Running Head: EXERCISE and DEPRESSION1

1

Exercise and Depression

Running head: EXERCISE AND DEPRESSION1

Exercise and Depression Among

College Females

Krysti Maronski

Rowan University

Introduction

Depression is something that most people know about yet they are not really aware of it. Many people are in the dark about depression if they have it, or if a family member or friend has it. What people need to accept and realize is that depression is a disease. This disease not only affects the person who has it, but also all of the people who are in their life. Depression is a condition that should be taken very seriously, and all measures to bring the person back to the light should be taken. Anxiety, fear, hopelessness, worthlessness, sadness, fatigue, mood swings, weight change, decreased enthusiasm, and difficulty concentrating are all symptoms of depression (Eriksson, Gard, 2011, p. 261). Whether it be one, a few, or all of them these symptoms can tear peoples lives apart. The more they are ignored the worse they get, with self-injury and suicide even prevalent because of untreated cases. For this reason it is important that professionals know about all of the factors that can help in the treatment of depression, physical exercise being a very important one. In this study we will discuss three major topic areas: what is depression, college stress, and physical activity.

Someone who is being affected by depression is most likely out of his or her element. One may notice that this person is spaced out a lot, has a big lack of motivation for the things he or she used to partake in, and may be losing touch with their peers. It is important to note some statistics about depression. According to Eriksson and Gard, “Depression is a widespread health issue with a lifetime prevalence of 17% currently affecting 121 million people” (p. 261). As stated earlier, untreated depression can lead to suicide and, “According to the World Health Organization (WHO) suicide occurs in close to one million cases every year making it one of the 20 most common causes of death” (Eriksson, Gard, 2011, p. 261). The main objectives in Eriksson and Gard’s were to explore databases using keywords like “depression,” “exercise,” “physical activity,” and “outcomes.” The study did not look for things based on gender, age, race, etc. and in the conclusion they found in seven of the eight studies that they looked at that significant increases in moods were found in those who partook in physical exercise (Eriksson, Gard, 2011, p. 216). To learn more about depression and narrow certain topics down if may be interesting to learn about the college population, or at least a sample of it.

College is a time of high stress and anxiety for many people who attend. Most students are taking 5 classes a semester, sometimes even more. While taking all of these classes, which require a lot of time and effort, students are expected to join clubs and organizations also, to have to show to make a good resume. Many students are also athletes, meaning practice almost everyday along with conditioning and weight training. Many students need to make money also and have to get jobs. After hearing all of these things that a college student may go through, it is easy to understand how overwhelming and stressful this can be, and stress is one of the contributing factors to depression. “In 2005, approximately 38% of college students reported feeling that things were hopeless, and more than a quarter (28%) attributed trouble functioning during the academic year to depressive symptoms” (Taliaferro et. al, 2009, p. 427). Taliaferro, et. al, explored the associations between physical activity, and students who were depressed. Their research consisted of 43,499 participants, men and women, college aged (18-25). They wanted to see a difference in those who partook in physical activity at least once a week and those who did not. Their results stated that, “Men and women who engaged in some physical activity each week demonstrated a reduced risk of hopelessness, depression, and suicidal behavior compared with their inactive counterparts” (Taliaferro et. al, 2009 p.427). The types of exercise also have an effect on the outcomes as well.

Physical activity can mean a lot of things. Walking, jogging, biking, swimming, weight lifting, playing sports, etc. can all be considered good exercise. It is important to note the differences between exercises. Aerobic exercise is considered to be the cardio types of exercise; whereas non-aerobic exercise is more strength and flexibility (Legrand et. al, 2007, p.349). Both have had good results, but more people tend to go towards the aerobic exercises (Legrand et. al, 2007, p.349). Depressed people with their symptoms may have a really hard time going to the gym or doing anything just because they are so down, and this is why it is important to utilize different exercises (Balkin et. al, 2007). College students with all of their stresses also have a hard time dealing with depression.

