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Exercise as an Effective Treatment to Fight Depression

Jamie Thomspon

Rowan University

Exercise as an Effective Treatment to Fight Depression

Depression is a major health concern in our country. Krogh, Videbech, Thomsen, Gluud, and Nordentoft (2012) noted that depression is expected to be the second highest contributor to the global disease by 2030. The impact of alternative therapies such as exercise to help fight depression has been gaining increasing attention. Roman (2010) suggested, “...structured exercise therapy has repeatedly demonstrated equal or greater improvement of mood symptoms when tested opposite usual care, medication alone, or medication plus exercise” (p. 153). This paper examines the correlation between exercise and depression while investigating variances between college athletes versus non-athletes and males versus females.

Correlation Between Exercise and Depression

Exercise may help reduce depression because it releases endorphins, provides a sense of accomplishment, and promotes a positive self-image. Eriksson and Gard (2011) noted that physical exercise can be an effective treatment against depression due to its mood enhancing effects; in fact, physical exercise had the same positive effect as the antidepressant sertraline in two studies conducted by Duke University. Although not all studies support a correlation between exercise and depression, there is growing evidence the exercise can be an effective alternative therapy, especially when combined with traditional antidepressant medication and behavioral therapy (Taliaferro, Rienzo, Pigg, Miller, and Dodd, 2009).

Depression Among College Students

Depression is real concern among college students. In a 2005 study of college students, Taliaferro et al. (2009) revealed that 38% reported feelings of hopelessness, while 28% said that depressive symptoms hampered their performance at some time during the academic year. Armstrong and Oomen-Early (2009) noted college students who are physically active are 3 times less likely to suffer from depression than their inactive counterparts, and the depressive symptoms showed a decrease as of physical activity were increased. Taliaferro et al.’s (2009) study of 43,499 college students further supports the theory that physically active men experience lower rates of hopelessness, depression, and suicidal behavior than inactive males .

Evidence also supports that depressed college students often engage in destructive behavior. Kleinke’s (1984) study of depressed college students revealed the most prevalent coping strategies included smoking cigarettes, smoking marijuana and using tranquilizers versus engaging in physical activities. As college students struggle to balance the demands of school and extracurricular activities, incorporating exercise into their daily routines can be an important step in avoiding depression. Cai (2000) suggested that university counseling services for student mental health issues should incorporate instructional programs on physical and relaxation exercise.

College Athletes versus Non-athletes

Overall, college athletes experience lower rates of depression than non-athletes. Armstrong and Oomen-Early (2009) discovered statistically significant differences related to levels of self-esteem, social connectedness, and depression between collegiate athletes versus nonathletes. This can also lead to lower rates of depression over an individual’s lifetime. Wyshak’s (2001) survey of approximately 4,000 college female alumnae found that physician-diagnosed depression was 13.56% in former athletes versus 21.22% in nonathletes. These studies further support that exercise plays an important role in maintaining positive mental health during one’s lifetime.

Males versus Females

Females experience depression at a much greater rate than males. “The gender gap in depression remains one of the oldest and most robust findings in community surveys of mental health” (Mirowsky 1996 p. 3). The difference in depression rates between male and females is so distinct that in a survey of 26 countries, in no cases were males more likely to be depressed than females (Hopcroft and Bradley, 2007). Therefore, it is especially important that females include exercise in their daily routine. Tomori and Zalar (as cited in Taliaferro, Rienzo, Pigg, Miller, and Dodd, 2009) found that “adolescent women demonstrated reduced suicide risk if they perceived physical activity as an important determinant of mental health and a beneficial coping behavior during times of distress” p. 429.

Conclusion

Depression is an important mental health issue. Gill, Womack, and Safranek (2010) noted that medication alone is effective less than 50% of the time in reducing symptoms of depression. Exercise can be effective in combating depression, especially when it is used along with traditional antidepressant medication. Gill, Womack, and Safranek (2010) noted that exercise shows the same positive effects as cognitive therapy and drugs in reducing depression-related symptoms. College students are at-risk for experiencing depression at some point during their time in college. In addition, females are much more likely than males to battle depression, while nonathletes are more likely than athletes to suffer symptoms of depression. Incorporating exercise into your daily routine can have lifelong positive benefits on your mental health.

