Moving minds: Mental health and wellbeing benefits of a 50-day workplace physical activity program

Objectives: People with mental illness may be vulnerable to decline in mental health and reduced physical activity because of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. The aim of this study was to inform the design of physical activity interventions for implementation under these conditions to improve/maintain well-being and physical activity in this population. Methods: People with mental illness who had participated in a physical activity program prior to the pandemic were invited to complete a survey about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and physical activity and their preferences for engaging in a physical activity program under pandemic-related restrictions. Results: More than half the 59 respondents reported worse mental health and lower physical activity during the pandemic. The preferred format for a physical activity program was one-on-one exercise instruction in-person in a park. Program components endorsed as helpful included incentivization, provision of exercise equipment and fitness devices, and daily exercise programs. About a third of the participants reported limitations in using technology for a physical activity program. Conclusions: In-person exercise support is preferred by people with mental illnesses during pandemic-related restrictions. Enablement strategies such as providing equipment and self-monitoring devices should be utilized; assistance may be needed to incorporate the use of technology in exercise programs.

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Effects of a Web-Based Parent–Child Physical Activity Program on Mental Health in Parents of Children with ASD

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182412913 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (24) ◽

pp. 12913

Author(s):

Mengxian Zhao ◽

Yonghao You ◽

Shihui Chen ◽

Linlin Li ◽

Xiru Du ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Physical Activity Program ◽

Control Group ◽

Web Based ◽

Child Physical Activity ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Activity Program ◽

Parent Child

Parents of children with ASD experience a higher incidence of mental health difficulties, including stress, depression, and anxiety, than parents of children without ASD. According to studies related to ASD, parent–child physical activity programs are an effective approach to encourage both parents and their children with ASD to exercise together, thus improving the mental health of parents due to this interactive family activity. The purpose of the present study was to explore the effects of this web-based parent–child physical activity program on the mental health of parents of children with ASD. A total of 94 parent–child pairs consented to participate in this study, and 75 parent–child pairs completed the study. Three instruments—DASS-21, PSI-4-SF, and WHOQOL-26—were used to measure mental health, parental stress, and quality of life, respectively. A randomized controlled trial design was implemented to examine the effectiveness of the 10-week web-based parent–child physical activity program on improving the mental health of parents of children with ASD. The results showed that after the 10-week parent–child physical activity program, there were significant differences in overall DASS-21 and PSI-4-SF for the experimental group, compared with control group (p < 0.05), which indicated that the parent–child physical activity program has a positive influence on mental health in parents of children with ASD. One sub-area of WHOQOL-26 between the experimental and control groups across pre-/post-testing intervals also showed greater reductions in the item of psychological health (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the findings demonstrated the efficacy of the web-based parent–child physical activity program for improving mental health in parents of children with ASD.

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XML The Effect of Physical Activity Program Based on Pender Health Promotion Model on Type 2 Diabetic Middle-Aged Women’s Mental Health

10.30699/acadpub.ijhehp.6.2.159 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 06 (02) ◽

pp. 159-167 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Masoumeh Mansourizadeh

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Physical Activity Program ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Health Promotion Model ◽

Women's Mental Health ◽

Activity Program ◽

Type 2 Diabetic

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“Looking Forward”: a qualitative evaluation of a physical activity program for middle-aged and older adults with serious mental illness

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610218002004 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (12) ◽

pp. 1449-1456

Author(s):

Sarah Dobbins ◽

Erin Hubbard ◽

Heather Leutwyler

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Health Facility ◽

Serious Mental Illness ◽

Video Game ◽

Physical Activity Program ◽

Mental Health Facility ◽

Activity Program

ABSTRACTObjectives:Older adults with serious mental illness (SMI) often have poor physical health in addition to serious mental health issues. Sustained engagement in a group physical activity program may provide necessary physical and mental health benefits. The purpose of this report is to describe participants’ feedback about a video game-based group physical activity program using the Kinect for Xbox 360 game system (Microsoft, Redmond, WA). In particular, we wanted to understand what worked about the program, what was not ideal, and how it impacted their lives.Design:Semi-structured interviews were collected and analyzed with grounded theory methodology.Setting:Mental health facility.Participants:Sixteen older adults with SMI.Measurements:Participants played an active video game for 50-minute sessions, three times a week for 10 weeks. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 participants upon completion of the program.Results:Participants expressed enthusiasm for the physical activity program, indicating it was an activity that they looked forward to doing. The results of the study provide insight into how the program may be implemented into practice at mental health facilities. Three implementation to practice categories were identified: (1) programmatic considerations, such as when to hold the groups and where; (2) the critical importance of staff involvement; and (3) harnessing patients’ interest in the program.Conclusion:Our results suggest that engagement in an intense video game-based group physical activity program has a positive impact on participants’ overall health. The group atmosphere, staff involvement, availability of the program at a mental health facility, and health benefits were critical.

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