Author(s): ORTH, D., WALDRON, N., CAMERA, D., Institution: BRUNEL UNIVERSITY, LONDON, Country: UNITED KINGDOM, Abstract-ID: 2402

INTRODUCTION:
Exercise has beneficial effects on physiological and psychological health and wellbeing [2]. However, current neurophysiological literature indicates that depressed individuals require additional motivational support to undertake exercise training [2]. The aim of this study was to therefore investigate pre post effects of exercise training combined with autonomy support on fitness, depression symptoms, and motivation in individuals with depression.
METHODS:
Sixteen participants (24.7 ± 5.6 years) with self-reported depression symptoms (scoring > 5 on the Patent Health Questonnaire-9), were recruited to perform 17 sessions of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) across six-weeks. Each session involved nine 20-second high-intensity sprints with 40-seconds of recovery. Exercise bouts were undertaken at Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) levels of 20, 18, and 16 (three each). Motivation was supported by giving participants the choice (autonomy) over the order of the intervals in which each intensity occurred across the nine bouts of each session. Changes in depression symptoms, motivation, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) were measure pre- and post-intervention via validated questionnaires.
RESULTS:
Comparing pre- to post-intervention outcomes, there was a significant decrease in depression symptoms (p < .01), improvement in autonomy (p < .001), and increase in CRF (p < .05). Exercise session-wise data (i.e., cycling intensity, crank entropy, HIIT self-efficacy) also significantly improved over the 17 sessions.
CONCLUSION:
A six-week HIIT program combined with autonomy support was effective in decreasing depression symptoms, increasing fitness, and promoting motivation to exercise. Empirically grounded psychological frameworks (e.g., [3]) that can improve long term effects of exercise intervention (i.e., learning, autonomy, self-efficacy) should be integrated into professional guidelines for best practice in meeting the needs of adults with depression during proscribed exercise intervention. Further research should test broader biopsychosocial frameworks to understand how time-course changes in the neurobiological environment of individuals with depression might interact with psychological intervention.
[1] Cooney, G. M., Dwan, K., Greig, C. A., Lawlor, D. A., Rimer, J., Waugh, F. R., McMurdo, M., & Mead, G. E. (2013). Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013(9).

[2] Gotlib, I. H., & Joormann, J. (2010). Cognition and depression: current status and future directions. Annual review of clinical psychology, 6(1), 285-312.

[3] Wulf, G., & Lewthwaite, R. (2016). Optimizing performance through intrinsic motivation and attention for learning: The OPTIMAL theory of motor learning. Psychonomic bulletin & review, 23(5), 1382-1414.