Dance therapy in rehabilitation: a two-decade bibliometric analysis (2000–2024)

Abstract Dance therapy integrates movement and dance, enhances emotional, cognitive, and physical health, making it a valuable rehabilitation tool. Dance therapy has been applied to clinical populations, addressing depression, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia. Despite its expanding application in rehabilitation settings, to our knowledge, no prior study has systematically mapped the bibliometric landscape of dance therapy in rehabilitation. This study performed the first longitudinal bibliometric analysis focused on dance therapy in rehabilitation, identifying key research areas, emerging trends, and the evolution of dance therapy’s role in rehabilitation. A systematic search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection, yielding 1356 publications from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2024. Bibliometric analyses were performed using VOSviewer, bibliometrix in R, Scimago, and CiteSpace to construct collaborative networks, perform co-occurrence analyses, and visualize thematic evolutions. The annual number of publications increased significantly over the study period, from three studies in 2000 to 188 in 2024, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 19.34%. A total of 26,254 citations were received by 2024, an average of 19.4 citations per publication. The United States, the United Kingdom, and China emerged as the most productive countries, with notable collaborations among leading institutions such as the University of Haifa and Drexel University. Keyword analyses revealed research hotspots including the efficacy of dance therapy for improving mental health (depression, anxiety), and quality of life through dance therapy, Parkinson’s disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. Emerging trends indicate a growing focus on complementary and alternative medicine approaches within the field. This study shows, dance therapy in rehabilitation has experienced substantial growth and diversification of research themes. Enhanced interdisciplinary cooperation and further exploration of emerging trends are recommended to advance the integration of dance therapy into comprehensive rehabilitation strategies.