Effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with exercise training in adolescent girls with elevated depression symptoms: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Authors

  • Sally Mohamed Saeed Mahmoud Department of Physical Therapy for Women Health, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Ahram Canadian University. Egypt
  • Doaa Tammam Atia Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Suez University, Suez, Egypt
  • Doaa Sayed Mostafa Department of Physical Therapy for Basic Science, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Hertfordshire University, Cairo, Egypt.
  • Mohamed Farouk Abdel-Latif Lecturer - Orthopedic Physical Therapy Department, College of Physical Therapy, Misr University for Science and Technology, Cairo, Egypt.
  • Lamyaa Ahmed Fergany Department of Physical Therapy for neurological and neurosurgical disorders, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Lotus University, Minya, Egypt.
  • Neveen M. Abdulrahman Department of Physical Therapy for Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Suez University, Suez, Egypt.
  • Kamal Eldin S. Mohamed Lecturer at Department of Physical Therapy for Integumentary, Faculty of physical therapy, Deraya University, Minia, Egypt
  • Malak A. Elmahdy Department of Physical Therapy for Women Health, faculty of Physical Therapy, AL Hayah University, in Cairo, Egypt.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v70.116946

Keywords:

Exercise, Cognitive-behavioral therapy, Depression, sleep quality, adolescent girls

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) combined with regular versus intermittent exercise on depression and quality of sleep-in adolescent girls.

Participants and Methods: Sixty adolescent girls aged 12-17 years with mild to moderate depression were equally distributed to three groups, each group 20 patients. Group A received weekly 60-minutes CBT session combined with regular exercise 60 minutes three times per week for 12 weeks; Group B received weekly 60-minutes CBT plus intermittent exercise 60-minutes exercise once per week for 12 weeks and Group C received weekly 60-minute CBT alone for 12 weeks. Participants' depressive symptoms were evaluated before and after the 12-week interventions using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), sleep quality was evaluated before and after 12-week interventions using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Results: After 12-week interventions, group A showed significantly lower reductions in CES-D depressive symptoms scores compared to group B and group C. Sleep quality improved significantly in all three groups, with group A experiencing the greatest increase. The comparison between groups B and C yielded no significant results. The intragroup statistical evaluation showed no significant difference between the groups.

Conclusion: Among depressed adolescent girls, regular triweekly exercise combined with CBT led to significantly greater decreases in depressive symptoms and improved quality of sleep than intermittent once weekly exercise plus CBT or CBT alone. These findings indicate that exercise frequency may be key in potentiating the antidepressant benefits of CBT.

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Published

08/21/2025

Issue

Vol. 70 (2025)

Section

Original Research Article

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Copyright (c) 2025 Sally Mohamed Saeed Mahmoud, Doaa Tammam Atia, Doaa Sayed Mostafa, Mohamed Farouk Abdel-Latif, Lamyaa Ahmed Fergany, Neveen M. Abdulrahman, Kamal Eldin S. Mohamed, Malak A. Elmahdy

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How to Cite

Saeed Mahmoud, S. M., Atia, D. T., Mostafa, D. S., Abdel-Latif, M. F., Fergany, L. A., Abdulrahman, N. M., Mohamed, K. E. S., & Elmahdy, M. A. (2025). Effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with exercise training in adolescent girls with elevated depression symptoms: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Retos, 70, 1547-1557. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v70.116946