Increasing physical activity in patients with mental illness--A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate whether a motivational-volitional intervention program offered in addition to an existing sport program during stationary treatment is capable of establishing a post-stationary increase in physical activity in persons with mental illness.

Methods: N=112 in-patients were initially randomly assigned to the control group (CG; standard rehabilitation) or intervention group (IG; standard rehabilitation plus intervention). Assessments were conducted at four measurement points.

Results: At 6 months follow up, the level of exercise in the IG was 95 min/week higher than in the CG (p=.02). The participants of the IG were able to increase their level of goal intention until 6 months follow up (t2: p=.03; t4: p=.005); levels of self-efficacy of the IG increased during intervention (t2: p=.001). Changes in volitional aspects were significant over time (t1-t3), but not specifically for the IG.

Conclusions: The intervention was effective at increasing the level of physical activity in patients with mental illness who were initially minimally active.

Practice implications: Our results suggest that it could be of great use to place the emphasis of a physical activity-enhancing intervention on its motivational effect since volitional aspects are already taken into sufficient account in standard rehabilitation.

Keywords: Intervention; Mental illness; Motivation; Physical activity; Volition.