Body image is something important to many people. Self-esteem plays a huge role in depression. College aged students particularly struggle with thinking about how others perceive them, and looking good. This can cause a big stress. “Two problem patterns are associated with body image — dissatisfaction and distortion…The term "body image dissatisfaction" was defined as the discrepancy between identification of one's own figure (actual) and the figure one chose as the desirable self image (ideal). Whereas the term "body image distortion" was defined as the discrepancy between the figure one chose as ideal and the figure the other opposite gender found as attractive (Forrest et. al, 2007, p. 18). In this study they found that many women rather than men, however men usually perceive negative body image with less muscular than they would like to be (Forrest, et al. p.18). Armstrong, et. al conducted a study to find out if college athletes were less likely to be depressed rather than a non college-athlete. With all of the stressors that an athlete has it seems likely that some may become overwhelmed and depressed. However, the study found that, “Athletes had significantly greater levels of self-esteem and social connectedness, as well as significantly lower levels of depression, than did non-athletes (Armstrong et. al, 2009). This supports the research that because of physical activity people are less likely to feel depressed. Also, “Students not meeting physical activity recommendations experience more depressive symptoms than do students meeting vigorous physical activity levels. This suggests a possible dose-responserelationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms” (Elliot et. al, 2012, p. 231). In this study it is also noted that women experience higher rates of hopelessness, depression, and suicidal behavior.

Women are typically more likely to hurt, and see themselves in more of a negative light than men. A study done by Thøgersen-Ntoumani et. al, wanted to understand the difference between those women who feel a higher sense of self and those who feel a lower sense of self-esteem. It was found that those with higher self-esteem were usually more active than those without, who were more sedentary. It was concluded that,“While it may be impossible for womento avoid experiences in exercise settings (and generally in life) that lead to feelings of self-objectification, the results of the current study imply that strategies designed to enhance self-esteem may help protect against some of the deleterious outcomes of such experiences” (Thøgersen-Ntoumani et. al, 2011, p. 305). It is important that women especially college females understand the important of exercise and how it can help them in their overall sense of well being.

Depression and exercise can go hand in hand. Studies show that there is a definite relationship between the two, and that generally those who do exercise are less likely to be depressed than those who do not. For this study I will conduct a survey of ten college females who attend Rowan University, NJ and study their depressive symptoms, current or past, and whether or not they exercise or not and if this helped them.

Population

The study population for this research study will be females at Rowan University between the ages of 18-22.

Research Questions

Research Question #1:

Does the sample survey conducted of Rowan University female students support the research that favors exercise as a mechanism for lowering and preventing depression?

Research Question #2:

Do female athletes at Rowan University tend to have lower or higher levels of depression?

Methods

Subjects

Subjects consisted of 10 female students at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. Subject selection criteria consisted of female students who have or had experienced symptoms of depression in their lifetime. Dr. Fralinger approved the research proposal for this study. Ten subjects were included in this study sample.

Instrumentation

The study used a survey design to rank the subjects different levels of depression before and after exercise. The survey also used questions to find out if the subjects valued physical exercise and if they believed exercise alleviated some of their depression.

(Next page for survey)

Exercise and Depression concerning females at Rowan University
Directions: Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability concerning exercise and depression.
Questions / Rating
Are you an athlete at Rowan University? / Yes No
What is your current level of depression?
1- None 2- Some 3-Medium 4-High 5-Extreme / 1 2 3 4 5
Is physical fitness important to you? / Yes No
How often do you workout?
1-Never 2- Once a week 3- Two to four days a week 4- Five to Six days a week
5- Everyday / 1 2 3 4 5
Usual level of depression before working out?
1- None 2- Some 3-Medium 4-High 5-Extreme / 1 2 3 4 5
Usual Level of depression after working out?
1- None 2- Some 3-Medium 4-High 5-Extreme / 1 2 3 4 5
Are your stresses alleviated after exercise? / Yes No
Do you participate in more aerobic or anaerobic exercise? / Aerobic Anaerobic
In your opinion does exercise help with depression? / Yes No
Additional Concerns or Comments:

Procedures

To find female students who fit the inclusion criteria students were asked around campus if they have ever experienced depression, and if they wouldn’t mind taking a survey on exercise and depression. This survey was completely voluntary. Whenever a subject fit the criteria and wanted to participate in the study, the survey was given and the conductor stepped away from the subject until she was finished. The survey was completely random and no names or personal information were taken. Once the subject was finished with the survey it was placed in a sealed envelope without being looked at until all ten were completed. The only person who had access to the surveys once they were finished was the researcher.

Data Analysis Methods

Data analysis included both qualitative and quantitative statistics. Qualitative statistics include variables that cannot assume a numerical value but can be classified into two or more non-numeric categories. The additional comments section was used for the qualitative statistics as well as those questions conducted in the survey that could be put into two categories.

Quantitative statistics were also used. A quantitative statistic is a variable that can be measured numerically. These variables can either be discrete (countable) or continuous (intervals). Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized in this study.

