EFFECTS OF SCHEDULED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Introduction Studies have consistently shown that physical activity has positive implications for various physical health conditions. However, little research has been done concerning physical activity and its effects on mental health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and especially among adolescents. This study explores the relationship between physical activity in relation to depression and self-esteem among adolescents in Ondo State Nigeria. It also examined the extent of involvement in physical activity within the adolescent population. Success in this will in turn enhance individuals’ functioning alongside their contribution to the Nation’s development. Methods This study adopted a combination of a cross-sectional survey and an experimental study. A cross-sectional survey involving 277 students in JSS3 to SS2 was done in two selected schools to ascertain the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms and its association with physical activity and self-esteem. The students completed a social demographic questionnaire, the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (a measure of depressive symptoms), Rosenberg Self-esteem scale, Physical Activity Questionnaire-Adolescent. For the experimental phase of the study, 20 students who scored 11 and above on the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) from the intervention school and another 20 from the control school were selected. The intervention group took part in a six-week physical activity programme. The control group had no intervention. Both groups completed the outcome measures again after the intervention on the 6th-week Results For the cross-sectional part of the study, from the total study sample of 277 students, a total of 49 respondents had significant depressive symptoms resulting in a prevalence of 17.7%. Participants’ age range was between 10 and 17 years. A total of 167 (60.5%) (39 males and 45 females) participants met the minimum requirement of physical activity for health while 107 (39.8%) (24 males and 31 females) were physically inactive. Seventy (25.7%) reported that they did no physical activity in their leisure time, while only 47.8% participated actively in physical activity classes. There was a significant negative correlation between physical activity and depression (r = - 0.15, p-value = 0. 01) (i.e. more physical activity associated with lower depressive symptoms). There was also a significant negative correlation between self-esteem and depression (r= - 0.49, p-value = 0. 000) (i.e. lower self-esteem associated with higher depressive symptoms). For the intervention phase, the intervention and control groups were similar in baseline characteristics. After controlling for baseline scores with Analysis of Covariance, the intervention group had significantly lower post-intervention depression scores compared with the control group SMFQ {F (1, 34) = 7.05, p= 0.03}. There was no treatment effect on self-esteem scores. The treatment group rated the intervention highly. Conclusion This study showed that depression is common among adolescents in Ondo State. It is also found that higher depression scores are associated with lower levels of physical activity, and a 6-weeks structured programme of physical activity was effective in reducing depressive symptoms. The intervention group rated the programme highly. The study suggests that physical activity is a potentially helpful intervention for depressed adolescents in this region. Larger studies are recommended to confirm the findings