None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
A mental health disorder (MHD) affects how a person thinks, behaves and interacts with others. People diagnosed with MHDs have poorer health than the general population, which is concerning as MHDs affect approximately one in seven children/adolescents each year. Physical activity (PA) participation is fundamental to good health, with benefits including increases in strength, plus improved bone, heart and mental health. Developing good PA habits throughout childhood is important, as active children are more likely to become active adults. This project therefore aims to develop, implement and evaluate an exercise program designed to improve the PA levels of children with a MHD through developing their physical literacy. Physical literacy is a concept surrounding the motivation, confidence, physical ability, knowledge, and understanding required to value PA and take individual responsibility for PA throughout life. Physically literate individuals are more likely to be physically active because they enjoy movement, and have a positive attitude towards PA. Children diagnosed with a MHD often have many barriers to being physically active including poor movement skills, and low strength and fitness compared to their peers. These barriers can negatively impact PA therefore, improving a child’s physical literacy, may assist them in becoming more physically active, resulting in a positive effect on their overall health. This exercise intervention, will be implemented into the Pathways therapeutic day program, a specialist unit within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). The Pathways day program is for primary school-aged students with anxiety, behavioural and mood MHDs. Children will be allocated to one of two groups; Group 1 will continue the normal Pathways program; and Group 2 will participate in a 10-week exercise intervention in addition to their normal Pathways program. The exercise intervention will include 20 group sessions, with a focus on physical competence, knowledge, understanding and motivation for PA. Family involvement will be encouraged through education sessions and ‘homework’ exercise sessions. The primary outcomes include PA levels and physical literacy (physical competence; motivation and confidence for PA; knowledge and understanding). Using a knowledge translation plan the outcomes of this research will be implemented into clinical practice across CAMHS. Project partners (patients/families, the public, clinicians, policy makers, mangers) will be engaged through all stages of the research process. The outcomes of this study will assist in improving the PA levels of children with MHDs.
Interventions
Participating children will complete a 10-week exercise program, Fit for Play. The program will include 2x45 minute small group sessions per week (n=6). Sessions will include a 10-minute warm-up of dynamic stretches and a fun game; followed by 25 minutes of activities designed to develop participants strength, aerobic fitness and fundamental movement skills. Aerobic activities will be moderate to high intensity (minimum 12 RPE). A 10-15-minute game-play activity e.g. modified basketball, soccer
Participating children will complete a 10-week exercise program, Fit for Play. The program will include 2x45 minute small group sessions per week (n=6). Sessions will include a 10-minute warm-up of dynamic stretches and a fun game; followed by 25 minutes of activities designed to develop participants strength, aerobic fitness and fundamental movement skills. Aerobic activities will be moderate to high intensity (minimum 12 RPE). A 10-15-minute game-play activity e.g. modified basketball, soccer etc. will also be completed. This will be used to apply the skills developed throughout the session, as well as rule following and team work skills. Finally a 5 minute cool down of stretching will be performed. Education around physical activity, and its importance will be woven into each session to assist children to have a sound knowledge of physical activity upon program completion. These sessions will be completed at the Pathways centre, Shenton Park, under the supervision of an Accredited Exercise Physiologist. Participants will also participate in one 30 minute exercise challenge each week, comprising of aerobic, strength, and fundamental movement skill development activities. The physical challenge will be prescribed by the research team (including exercise physiologists and occupational therapists, specialising in paediatrics), designed specifically to target individuals physical activity based goals. Participants will be encouraged to complete it in their own time, using any facilities available to them with the help of a parent/guardian. The purpose of this challenge is to encourage self-motivation to participate in physical activity. Fit for Play will be implemented into a pre-existing 10-week therapeutic day program (Pathways) for children with severe internalising and externalising behaviours. Children attend the therapeutic day program twice a week. Fit for Play will be implemented into the Pathways timetable so will be completed twice a week for the duration of the 10-week program. Attendance at the Pathways program twice a week for 10-weeks is compulsory, therefore it is anticipated that unless children are unable to attend Pathways due to illness or otherwise, there will be no problems with program adherence.
Sponsors
Kathryn Fortnum
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Open (masking not used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
6 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Children must have a mental health disorder and be enrolled in the Pathways therapeutic day program - a specialised unit conducted by the Western Australian Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service - within the research time frame. Before entering the program, children participate in a comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment including psychiatric, educational, psychological, occupational therapy and speech pathology evaluation. Children who require specialist attention in one or more of these areas are enrolled in the 10-week therapeutic program.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion will occur only if a doctor, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or other allied health professional considers it unsafe for that child to participate in exercise.
Outcome results
None listed