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Undergraduate student perceptions of cognitive behavioral therapy, aerobic exercise, and their combination for
Cody Gilbert1, Mitch Earleywine1, Brianna R Altman1
1Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York, USA.
Objective:
Both aerobic exercise and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) improve depression, but perceptions of their credibility and efficacy are underexplored. These perceptions can contribute to treatment seeking and outcome. A previous online sample ranging in age and education rated a combined treatment higher than individual components and underestimated their efficacy. The current study is a replication exclusively focused on college students.
Participants:
Undergraduates (N = 260) participated during the 2021-2022 school year.
Methods:
Students reported impressions of each treatment's credibility, efficacy, difficulty, and recovery rate.
Results:
Students viewed combined therapy as potentially better, but also more difficult, and underestimated recovery rates, replicating previous work. Their efficacy ratings significantly underestimated both meta-analytic estimates and the previous sample's perceptions.
Conclusions:
Consistent underestimation of treatment effectiveness suggests that realistic education could prove especially beneficial. Students might be more willing than the broader population to accept exercise as a treatment or adjunct for depression.
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