STAMP - Stimulating physical activity in Solution Focused Group therapy for military personnel

Introduction

Physical activity interventions with activity trackers may have beneficial effects on mental health outcomes. Only a small number of studies explored the application of such devices in mental healthcare. Therefore, more evidence is required to understand its potential effectiveness and for whom it might be most beneficial. Furthermore, barely any research has been conducted on using activity trackers in relation to physical activity within a group therapy. This pioneering study therefore aimed to examine the effects of wearing an activity tracker in solution focused group therapy on coping and stimulating physical activity.

Project overview

Objective:

1. Researching the effectiveness of physical activity interventions on mental health.
2. Researching the use of activity trackers in relation to physical activity whithin Group therapy.

Target population:

Active soldiers and veterans (N=95; 18 female and 77 male) who participated in a solution-focused group therapy (SFG) at the Dutch Military Mental Healthcare.

Timeframe:

The study started in 2018 and finished in 2021.

Results:

Although both experimental group and control group showed a significant improvement in therapy outcome measures, no significant effect on active coping was found between both groups. Furthermore, physical activity during SFG did not increase.