Digital interoceptive-enhanced exercise for young adults with depression: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Digital Therapeutics
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Young adults face a high burden of depressive symptoms with limited scalable treatments.
• Physical activity shows inconsistent effects for depression, necessitating novel approaches.
• Interoceptive training enhances affect regulation and may boost digital exercise efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a digital intervention integrating physical activity and interoceptive training for young adults with depressive symptoms.
• To assess the short-term and sustained effects of the intervention on depressive symptoms and related outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial with 46 participants with mild to moderate depressive symptoms.
• Intervention group received a digital program combining physical activity and interoceptive training; control group received no intervention.
• Four measurements taken: baseline, post-test, 1-month, and 3-month follow-up. Primary outcome: PHQ-9 score.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms at post-test compared to controls (p=0.003).
• Improvements were also observed in well-being, interoceptive ability, and physical health at post-test.
• These benefits, including reduced depressive symptoms, were not sustained at 1-month or 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• A digital program combining physical activity and interoceptive training offers scalable, short-term improvements for depressive symptoms.
• The positive effects on mental health and related outcomes were temporary, highlighting the need for further research.
• Larger, longer trials are needed to confirm durability, explore mediation, and assess cost-effectiveness for implementation.