Exercise interventions for mental disorders in young people: a scoping review

Aims This scoping review determines the breadth and outcomes of controlled trials testing the effect of physical activity/exercise interventions across mental health outcomes in young people with a mental disorder.Methods The literature search was conducted using the open-access ‘Evidence Finder’, a...

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Main Authors: Alan P Bailey, Melinda Craike, Tim Carter, Rhiannon Patten, Michaela C Pascoe, Nigel K Stepto, Alexandra G Parker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-05-01
Series:BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine
Online Access:https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000678.full
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author Alan P Bailey
Melinda Craike
Tim Carter
Rhiannon Patten
Michaela C Pascoe
Nigel K Stepto
Alexandra G Parker
author_facet Alan P Bailey
Melinda Craike
Tim Carter
Rhiannon Patten
Michaela C Pascoe
Nigel K Stepto
Alexandra G Parker
author_sort Alan P Bailey
collection DOAJ
description Aims This scoping review determines the breadth and outcomes of controlled trials testing the effect of physical activity/exercise interventions across mental health outcomes in young people with a mental disorder.Methods The literature search was conducted using the open-access ‘Evidence Finder’, a comprehensive youth mental health-specific database that is systematically populated from MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and Cochrane CENTRAL databases.Results Sixteen publications were identified after meeting the following eligibility criteria: (1) participants were young people (mean age 12–25.9 years) with a mental disorder diagnosed by a trained clinician or by reaching a predefined cut score on a symptom measure, (2) interventions were exercise, (3) designs were randomised or non-randomised controlled trials, (4) outcomes were mental health related. Eight studies included young people with depression, three included people with psychosis/schizophrenia, three included people with eating disorders and two included people with anxiety. The available evidence suggests that moderate-to-vigorous-intensity exercise may be beneficial, particularly for reducing depression. The available evidence for other intervention intensities, and for other mental disorders, is mixed.Conclusions Overall, the evidence regarding the impact of exercise interventions on a range of mental health outcomes in clinical populations of young people with various mental disorders looks promising but requires further development. Findings from this scoping review can inform the development of future exercise interventions in the youth mental health field.
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spelling doaj-art-a1922afb689043b18e8cef6f3ddfa29d2025-08-20T01:47:55ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine2055-76472020-05-016110.1136/bmjsem-2019-000678Exercise interventions for mental disorders in young people: a scoping reviewAlan P Bailey0Melinda Craike1Tim Carter2Rhiannon Patten3Michaela C Pascoe4Nigel K Stepto5Alexandra G Parker63 Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia1 Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia5 Institute of Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK1 Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia1 Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia1 Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia1 Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaAims This scoping review determines the breadth and outcomes of controlled trials testing the effect of physical activity/exercise interventions across mental health outcomes in young people with a mental disorder.Methods The literature search was conducted using the open-access ‘Evidence Finder’, a comprehensive youth mental health-specific database that is systematically populated from MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and Cochrane CENTRAL databases.Results Sixteen publications were identified after meeting the following eligibility criteria: (1) participants were young people (mean age 12–25.9 years) with a mental disorder diagnosed by a trained clinician or by reaching a predefined cut score on a symptom measure, (2) interventions were exercise, (3) designs were randomised or non-randomised controlled trials, (4) outcomes were mental health related. Eight studies included young people with depression, three included people with psychosis/schizophrenia, three included people with eating disorders and two included people with anxiety. The available evidence suggests that moderate-to-vigorous-intensity exercise may be beneficial, particularly for reducing depression. The available evidence for other intervention intensities, and for other mental disorders, is mixed.Conclusions Overall, the evidence regarding the impact of exercise interventions on a range of mental health outcomes in clinical populations of young people with various mental disorders looks promising but requires further development. Findings from this scoping review can inform the development of future exercise interventions in the youth mental health field.https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000678.full
spellingShingle Alan P Bailey
Melinda Craike
Tim Carter
Rhiannon Patten
Michaela C Pascoe
Nigel K Stepto
Alexandra G Parker
Exercise interventions for mental disorders in young people: a scoping review
BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine
title Exercise interventions for mental disorders in young people: a scoping review
title_full Exercise interventions for mental disorders in young people: a scoping review
title_fullStr Exercise interventions for mental disorders in young people: a scoping review
title_full_unstemmed Exercise interventions for mental disorders in young people: a scoping review
title_short Exercise interventions for mental disorders in young people: a scoping review
title_sort exercise interventions for mental disorders in young people a scoping review
url https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000678.full
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