Research Questions and Study Population

1. Does exercising help reduce stress or depression levels with the track team?

2. How does exercising impact a person's depression symptoms?

Study Population: College students at Rowan University. The study population will focus specifically on members of the track team. And their results will be compared versus non athletes.

METHODS

Subjects

Subjects consisted of 10 members of the Rowan University Track and Field team. Subject selection criteria include male and female track athletes and how they use exercise to cope with depression. Ten members of the Rowan University Track team were included in the study sample.

Instrumentation

The study used a Likert Scale survey design to rank the various reasons of why people may be suffering from depression.

Exercise and Depression Survey

Directions: Please rate the following issues related to your physical and emotional standing. Ratings are based on a scale of 1 through 5:

| |Rating |

Frequency of physical activity |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |Level or intensity of physical activity |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |Exercise helps me reduce stress. |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |Exercise has a positive effect on my mood/attitude |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |Exercise increases my level of energy. |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |Exercise increases my self-esteem |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |I experience feelings of loneliness and hopelessness |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |I do not engage in normal daily activities such as school, work or socializing with friends |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |I feel tired and withdrawn |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |I have a lack of appetite |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |1=Very Low/Almost Never 2=Low/Occasionally, 3=Average 4=High/Frequently 5=Very High/Almost Always

Procedures

Students who participated in the survey were randomly selected. The only qualification was that the subject must be a member of the Rowan University track team. Members were randomly asked if they would like to participate in a survey. Members were asked to fill out the survey and hand into the observer when completed. The observer was not close to the members while taking the survey.

Data Analysis Methods

Data analysis included quantitative measures. Quantitative descriptive statistics are procedures used for classifying and summarizing, or describing, numerical data (Hinkle, Wiersma, & Jurs, 1998). By using descriptive statistics, one is able to describe distributions and individual scores, and determine the relationship between variables (Hinkle, Wiersma, & Jurs, 1998). In this primarily descriptive study, population demographics as well as descriptive statistics including frequencies, means, medians, modes and standard deviations were calculated and used to examine trends in the Likert Scale scores for the 10 issues presented in the survey to the members of the Rowan University Track and Field team.

Results

Study Sample

The study sample consisted of 10 members of the Rowan University Track Team. Administration of the survey was done via paper copies distributed at track practice.

Analysis of the Data

The data obtained in this study was analyzed using quantitative descriptive statistics (including frequencies, means, medians, modes, and standard deviations). Specifically, I examined how participants use exercise to cope with depression.

Quantitative Analysis

Coding System

All ten survey questions contained measurable ordinal variables, ranging from 1 to 5, with 1=Very Low/Almost Never to 5=Very High/Almost Always. Questions 3 through 6 focus on possible positive effects of exercise. Questions 7 through 10 focus on frequency of symptoms of depression. Descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, standard deviation ratings) on the feedback questionnaires are displayed in Table 1.

Table 1

Descriptive Statistics

Measure N Mean Median Mode SD

Frequency of Physical Activity 10 4.9 5.0 5.0 0.32

Physical Activity Level 10 4.5 5.0 5.0 0.71

Exercise as Stress Reducer 10 4.4 5.0 5.0 0.84

Positive Effect on Attitude 10 4.7 5.0 5.0 0.48

Increase in Energy Level 10 3.8 4.0 3.0 1.03

Increase in Self-Esteem 10 3.9 4.0 5.0 1.10

Loneliness and Hopelessness 10 1.7 1.5 1.0 0.95

Withdrawal from Daily Activities 10 1.2 1.0 1.0 0.63

Feelings of Fatigue 10 1.9 2.0 1.0 0.88

Lack of Appetite 10 1.7 1.0 1.0 1.34

Frequency Distributions

As noted above, the purpose of this study was to investigate participant perceptions about the mood enhancing effects of physical activity to determine if there is a correlation between exercise and depression. A survey containing quantitative responses was administered to gather information about participant perceptions. Below are frequency distributions of the data obtained from the survey. Frequencies were calculated to determine the mean score for each question. The mean score represents the average ranking given by respondents for each question. The mean scores and frequency distributions were used to determine which statements respondents most strongly agreed.

