Research trends of exercise therapy of college students in depression from 2002 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis

Zhongzhu Ai; Dongfeng Yuan; Yitong Meng; Zhuo Ai; Sisi Zhu

doi:10.3389/fnins.2023.1188341

Research trends of exercise therapy of college students in depression from 2002 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis

Front Neurosci. 2023 May 12:17:1188341. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1188341. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Zhongzhu Ai^{1

2

3}, Dongfeng Yuan¹, Yitong Meng¹, Zhuo Ai⁴, Sisi Zhu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China.
² Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources and Chemistry of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China.
³ Modern Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ethnic Medicine of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China.
⁴ College of Art Design, Hubei University of Economics, Wuhan, China.
⁵ Department of Student Affairs Management, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China.

Abstract

Background: Depression is a serious psychological disorder that college students are experiencing. College students' depression problems, which can be caused by various factors, have been easily ignored and untreated. In recent years, exercise, as a low-cost and easily accessible method for treating depression, has attracted widespread attention. The purpose of this study is to use bibliometrics to explore the hotspots and trends in the field of exercise therapy of college students in depression from 2002 to 2022.

Methods: We retrieved relevant literature from the Web of Science (WoS), PubMed, and Scopus databases, and generated a ranking table to describe the core productivity in the field. We used VOSViewer software to generate network maps of authors, countries, co-cited journals, and co-occurring keywords to help us better understand the scientific collaboration patterns, potential disciplinary foundations, as well as research hotspots and trends in this field.

Results: From 2002 to 2022, a total of 1,397 articles related to exercise therapy of college students in depression were selected. The key findings of this study are as follows: (1) the number of publications has gradually increased, especially after 2019; (2) United States and its affiliated higher education institutions have made significant contributions to the development of this field; (3) there are multiple research groups in this field, but their connections are relatively limited; (4) the field is relatively interdisciplinary, primarily a convergence of behavioral science, public health, and psychology; (5) based on co-occurring keyword analysis, six main themes were summarized: health-promoting factors, body image, negative behaviors, increased stress, depression coping strategies, and diet.

Conclusion: Our study illustrates the research hotspots and trends for the research of exercise therapy of college students in depression, presents some challenges and new insights, and provides valuable information for further research.

Keywords: VOSViewer; bibliometric analysis; college students; depression; exercise therapy; research hotspots.