"Creative Arts Interventions for Stress Management and Prevention—A Systematic Review" Stress is one of the world’s largest health problems, leading to exhaustion, burnout, anxiety, a weak immune system, or even organ damage. In Germany, stress-induced work absenteeism costs about 20 billion Euros per year. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Central Federal Association of the public Health Insurance Funds in Germany ascribes particular importance to stress prevention and stress management as well as health enhancing measures. Building on current integrative and embodied stress theories, Creative Arts Therapies (CATs) or arts interventions are an innovative way to prevent stress and improve stress management. CATs encompass art, music, dance/movement, and drama therapy as their four major modalities. In order to obtain an overview of CATs and arts interventions’ efficacy in the context of stress reduction and management, we conducted a systematic review with a search in the following data bases: Academic Search Complete, ERIC, Medline, Psyndex, PsycINFO and SocINDEX. Studies were included employing the PICOS principle and rated according to their evidence level. We included 37 studies, 73% of which were randomized controlled trials. 81.1% of the included studies reported a significant reduction of stress in the participants due to interventions of one of the four arts modalities.

"Efficacy and safety of meditative movement therapies in fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." A systematic review with meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of meditative movement therapies (Qigong, Tai Chi and Yoga) in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) was carried out. We screened Clinicaltrials.Gov, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus (through December 2010) and the reference sections of original studies for meditative movement therapies (MMT) in FMS. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing MMT to controls were analysed. Outcomes of efficacy were pain, sleep, fatigue, depression and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Effects were summarized using standardized mean differences (SMD [95% confidence interval]). Outcomes of safety were drop out because of adverse events and serious adverse events. A total of 7 out of 117 studies with 362 subjects and a median of 12 sessions (range 8–24) were included.

This study addresses the impact of non-goal-directed improvisational dance versus goal-directed improvisational dance in reducing perceived stress and improving well-being, general self-efficacy, and body self-efficacy. Fifty-seven students participated either in the experimental condition (N = 30) or in the control condition (N = 27). Participants in the experimental group (EG) performed non-goal-directed improvisational dance movements, while participants in the control group (CG) improvised to the same music in a goal-directed way with the help of colored paper sheets serving as targets.

Refugees often suffer from complex trauma including persecution in their home countries, flight, and disadvantaged conditions of life in the host country. The body is directly involved in these traumatic experiences. Dance/movement therapy allows for the treatment of complex psychological trauma (torture, rape, war experiences) and contributes to the healing process directly on a body level. The complex traumata in the life of refugees require creative therapeutic interventions on different levels.

Aims: Summarize the evidence that support effectiveness of long-term exercise interventions in improving cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms among patients with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Added value: Proof that physical exercise contributes positively to the mental well – being of the person without the side effects medication has. Target Group: Individuals with MCI OR AD. Type of physical activity: Aerobic exercise programs with moderate to high – intensity on mild AD patients.

Aim: Investigation of the effectiveness of long-term exercise interventions in improving cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Added Value: The use of RCI analysis, contributing to a more personalized approach, gaining insight into which persons with dementia are most likely to be positively benefited from physical activity interventions. Target Group: Individuals with mild moderate dementia aged 60 years or above.

Aims: The examination of the psychophysiological effects of Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) and physical exercise for older individuals with dementia. Added Value: Confirmation that the DMT contributes positively towards various aspects of functioning in older adults with declining cognitive abilities. Heart rates of the participants were monitored throughout the entire intervention sessions using portable heart rate monitors to maintain a similar level of exercise exertion in both groups. Target Group: Older adults with a clinical diagnosis of dementia (DSM IV) or mild neurocognitive disorder (DSM V).

population of older adults with major depression. The Hesiod initiative includes weekly group meetings of hexameter recitation and physical exercise aimed at improving postural stability and breathing through recitation

Aims: The examination of a cognitive neuroprotective effect of exercise in people with MCI and Dementia through meta –analyses of published evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Added Value: The paper reviews a large number of both animal and human studies in order to shed a light on physical exercise as a prophylactic and perhaps disease-slowing treatment of neurodegenerative and age-related dementia and MCI. Target Group: Animals, healthy seniors, people with MCI and Dementia.

Aims: The examination of the dose-response relationship between exercise dose-parameters (program and session duration, frequency, intensity) and cognitive function (global cognition, executive function, memory) in adults with and without cognitive impairments through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Added Value: The quantification of the dose response relationship separately between the responses to aerobic, anaerobic, multimodal, and psychomotor interventions and changes in global cognition, executive function, and memory using advanced statistical modeling. Target Group: 36 studies included older populations (>50, 2007 participants, 1772 women, mean age 72.8±6.57 years). 23 studies with healthy older populations (1225 participants, 1134 women, mean age 70.3±5.32 years) and 13 studies with cognitive impairments (782 participants, 676 women. Mean age 78.3±5.64).

Aims: The effect of 26 weeks (6 months) of a supervised aerobic exercise program on memory, executive function, functional ability and depression in early AD. Added Value: Relationship of cardiorespiratory fitness with memory and bilateral hippocampal volume. Target Group: People of 55 years old and above with Mild Cognitive Impairment and probable Alzheimer’s disease.

Publication is focusing on the theory of human mental health hygiene. It contains practical instructions on how to take care of your health through physical activities.