Aerobic exercise in the psychological treatment of adolescents.

A small group of psychiatrically institutionalized adolescents (16 boys, 11 girls) were assigned to a three-day-per-week running/aerobic exercise program or a regular physical activity class. The complete program continued over 9 weeks, with 11 subjects remaining throughout the program. Dependent measures of body-mass index, timed performance on a one-mile run, resting, exercise, and recovery heart rates, and measures of depression, mood-states, and self-efficacy were assessed pre-, mid-, and post-9-wk. treatment and at a 4-wk. follow-up. Improvements in depression, anxiety, hostility, confused thinking, and fatigue were shown in treated girls, with increases in vigor and self-efficacy for all treated subjects.     

Group exercise reduces depression in obese women without weight loss

Given participation in a 6-mo. exercise and relaxation training 8 obese women showed significant change in scores on the Beck Depression Inventory over the 6-mo. interval, but not on Body Mass Index or Medical Outcome Study Short-Form-36.     

Association of exercise counselors' sex with exercise session attendance in women enrolled in a cognitive behavioral treatment system

Attendance rates from two groups incorporating a cognitive behavioral treatment system (male counselor group, n=53; female counselor group, n=56) and a control group using standard methods of exercise counseling (n =56) were contrasted with new and returning female exercisers (overall M age=40 yr.). Analysis of variance with follow-up Scheffé tests indicated significantly greater attendance for the treatment groups (54 and 58%) than for the control group (37%) over 6 months. No significant difference between the treatment groups was found. Findings suggest that the sex of exercise counselors does not appear to influence attendance of exercise sessions.     

Mood state changes of women as a function of regular aerobic exercise

The present study examined mood states of aerobic exercisers before and after completing a 15-wk. program. The subjects (ages 18 to 36 yr.) were 86 women enrolled in activity classes at a large state school in the southeast. Subjects were initially classified according to previous exercise habits. Analysis indicated both groups of frequent and infrequent exercisers were similar in mood states. Participation in regular exercise did not significantly change or enhance the mood states from pretreatment measures. Pretest measures of mood states provided poor prediction of posttest measures, indicating extreme variability in subjects' scores.     

Evaluating a modified exercise self-efficacy scale for college-age women

This pilot study examined test-retest and internal consistency reliabilities of original and modified formats of the Exercise Self-efficacy Scale in college-age women. 30 completed original and modified versions of the scale. Data from both tests, administered 1 wk. apart, were analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to assess test-retest reliability and Cronbach coefficient alpha for internal consistency. Scores for both versions correlated .96. Cronbach coefficients alpha for the original scale were .96 for Time 1 and .98 for Time 2. Cronbach coefficients alpha for the revised scale were .95 for Time 1 and .98 for Time 2. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency remained consistently high for both versions of the scales within this sample. Implications for use of this scale and recommendations for research are given.     

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as a treatment for chronic depression: A preliminary study

This pilot study investigated the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), a treatment combining mindfulness meditation and interventions taken from cognitive therapy, in patients suffering from chronic-recurrent depression. Currently symptomatic patients with at least three previous episodes of depression and a history of suicidal ideation were randomly allocated to receive either MBCT delivered in addition to treatment-as-usual (TAU; N = 14 completers) or TAU alone (N = 14 completers). Depressive symptoms and diagnostic status were assessed before and after treatment phase. Self-reported symptoms of depression decreased from severe to mild levels in the MBCT group while there was no significant change in the TAU group. Similarly, numbers of patients meeting full criteria for depression decreased significantly more in the MBCT group than in the TAU group. Results are consistent with previous uncontrolled studies. Although based on a small sample and, therefore, limited in their generalizability, they provide further preliminary evidence that MBCT can be used to successfully reduce current symptoms in patients suffering from a protracted course of the disorder.     

A case-control study of psychosocial and aerobic exercise factors in women with symptoms of depression

The study is an examination of specific aspects of psychosocial constructs and health-promoting behavior that may be related to symptoms of depression. The authors used a case-control design to investigate possible differences between provisional social support, hardiness dimensions, and exercise behavior and related perceptions in a sample of 94 White, middle-aged women with and without symptoms of depression. The results indicated that women with symptoms of depression have significantly fewer (p < .001) specific forms of social support resources (i.e., reassurance of worth, social integration, guidance, and attachment) and significantly lower (p < .0001) perceptions of control and commitment in their lives. The results also indicated no difference in perceptions and behaviors related to physical activity between women with and without symptoms of depression. Those results suggest that provisional social support, as well as specific dimensions of hardiness, should be the focus of interventions for women with symptoms of depression.     

