@article{ref1,
title="Empowered and engaged: group exercise for adolescent depression - perspectives from adolescents, parents and healthcare professionals",
journal="SAGE open medicine",
year="2024",
author="Mortazavi, Rebecca and Grudin, Rebecca and Jarbin, Hakan and Larsson, Ingrid",
volume="12",
number="",
pages="e20503121231225340-e20503121231225340",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: Depression is increasing and is a leading cause of disease burden among adolescents. Available evidence-based treatments with medication or psychotherapy have modest effects. Aerobic exercise is a hopeful alternative as an augmenter or a stand-alone treatment. Qualitative studies have shown that participants in group exercise for adolescent depression experienced improved mood and a sense of achievement, commitment and empowerment. This study aimed to explore not only adolescents' but also parents' and healthcare professionals' experiences of a group exercise intervention for adolescents with depression. <br><br>METHODS: Nine adolescents who had participated in a group aerobic exercise intervention for 12 weeks, eight parents and two healthcare professionals were interviewed. We used a latent qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach that resulted in nine sub-categories, three categories and an overarching theme. <br><br>RESULTS: The experiences of a group exercise intervention for adolescents with depression were expressed in the overarching theme 'Group exercise for adolescent depression promotes empowerment and engagement in everyday life', based on three categories: exercise alleviates depressive symptoms, exercise contributes to balance in life and exercise promotes self-esteem. However, there was variation in our results, in that not all participants experienced improvements from exercising. Adolescents described more varied experiences, while parents and healthcare professionals mainly expressed positive views. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that group exercise for adolescent depression promotes empowerment and engagement in everyday life, according to adolescents, and more clearly so according to parents and healthcare professionals.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2050-3121",
doi="10.1177/20503121231225340",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/20503121231225340"
}