK), Hatfield (UK), New York City (USA) and Turin (Italy). Participants’ mood was measured with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire at four time points: immediately before the dance class, immediately after the dance class, 24 hours after the dance class and 1 week after the dance class. Participants’ total mood score and the subscale score of vigour increased, while the subscales of tension, depression, and confusion decreased on the Profile of Mood States, significantly immediately after the dance intervention. However, at 24 hours and 1 week after the dance class, mood scores did not differ significantly compared with baseline measurements. The improvements in mood immediately after the dance class did not differ depending on sex, age, previous dance experience, the location of the dance class, stage of Parkinson’s disease, presence of tremor and deep brain stimulation treatment. Participating in a Popping For Parkinson’s dance class boosts mood in the short term, and this improvement lasts less than 24 hours. This finding has implications for the provision of dance classes, suggesting that regular attendance may be necessary for sustained improvements. Further studies are needed to determine whether attending a series of Popping for Parkinson’s classes may have longer-term effects.