Antecedent exercise as a treatment for disruptive behavior: Testing hypothesized mechanisms of action

This study evaluated the effects of antecedent physical exercise (AE) and a mastery task on behaviorally disturbed children's self-concepts and rates of disruptive behaviors. In addition, we evaluated whether changes in self-concept mediated any exercise induced changes in rates of disruptive behavior. Fifty-eight children were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) antecedent exercise (jog/walk), (b) “mastery” task (a successive improvement miniaturebasketball shooting task), and (c) no treatment control group. A week of baseline was followed by 4 weeks of treatment and, finally another week of return to baseline. Results indicated that: (a) AE produced significantly less disruptive behavior than no treatment, (b) the “Mastery” task did not produce significantly less disruptive behavior than no treatment, (c) neither treatment produced increases in self-concept relative to no treatment, and (d) changes in self-concept did not mediate AE induced reductions in disruptive behaviors.     

Controlled trial of a minimal-intervention exercise program for middle-aged working women

Abstract

Despite potential for major benefits, middle-aged women have low levels of aerobic exercise. A 12-week minimal-intervention exercise program was evaluated with female university employees aged 40 to 61. Following pre-testing, participants were randomly assigned to exercise or wait-list control. Testing was repeated at 12, 24 and 48 weeks. Exercisers improved significantly in aerobic fitness at 12 and 24 weeks, both groups decreased resting arterial pnssurc and body composition measures, and improved in exercise knowledge. Effects, however, were not well maintained at 48 weeks. These results are comparable to those obtained fmm intensive interventions and, while modest, suggest that a threshold has been reached for the modification of physiological control systems which are important for reducing cardiovascular disease risk. Middle-aged women face major social and practical baniers to regular exercise, and the minimal-intervention approach allows for a combination of flexibility and structure which seems appropriate for this group.     

Properties of the beck depression inventory as a screening instrument for adolescent depression

The utility of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for identifying Major Depressive Episode was assessed with two samples of adolescents, 65 psychiatric hospital inpatients and 49 secondary school students. Diagnoses based on the Child Assessment Schedule served as criteria. With the school sample, a BDI screening score of 16 resulted in 100% sensitivity and 93.2% specificity. For the inpatient sample, a cutoff of 11 yielded a sensitivity of 81.5% and specificity of 52.6%. There was evidence of the BDI's convergent and discriminant validity for both samples. The results were consistent with the assertion that Major Depressive Episode is a sufficiently distinct diagnostic category in adolescence to be detected by a screening measure such as the BDI.This research was supported by grants to the first author from the National Research Council, and to the second author from the Graduate Students Association of Arizona State University. The authors express their appreciation to Camelback Hospitals and to Judson School for their cooperation in arranging for subject participation.     

Today's women and depression

The author suggests that women in our society are more vulnerable to depression than ever before. A brief review of four psychoanalytical approaches to treatment and the religious care of the depressed woman are presented. The Book of Ruth is used as a case study of a woman's reactive depression.Her special interest and concentration are in the field of women's mental health. She has recently completed an Associate in Ministtry Degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mrs. Bailey provides supervision for graduate students from Southern Seminary as well as Kent School of Social Work and University of Louisville Medical School. She is actively interested in pastoral care.     

Setting for exercise and concerns about body appearance of women who exercise.

The present study examined the association between the sex composition of exercise environment and concerns related to body appearance of women who exercise. A questionnaire concerning social physique anxiety, body dissatisfaction, and attitude toward women-only exercise environment was administered to 81 women who used either the women-only area or the co-ed area in a fitness club. A one-way analysis of variance indicated that those who exercised in a women-only area reported more social physique anxiety and dissatisfaction with body size and favored exercising in areas exclusively reserved for women than women who exercised primarily in co-ed areas. The women-only area served as a protective environment for those who were heavier, anxious about their body appearances, and dissatisfied about their body images. These women also preferred to exercise in an exclusively female setting compared to women who used the co-ed area.     

Supportive psychotherapy of a psychodynamic orientation as an adjunctive treatment for drug-induced depression: A case study

Abstract

Treatment for drug-induced depression usually consists of cessation or reduction of the causative agent and psychopharmacologic management. In addition, psychotherapy can be useful as an adjunctive treatment. The author presents case material related to a young woman with an inborn physical illness, who became depressed during the course of interferon treatment for a medical complication, hepatitis virus infection. In addition to the cessation of interferon and pharmacologic management, supportive psychotherapy of a psychodynamic orientation was started in order to address the patient’s low self-esteem and anxiety about her future. During the course of psychotherapy, it was understood that the premature cessation of interferon was, to her, a narcissistic injury. It was also important to explore the meanings of her inborn illness and her guilty feelings. After reviewing various formulations of depression, the author discusses the case material from an integrative perspective, which describes vicious cycles of depression.