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Physical activity and prenatal depression: going beyond statistical significance by assessing the impact of reliable and clinical significant change

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2020

Marina Vargas-Terrones Open the ORCID record for Marina Vargas-Terrones [Opens in a new window] ,
Taniya S. Nagpal ,
Maria Perales ,
Harry Prapavessis ,
Michelle F. Mottola  and
Ruben Barakat
Marina Vargas-Terrones*
Affiliation:
AFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Sciences for Physical Activity and Sport, INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Madrid, Spain
Taniya S. Nagpal
Affiliation:
R. Samuel McLaughlin Foundation-Exercise and Pregnancy Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada Exercise and Health Psychology Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Maria Perales
Affiliation:
Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre (i+12), Madrid, Spain
Harry Prapavessis
Affiliation:
Exercise and Health Psychology Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Michelle F. Mottola
Affiliation:
R. Samuel McLaughlin Foundation-Exercise and Pregnancy Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada Children's Health Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Ruben Barakat
Affiliation:
AFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Sciences for Physical Activity and Sport, INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Madrid, Spain
*
Author for correspondence: Marina Vargas-Terrones, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background

Previous literature supports exercise as a preventative agent for prenatal depression; however, treatment effects for women at risk for prenatal depression remain unexplored. The purpose of the study was to examine whether exercise can lower depressive symptoms among women who began pregnancy at risk for depression using both a statistical significance and reliable and clinically significant change criteria.

Methods

This study is a secondary analysis of two randomized controlled trials that followed the same exercise protocol. Pregnant women were allocated to an exercise intervention group (IG) or control group (CG). All participants completed the Center for Epidemiological Depression (CES-D) scale at gestational week 9–16 and 36–38. Women with a baseline score ⩾16 were included. A clinically reliable cut-off was calculated as a 7-point change in scores from pre- to post-intervention.

Results

Thirty-six women in the IG and 25 women in the CG scored ⩾16 on the CES-D at baseline. At week 36–38 the IG had a statistically significant lower CES-D score (14.4 ± 8.6) than the CG (19.4 ± 11.1; p < 0.05). Twenty-two women in the IG (61%) had a clinically reliable decrease in their post-intervention score compared to eight women in the CG (32%; p < 0.05). Among the women who met the reliable change criteria, 18 (81%) in the IG and 7 (88%) in the CG had a score <16 post-intervention, with no difference between groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

A structured exercise program might be a useful treatment option for women at risk for prenatal depression.

Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 51 , Issue 4 , March 2021 , pp. 688 - 693
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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