Exercise as a Non-Pharmacological Management Strategy for Adolescent Depression

Running Head; Project Task
UNIVERSITY:
Course
Task

Depression among adolescents 2
Introduction
Adolescent depression has contributed to factors associated with suicide among
adolescents. Depressed adolescents often seek pharmacological therapy management. Fewer
approaches have inclined itself on behavioural approaches thus limiting non pharmacological
management strategies for depression. Research done have indicated that depressed adolescents
often have diminished level of activity ranging between 80%-90%, (Buckworth & Wallace, 2002).
The need to address depression issues among the young population is of concern. This review
seeks to assess studies done on exercise as a form of treatment among adolescents.
Step 0: The Spirit of Inquiry Ignited
Adolescent depression has been attributed to a major risk factor in suicidal cases among the
youth globally. It is ranked third as leading factor for deaths among the young population,
(Costello, Angold & Erkani, 2006). Statistics shows that more than half of the youths have
thoughts of suicide as accidents have been associated with depression. Depressions have been
shown to have impacts on the social and educational aspects of the youth, (Fletcher, 2008).
Adolescent’s depression has been often associated with impairments, depressive symptoms often
goes unrecognized as compared to the elderly population, may be due to the prominence and
irritability mood and flaunting symptoms occasioned among adolescence. Signs of adolescent
depression cannot be clearly identified when the primary causative factors do not express
themselves well on aspects such as eating habits and behavioral factors.
Experts on personality traits have stated that adolescent depression is an indicative of
adulthood disorder more prevalent in adult hood, (Birmaher et al., 2004) Physical exercises have
been piloted as an avenue of reducing the severity of depression. Hughes et al., (2008), conducted
randomized controlled study on the feasibility of the role of exercise on reducing depression
among adolescents. This study brings into focus the rationale on studying how exercise programs
can be utilized in reducing depression among adolescent. A meta analysis by Joffe, (2017), have

Depression among adolescents 3
indicated that cognitive behavior therapy are effective medication for young adolescence.
Findings suggested that clinicians preferred exercise professional to undertake such task to be
effective, however overall clinicians had positive attitude towards exercise as a form of treatment.
Step 1: The PICOT Question Formulated
Among adolescents undergoing severe depression (P), do normal exercise levels (I) compared to
absence of physical activity (C) lead to reduction in depression levels (O) when they are subjected
to six month exercises activity (T)?
Step 2: Search Strategy Conducted
Pubmed search on articles relating to adolescent depression with key words of adolescent,
depression, exercise treatment and evaluation was done. The search showed that feasibility studies
have done for intervention of 12 weeks on depressive disorders. Assessments were measured
using rating scales among the adolescents, (Dopp et al., 2012). Further this search yielded a study
undertaken Dunn & Waithraub, (2008), which showed that exercise as a medication therapy,
reduced effects of adolescent’s depressive condition.
Further search on Cochrane Library showed that clinical trials have been undertaken on
adolescent depression. Search on NCBI academic portal showed a meta analysis study conducted
by Joffe, (2017), showed that cognitive therapy can be effective tool in managing adolescent
depression. In this three searches both level 1, (Radovic, Melvin & Gordon, 2017; Dopp et al
2012 & Hughes et al 2009) and level 2 (Dunn & Weintraub, 2008 & Bailey et al 2017) evidence
were found out on exercise intervention as an avenue in reducing severe depression among
adolescents.