Assessing the additional impact of fitness training in depressed psychiatric patients receiving multifaceted treatment: a replicated single-subject design

Purpose: Exercise has been put forward as a therapeutic means for the treatment of clinical depression. Methods: In this study, 29 patients, all with diagnosed with mood disorder, completed daily measurements of depression and physical well-being during periods ranging from 77 to 436 days (M = 146.5). Fitness training was added to the treatment after a period and changes before (A-phase) and after (B-phase) the implementation of this training were the subject of investigation. Data were analysed by means of randomization tests with an AB-design and time-series analysis. Replication of the findings was investigated using Fisher's multiplicative method. Results: Adding fitness training to the treatment of clinical depression does not systematically lead to changes in self-reported feelings of depression on top of benefits that may be due to other treatments. Conclusion: Since the present findings are not in agreement with previous studies, the absence of statistically significant changes in self-reported feelings of depression is discussed within the complexity of the ‘exercise – depression’ relationship in inpatient populations. These included the severity of their depression, the potential ceiling effect of a multifaceted treatment programme and the initial increase in depression due to the confrontational nature of the intervention.

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