Co-designing Dance for Adolescent Wellbeing: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study in English Secondary Schools

Area of Science:

• Adolescent mental health
• School-based interventions
• Dance and wellbeing

Background:

• Rising mental health challenges and loneliness among adolescents in England.
• Dance offers holistic benefits for physical, mental, and social health.
• Limited access to timely support for young people's wellbeing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility and impact of co-designed dance interventions on adolescent wellbeing in schools.
• To assess changes in mental wellbeing, loneliness, and engagement with support services.
• To gather qualitative feedback on student experiences with the dance program.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods pilot study in two London secondary schools with Year 8 and 9 pupils.
• Co-design methodology used to shape dance session formats with student input.
• Four-week dance program with pre- and post-intervention assessments of wellbeing (WEMWBS), loneliness (UCLA-3), and Net Promoter Score (NPS).

Main Results:

• High session attendance (3.7/4) and improved acceptability of dance (NPS 6.7 to 8.0, P=.023).
• No significant group-level changes in wellbeing (WEMWBS) or loneliness (UCLA-3).
• Qualitative data revealed positive experiences including skilled instructors, peer connection, and low-pressure sharing.

Conclusions:

• Co-designed dance interventions are feasible for school settings and enhance program acceptability.
• Short-term pilot did not detect group-level wellbeing or loneliness improvements, but showed individual gains.
• Findings support progression to larger evaluations with refined implementation guidance for school-based dance programs.