Figure 1. Frequency of responses for questions 1 and 2. Responses for this question yielded a mean score of 4.9 and 4.5 respectively. The standard deviation was 0.32 and 0.71, indicating there was not much variability in the results. These results would be expected given that the sample consisted of members of the men’s and women’s track team. Thus, the majority of respondents felt they engaged in a high level of physical activity on a regular basis.

Frequencies

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Figure 2. Frequency of responses for questions 3, 4, 5 and 6. Responses for this question yielded a mean scores of 4.4, 4.7, 3.8 and 3.9 respectively. The standard deviation was 0.84, 0.48, 1.03, and 1.10, indicating there was not much variability in the results of questions 3 and 4, while questions 5 and 6 showed a larger amount of variability . Thus, most respondents felt that exercise has a positive effect on their mood/attitude. Most respondents felt that exercise helped them to reduce stress. Respondents showed mostly results that exercise increased their level of energy and self-esteem.

[pic]

Figure 3. Frequency of responses for questions 7, 8, 9, and 10. Responses for this question yielded a mean scores of 1.7, 1.2, 1.9, and 1.7 respectively. The standard deviation was 0.95, 0.63, 0.88, and 1.34, indicating there some variability in the. Thus, most respondents felt that exercise has a positive effect on their mood/attitude. Most respondents felt that they did not experience depression-related symptoms on a frequent basis. Most respondents almost never withdrawal from normal daily activities and almost never experience a loss of appetite.

[pic]

Conclusions

This study indicated that athletes who engage in intense physical activity on a regular basis experience low levels of depression-related symptoms such as feelings of loneliness, hopelessness, withdrawal from normal daily activities, and lack of appetite. In addition, exercise helps reduce stress, and has a positive impact on a person’s mood and attitude.

References

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Among Male and Female Competitive Athletes. Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 31(1), 60-76.

Armstrong, S., & Oomen-Early, J. (2009). Social Connectedness, Self-Esteem, and Depression

Symptomatology Among Collegiate Athletes Versus Nonathletes. Journal Of American College Health, 57(5), 521-526.

Cai, S. (2000). Physical Exercise and Mental Health: A Content Integrated Approach in Coping with College Students' Anxiety and Depression. Physical Educator, 57(2), 69.

Eriksson, S., & Gard, G. (2011). Physical exercise and depression. Physical Therapy Reviews, 16(4), 261-268. doi:10.1179/1743288X11Y.0000000026

Gill, A., Womack, R., & Safranek, S. (2010). Does exercise alleviate symptoms of depression?. Journal Of Family Practice, 59(9), 530-531.

Hopcroft, R. L., & Bradley, D. (2007). The Sex Difference in Depression Across 29 Countries.

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Krogh, J., Videbech, P., Thomsen, C., Gluud, C., & Nordentoft, M. (2012). DEMO-II Trial. Aerobic Exercise versus Stretching Exercise in Patients with Major Depression—A Randomised Clinical Trial. Plos ONE, 7(10), 1-10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0048316

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Roman, M. (2010). Physical Exercise as Psychotherapeutic Strategy: How Long? What Will It Take?. Issues In Mental Health Nursing, 31(2), 153-154.

Taliaferro, L. A., Rienzo, B. A., Pigg, R., Miller, M., & Dodd, V. J. (2009). Associations Between Physical Activity and Reduced Rates of Hopelessness, Depression, and Suicidal Behavior Among College Students. Journal Of American College Health, 57(4), 427- 36.

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The effectiveness of a preferred intensity exercise programme on the mental health outcomes of young people with depression: a sequential mixed methods evaluation. (2012). BMC Public Health, 12(1), 187-192. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-187

Wyshak, G. (2001). Women's College Physical Activity and Self-Reports of Physician- Diagnosed Depression and of Current Symptoms of Psychiatric Distress. Journal Of Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine, 10(4), 363-370.

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