Table 3 Clinical studies enrolling therapeutic eurythmy (with and without add-on treatments)

[28]

EYT; additionally: CO₂ bathes, swimming, massages, inhalations, diet, health related lectures

Physiological and psychomental reactions similar to control group with active training, particularly psychomental strain and others better in the EYT group

/

[10]

EYT, 30 min. once a week (7 – 25 sessions per child); no other therapy during study, but 1 child with methylphenidate medication

Positive changes (normalisation) of movement skills (5/5) and concentration (4/5); minor improvement on working speed (5/5); slight improvement of social behaviour problems (4/5) and slight drop of hyperactivity (4/5); stopping of methylphenidate medication at the end of the study in 1/1

/

[29]

EYT, 25 min. 3–5x per week, 6–14 weeks treatment period during hospital stay; additional treatments: psychotherapy, change of eating habits, art therapy, patient caring procedures

Improvement of Body Mass Index in 10–13 year old girls (pre-post Standardised Response Mean: 0.79), in 14–16 year old girls (pre-post Standardised Response Mean: 1.08), but not in 17–19 year old girls (pre-post Standardised Response Mean: 0.23); improvement of cold of limbs (55/67) and constipation (38/54); artificial feeding not required any longer (0/54); no changes in amenorrhea (53/53); improvement of fluent movements, decrease of movement compulsion etc.; improvement of body perception

10–13 years: 1.02 (0.26–2.45; large effect); 14–16 years: 0.99 (0.31–1.57; large effect); 17–19 years: 0.22 (-1.00–1.32; small effect)

[23]

EYT (47%), AM art therapy (18%), rhythmic massage (10%), AM medication (26%); median therapy duration 120 days (interquartile range 81–195); median number of therapy sessions 12 (interquartile range 10–20)

Significant improvement of disease and symptom scores (Standardised Response Mean for 0–6 months: 1.23 and 1.09), and quality of life (SF-36, KINDL and KITA)

[24]

AM medication (13%) and AM therapies (87%), such as art therapy (43%), EYT (37%), rhythmical massage therapy (6%); median therapy duration 137 days (interquartile range 91–212); 29% used antidepressants within the first 6 study months, 24% had at least 10 psychotherapy sessions, 55% had no standard therapy (i.e. psychotherapy, antidepressants)

Significant improvement of depression (CES-D: Standardised Response Mean for 0–12 months: 1.20 [art therapy 1.32, painting, drawing, clawing 1.25, EYT 1.08]), disease and symptom scores (1.77 and 0.91), and quality of life (SF-36 mental: 1.11)

[25]

EYT (94%) with a median therapy duration 119 days (interquartile range 84–188), median number of therapy sessions 12 (interquartile range 10–19); adjunctive AM medication in 75%; other treatments were used too (but 63% of patients were without diagnosis-related adjunctive therapy)

Significant improvement of disease and symptom scores (Standardised Response Mean for 0–12 months comparison: 1.34 and 1.04) and quality of life (SF-36 and KITA: 0.41–0.67);; significant increase of psychotherapy usage

disease score: 1.70 (1.47 – 1.99; large effect); symptom score: 1.27 (1.08–1.50; large effect)

[26]

AM medication (71–86%), AM art therapy (4%) and EYT (14%); other treatments were used too (but 63% of patients were without diagnosis-related adjunctive therapy)

Significant improvement of disease and symptom scores (Standardised Response Mean for 0–12 months comparison: 1.52 and 1.04, and quality of life (SF-36 and KITA: 0.33–0.71); Significant increase of AM medication and psychotherapy usage

[27]

AM therapy (incl. 70% EYT, 24% rhythmical massage, 6% art) versus conventional therapies

Significant improvement of symptom scores (pre-post Standardised Response Mean for 0–12 months comparison: 1.0 in AM vs. 0.5 in control) and physical health score (SF-36 Standardised Response Mean: -0.8 in AM vs. -0.2 in control) in both groups; after adjustment, in AM group more pronounced improvements for mental health, general health and vitality

symptom score conventional group: 0.57 (0.02 – 1.31; moderate effect), AM group: 1.00 (0.33–1.67; large effect)