Mental health – children and youth

Background: The association between accelerometer measured PA and depression/anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents remains unclear. Furthermore, the impact of accelerometry methodologies on this relationship has yet to be explored.
Purpose: This meta-analysis examined the association between accelerometer measured PA and symptoms of depression and anxiety in children and adolescents and determined whether the strength of this relationship differed by accelerometer data collection and processing methods.
Method: Terms relating to children, PA, depression/anxiety and observational design were used to search electronic databases for potentially eligible studies up to September 2023. Meta-analysis was used to synthesize results and assess the moderating effects of accelerometer data collection and processing methods with subgroup analysis.
Results: Seventeen studies were meta-analysed, showing a small negative association of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with depression (partial r = -0.19, 95%CI [-0.31, -0.06], p = 0.002) and anxiety (partial r = -0.24, 95%CI [-0.38, -0.10], p = 0.01) in the 10 studies that analysed the outcomes as a continuous scale. The effect varied by epoch length (≤ 15 second: partial r = -0.38, > 15 second: partial r = -0.09, difference p = 0.01) and wear location (wrist: partial r = -0.32, hip: partial r = -0.10, difference p = 0.03). In the 7 studies that analysed the outcomes as a binary-scale, total physical activity (OR = 0.98, 95%CI [0.96,1.00], p = 0.05) and light physical activity (OR = 0.95, 95%CI [0.92,0.98], p < 0.001), but not MVPA, showed a small negative relationship with depression.
Conclusion: The results demonstrate that increased PA is associated with lower depression and anxiety symptoms in youth; accelerometry methodologies may influence this relationship.
Practical implications: This study highlights the importance of considering measurement methodologies when examining objective PA in relation to mental health outcomes.
Funding: China Scholarship Council

Background: Conceptual and theoretical links between self-conscious emotions (shame, guilt, envy, embarrassment, authentic and hubristic pride) and physical activity are increasingly documented. Furthermore, self-conscious emotions contextualized to fitness and appearance modalities of body image have unique implications for physical activity behaviour. Body-related self-conscious emotions (BSCE) get worse among youth, and yet the longer-term impacts of BSCE on physical activity are unknown. This is particularly important during times of transition, such as emerging adulthood. Purpose: This study explored the association between BCSE and physical activity [moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) and resistance training] among young women during adolescence and into early adulthood. Methods: Women (N=123) completed self-report surveys capturing BSCE annually for 4 years (Mage=14-18 years) and a follow-up survey including BCSE and physical activity 4 years later (Mage=22 years). Controlling for age and weight perception, main regression models tested BSCE as predictors of MVPA and resistance training. Results: Appearance and fitness emotions generally got worse during adolescence. Fitness BSCE during adolescence were significantly (p < .05) stronger predictors for MVPA and resistance training 4 years later (lower shame, guilt, embarrassment, and higher authentic and hubristic pride; R2=.08-.16) compared to appearance BSCE. Appearance pride was the only predictor of higher MVPA and resistance training. In early adulthood, all fitness BSCE except envy were significant cross-sectional correlates of MVPA and RT, with nuanced strengths of associations observed. Conclusions: Overall, these findings highlight the potential long-term effects of negative and positive BSCE on physical activity during a contentious developmental period. The consistent strength of association between appearance-focused pride and physical activity also requires further attention. Practical Implications: Intervention strategies addressing these fitness and appearance emotions during adolescence, and in the transition to early adulthood, are needed. Funding: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada; Canada Research Chairs Program.

Background: Intuitive exercise involves listening to bodily cues over external motives. However, the profile of adolescent girls regarding intuitive exercise, its association with relevant outcomes and change following a physical activity (PA) intervention is unknown. Purposes: Describe intuitive exercise scores among adolescent girls; Explore associations between intuitive exercise and health and lifestyles outcomes; Assess change in intuitive exercise following FitSpirit intervention. Methods: During the school year 2021-2022, participants completed the Intuitive Exercise Scale assessing exercise flexibility (EF), body trust (BT), mindful exercise (ME), and emotional exercise (EE) (Score /5) before (n=604), and after FitSpirit (n=165). Mean ± standard deviation, Pearson correlations and paired t-tests analyses were computed. Significant findings (p<0.05) are reported. Results: At baseline, EF (3.76±0.85) and BT (3.60±0.80) scored highest followed by ME (3.19±0.84) and EE (3.17±0.90). EF correlated with PA level (0.299), quality of life (0.273), perceived health (0.290), and competence (0.445), enjoyment (0.392), fitness (0.197) and social (0.189) PA motives, and body dissatisfaction (-0.137). BT correlated to quality of life (0.213), perceived health (0.212), and competence (0.125), enjoyment (0.112) and social (0.162) PA motives, and to body dissatisfaction (-0.089), screen time (-0.216) and appearance motive (-0.118). ME correlated with competence (-0.205), enjoyment (-0.105) and appearance (-0.116) PA motives. EE correlated with PA level (0.222) and competence (0.308), enjoyment (0.246), fitness (0.151), social (0.190), and appearance (-0.107) PA motives. No significant change in intuitive exercise were observed. Conclusions: This study provides insight into intuitive exercise levels of Canadian adolescent girls and associated health and lifestyle outcomes. Practical implications: Promoting practices emphasizing bodily cues and diverse PA could be interesting strategies to design interventions aimed at adolescent girls to modulate intuitive exercise profile. Funding: FitSpirit, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada Research Chairs, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé du Québec.

