Exercise Interventions for Depressive Symptoms in Children and Adolescents: What a Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials Found

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who work with children and adolescents in outpatient, school-based, community, pediatric obesity or behavioral health settings, and any clinician who is asked by families about exercise and mood in young people.

Licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. The material is also relevant to athletic trainers, occupational therapists and exercise professionals working with pediatric populations.

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course reports the findings of a single published systematic review and network meta-analysis. Every claim, figure and conclusion in the course traces to that source.

Li J, Zhou X, Huang Z, Shao T. Effect of exercise intervention on depression in children and adolescents: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2023;23(1):1918. doi:10.1186/s12889-023-16824-z. PMID: 37794338. PMCID: PMC10552327.

The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023434355) and was reported according to the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Name the four exercise categories compared in this network meta-analysis and state the order in which the authors ranked them for reducing depressive symptoms in children and adolescents.
2. State the session length, weekly frequency, program length and age group that the authors identified as the most effective combination in their analysis.
3. Describe the limitations the authors reported, including the risk-of-bias problems and the reliance on self-reported outcomes, and explain how those limits shape confidence in the ranking.

1. Start Here: course overview, objectives and how to earn credit
2. Podcast: Exercise and Youth Depression in Brief (about nine minutes)
3. Why Youth Depression and Exercise Were Studied
4. How the Review Was Built: Searching, Screening and Ranking
5. What the Trials Showed: Modality, Dose and Age
6. Where the Evidence Is Thin
7. Translating the Findings to Pediatric Practice
8. Key Takeaways
9. Post-test and course evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 0.5 contact hours (30 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. This course reports the findings of a single published systematic review and network meta-analysis. Every claim, figure and conclusion in the course traces to that source.
2. Li J, Zhou X, Huang Z, Shao T. Effect of exercise intervention on depression in children and adolescents: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2023;23(1):1918. doi:10.1186/s12889-023-16824-z. PMID: 37794338. PMCID: PMC10552327.
3. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023434355) and was reported according to the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews and meta-analysis.