DEPRESSION & PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION Most frequently diagnosed adolescent mental health disorder Recurrence rate: 50 – 70% within 5 years Poor prognosis with early adolescence onset Less than 20% of adolescents improve with short term care Comprehensive management with psychological, medication and or physical activity treatment is recommended (Black Dog Institute, 2013)

SYMPTOMS OF ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION Persistent sadness or irritability Significant loss of interest in most activities Psychomotor agitation or retardation Fatigue or loss of energy Significant appetite or weight change Feelings of worthlessness Impairment in relationships with friends and family Academic impairment Sleep disturbance Suicide 3rd leading cause of adolescent deaths (DSM-V, 2013) (Brown, Braithwaite, Pearson, Brown, Biddle, 2013)

TREATMENT OF ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION Initial simple and non-specific psychosocial strategies: Psychoeducation of the adolescent and their parents Problem solving skills Anxiety management Dealing with conflict Diet Physical treatment—Exercise Sleep hygiene Coordination with school (Blackdog Institute, 2013)

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TREATMENT FOR ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION Functional impairment and residual symptoms of medication therapy lead to pursuit of more effective adolescent depression interventions Physical activity identified as a better intervention as it is considered (Dunn & Weintraub, 2008)

PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION Psychomotor retardation limits functional activity level Physical therapy (PT) addresses psychomotor retardation by restoring and or increasing functional activities Physical Therapists create fitness and wellness-oriented plans that include specific exercises and education designed to promote establishment of an active lifestyle

REFERENCE American Physical Therapy Association. (2014, April 16). Vision Statement for the Physical Therapy Profession and Guiding Principles to Achieve the Vision. Retrieved April 13, 2014, from American physical therapy association: http://www.apta.org/Vision/ American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing. Brown, H., Pearson, N., & Braithwaite, R. B. (2012). Physical activity interventions and depression in children and adolescents. Switzerland. Retrieved April 11, 2014, from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=1749f90e-2f7f- 48c5-aed4-266349d103ef%40sessionmgr4001&vid=8&hid=4203 Dunn, A., & Weintraub, P. (2008). Exercise in the prevention and treatment of adolescent depression: A promising but little researched intervention. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 50-7-518. Treating teen depression. (2013, May 14). Retrieved April 11, 2014, from Blackdog Institute: Depression and bipolar disorder Australia: http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/healthprofessionals/depression/treatingteendepre ssion.cfm