The effect of dance on mental health and quality of life of people with Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and three-level meta-analysis

•Compared to passive control, dance improves mental health and quality of life in individuals with Parkinson's disease.•Non-partnered dance is more effective in improving mental health than partnered dance.•Higher total dosage of dance intervention negatively correlates with the effects on mental health. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide. Dance has emerged as a comprehensive intervention for enhancing well-being in this population. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effectiveness of dance on mental health and quality of life among individuals with PD. Three databases were searched in December 2022. Research papers comparing the effects of dance with a non-dance control on the quality of life or mental health of individuals with PD were included. Two authors independently screened the studies, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality of eligible studies. To address the interdependence of effect sizes within studies, the three-level meta-analysis approach was employed to analyze the data. Thirteen trials involving a total of 496 participants were included, with 11 being subjected to statistical analysis. The results indicated that dance had a positive impact on mental health (g = 0.43, 95 % CI = [0.11, 0.75]) and quality of life (g = 0.46, 95 % CI = [-0.04, 0.95]) when compared to passive control groups. Moderator analyses revealed that non-partnered dance and dance interventions with lower total dosages were particularly beneficial for mental health. Dance interventions are an effective lifestyle activity for enhancing mental health and quality of life in individuals with PD. A theoretical framework is proposed to explain the impact of dance on well-being from neurological, social, physical, and psychological perspectives.