The Effect of Poetry and Rhythmic Movements Therapy on Reducing Childhood Anxiety of a Child with Myelomeningocele: A Case Report

Background and Objectives: Myelomeningocele is a congenital malformation of the central nervous system. Children with this disorder, along with having motor problems, often suffer from behavioral-emotional problems. Anxiety can be annoying, destructive and harmful to the child, due to its impact on all areas of life such as education, interaction with peers, life satisfaction, sense of adequacy and efficiency. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of Poetry and Rhythmic Movements Therapy on reducing child anxiety with the diagnosis of Myelomeningocele. Case Report: The present study is a case study that examines 10 sessions of Poetry and Rhythmic Movements Therapy based on the guidelines for reducing aggression in a 12-year-old child with a diagnosis of myelomeningocele. In this study, the Spence anxiety questionnaire was used. The questionnaire contains 45 phrases (38 score carded terms) that include 6 domains and anxiety domains such as panic and fear of open space, separation anxiety, fear of physical harm, social phobia (phobia), general anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder - measuring the practice of children aged 8 to 15 years. In this study, the questionnaire was completed before and after the intervention by the caregiver. Conclusion: Poetry therapy and rhythmic movements can be used as a non-invasive, simple and low-cost treatment and an appropriate way to reduce children’s anxiety.