Background: In a growing number of countries, brief hospitalizations in psychiatric short stay units (SSUs) are proposed to patients in acute mental health crisis (typically suicide crisis).
Aims: This pilot study's purpose was to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and plausible efficacy of two days of 30 min of brisk-walking/jogging compared to 30 min of sedentary activities in suicidal inpatients from a French psychiatric SSU.
Methods: Twelve female adults completed the study. Participants in the brisk-walking/jogging group (n = 6) received two exercise sessions of 30 min separated by a time interval of 24 h. Participants in the control group (n = 6) did not receive the exercise intervention, but were asked to engage in sedentary activities of similar duration at the same time of the day. Measures of hopelessness and optimism/pessimism were administered at the intake and final assessments. In addition, other performance indicators were explored and provide the readers with information about the feasibility and acceptability of intervention.
Results: Findings showed strong feasibility and acceptability (no serious adverse event, adherence and retention rates around 75%-80%, and high patients satisfaction ratings). Significant differences between groups favoring women who exercised were oberved in the score change of hopelessness (Hedges's g = -1.29, 95% CI [-2.65, -0.08]).
Conclusion: The present study provides preliminary evidence for the plausible adjunctive efficacy of physical activity to alleviate the psychological distress suffered by suicidal patients in a psychiatric SSU.
Keywords: Hopelessness; Physical activity; Psychiatric short stay unit; Suicidal risk.
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