Results

Quantitative Analysis

Coding System

Ten out of the eleven survey questions contained measurable quantitative portions (numbers 1 - 10). These questions were treated as dichotomous variables. Questions 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 were yes/no answers (1=Yes; 0=No). Question 9 gave the option of two choices, aerobic and anaerobic (1=Aerobic; 0=Anaerobic). Question 3 contained five different answers for current level of depression (1= None; 2= Some; 3= Medium; 4= High; 5= Extreme). Question 5 contained five different answers for workout frequency (1=Never; 2=Once a week; 3=Two to four days a week; 4= Five to six days a week; 5= Everyday). Question 6 contained five different answers for usual level of depression before working out (1= None; 2= Some; 3= Medium; 4= High; 5= Extreme). Question 7 contained five different answers for usual level of depression after exercise (1= None; 2= Some; 3=Medium; 4= High; 5= Extreme). Descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, standard deviation ratings) for the quantitative items on the feedback questionnaires are displayed in Table 1.

(Table 1 Descriptive Statistics)

Measure / N / Mean / Median / Mode / St. Deviation
Athlete / 10 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 0
Past depression / 10 / 0.3 / 0 / 0 / 0.48
Current level of depression / 10 / 1.6 / 1 / 1 / 0.96
Importance of Fitness / 10 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 0
Workout frequency / 10 / 4.6 / 5 / 5 / 0.51
Level of depression before workout / 10 / 1.4 / 1 / 1 / 0.96
Level of depression after workout / 10 / 1.2 / 1 / 1 / 0.42
Stress Alleviation / 10 / 0.7 / 1 / 1 / 0.48
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic / 10 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 0
Opinion of exercise helping depression / 10 / 0.9 / 1 / 1 / 0.31

Qualitative Analysis

There was an open-ended question on the survey inviting participants to make any additional comments or concerns, however none of the participants chose to respond.

Conclusion

This study supports the hypothesis that exercise is helpful in alleviating depressive symptoms. All participants were athletes and exercise a good amount every week. Almost all of them have none or low levels of depression and feel that exercise helps depression and stress. This study can be helpful in support for those who feel that exercise helps aid in lowering depression.

References

Armstrong, S., & Oomen-Early, J. (2009). Social Connectedness, Self-Esteem, and Depression Symptomatology Among Collegiate Athletes Versus Nonathletes. Journal Of American College Health, 57(5), 521-526.

Balkin, R. S., Tietjen-Smith, T., Caldwell, C., & Yu-Pei, S. (2007). The Utilization of Exercise to Decrease Depressive Symptoms in Young Adult Women. Adultspan: Theory Research & Practice, 6(1), 30-35

Cai, S. (2000). Physical Exercise and Mental Health: A Content Integrated Approach in Coping with College Students' Anxiety and Depression. Physical Educator, 57(2), 69.

Eriksson, S., & Gard, G. (2011). Physical exercise and depression. Physical Therapy Reviews, 16(4), 261-268. doi:10.1179/1743288X11Y.0000000026

Elliot, C. A., Kennedy, C., Morgan, G., Anderson, S. K., & Morris, D. (2012). Undergraduate Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms: A National Study. American Journal Of Health Behavior, 36(2), 230-241.

Forrest, K. Z., & Stuhldreher, W. L. (2007). PATTERNS AND CORRELATES OF BODY IMAGE DISSATISFACTION AND DISTORTION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS. American Journal Of Health Studies, 22(1), 18-25.

Legrand, F., & Heuze, J. (2007). Antidepressant Effects Associated With Different Exercise Conditions in Participants With Depression: A Pilot Study. Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 29(3), 348-364.

Taliaferro, L. A., Rienzo, B. A., Pigg, R., Miller, M., & Dodd, V. J. (2009). Associations Between Physical Activity and Reduced Rates of Hopelessness, Depression, and Suicidal Behavior Among College Students. Journal Of American College Health, 57(4), 427-436.

Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Ntoumanis, N., Cumming, J., Bartholomew, K. J., & Pearce, G. (2011). Can Self-Esteem Protect Against the Deleterious Consequences of Self-Objectification for Mood and Body Satisfaction in Physically Active Female University Students?. Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 33(2), 289-307.

Tyson, P., Wilson, K., Crone, D., Brailsford, R., & Laws, K. (2010). Physical activity and mental health in a student population. Journal Of Mental Health, 19(6), 492-499. doi:10.3109/09638230902968308