Background: Parents significantly influence children’s physical activity (PA) and screen time, but this impact may change as children age. The transition to secondary school is often accompanied by a decline in youth’s active behaviors, but parental influence during this time is understudied. Purpose: This study longitudinally examined how parenting practices affect youth’s screen time and PA across two cohorts (pandemic and non-pandemic cohorts) and evaluated the moderating effect of transitioning to secondary school on these relationships. Methods: We followed 689 parent-adolescent dyads (73% mothers, average parent age 46±5.4; 52% female youths, average age 13±0.3) from elementary to secondary school. Data were collected pre-pandemic for 42% of the dyads (non-pandemic cohort) and 58% had their data collected during the pandemic (pandemic cohort). Parents self-reported their parenting practices and youths’ self-reported their screen time and PA. Mixed effect models with interactions between parenting practices and school transition were used to examine changes in parental influences on youth’s active behaviors over time within each cohort. Results: Distinct trends emerged between cohorts during the school transition. Non-pandemic youth showed increased screen time and decreased PA. Conversely, the pandemic sample saw a decrease in screen time and stable PA. Positive parenting practices consistently predicted lower screen time across both school levels in the non-pandemic cohort, and only in elementary school in the pandemic cohort. It also predicted higher PA in both cohorts before and after the school transition. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the role of positive parenting in sustaining youth’s behaviors during the critical transition to secondary schools and emphasized the influence of pandemic conditions on parent-child dynamics. Practical implication: Interventions that target the transition to secondary schools and support parenting practices are needed to sustain youth’s active lifestyle. Funding: CIHR (PI: Mâsse); BCCHR Salary (Mâsse); MSHR-BC (De-Jongh Gonzalez)

Background: Combining psychotherapy and physical activity (PA) has been proposed as an effective approach to address mental health and psychological wellbeing (MH&PW) outcomes. While this intervention shows promise with adults, its effectiveness with children and young people (CYP) remains unclear. Purpose: To synthesize the evidence across academic and grey literature to identify, describe, and assess multi-component interventions that include psychotherapy and PA for school-aged (4 – 18 years) CYP MH&PW. Methods: The systematic scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) six-stage framework, with revisions from Levac, Colquhoun and O’Brien (2010), Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, and PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) recommendations. The protocol is registered on Open Science Framework to ensure transparency and replicability. Searches were conducted in Scopus, CINAHL, PsychINFO, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), as well as grey literature databases, and mental health organization, city council and Government websites in the UK. Studies conducted across all settings, in any geographical location were considered, except for those conducted in psychiatric and in-patient mental health facilities. The review was limited to publications written in English, between January 2013 and October 2023. Results: The data extraction and analysis is expected to be completed by April 2024, and the results will be available to present at the time of the conference. Conclusions: To the best of the research team’s knowledge, this will be the first review to explore multi-component (psychotherapy and PA) MH&PW interventions for CYP, with research and applied implications. Practical implications: The results will contribute new knowledge, support practitioners, and inform future interventions. This review, part of a PhD project, will facilitate the potential integration of PA into psychological support provided to school-aged CYP in the UK and will inform a qualitative study exploring practitioner perspectives on multi-component interventions. Funding: No funding.

Background: Almost 90% of Australian girls aged 11-17 years do not get enough physical exercise for good health and Australian young people are more likely to experience high of very high levels of psychological distress compared with older people. The Talk N Walk project was co-designed by teen girls in an attempt to address these issues. Program Delivery or Policy Components: An award-winning physical and mental wellbeing program, facilitated through the Talk N Walk app and supporting resources, co-designed with more than  100 ten-to-fifteen-year-old girls, including those who identify as girls and non-gender conforming individuals, from around Western Australia. Talk N Walk is for families and young people of all ages to increase the time they spend outdoors and in nature, being physically active and socially connected, to improve their health and wellbeing. What makes Talk N Walk different to other apps is that while increased physical activity is a key outcome, the focus– through the conversation prompts and collaborative nature activity challenges – is on social connection outdoors, and the impact that has on mental wellbeing. Evaluation: (Pilot results) 74% of participants said the app made them want to walk more, 33% of participants reported walking more during the four-week trial. 71% of participants reported being able to talk more about things they wouldn’t normally talk about, with conversation flowing more easily while walking. 33% of participants said the app/ walk improved their mood. 80% of participants said that they would recommend the app to friends or family. Conclusions: The program shows great initial results, wit larger roll-out and evaluation the next phase. Practical implications: This is a program that encourages physical activity and social connection for teenage girls – a demographic that is often overlooked. Funding: The project has been funded through health-related and innovation grants.