What prompted you to conduct this study?
We were interested in trying to capture the everyday functioning of people with severe mental illness. Since psychiatric rehabilitation interventions are designed to improve functioning, we were interested in examining if we could capture everyday functioning. In addition, most physical activity research that has examined the relationship of physical activity and mood at a general level. For example if a person is more active over the course of a day is their mood more positive on that day? We wanted to examine if this relationship was true at the level momentary experience.
Why was the study designed the way it was?
Most current research methods require people to recall experience or aggregate experience over a period of time. Our interest was to capture both physical activity and subjective experience as it happened in the community.
Would you predict a correlation between the degree of physical activity with an increase or decrease in mood improvement?
There is some previous research that has shown that level of physical activity is positively related to positive mood. There is also some evidence that suggests that at the highest levels of physical activity, this relationship may not hold true. Most people would tend to recognise that if one is exerting a great deal of physical energy, one's mood at that moment may not be the most positive.
What are the biological causes of the improved mood seen in patients who were more active?
Let me preface my response with a disclaimer that I am not an exercise physiologist. Although one of the arguments for the relationship of physical activity and positive mood is the production of endorphins, the levels of activity measured in our study were not of sufficient intensity for endorphin production. There are other, psychosocial arguments that may be related to feelings of mastery, or even distraction that may provide the link.
Can you place your findings in the context of current psychiatric treatments?
At present there are a number of studies that have supported the use of physical activity as an intervention for people with severe mental illnesses. There is also ample evidence to indicate that this population has significantly poorer health than most people. I think our work provides preliminary indication that physical activity may provide more than just physiological health benefits for people with severe mental illness.
Finally, what is next for you?
We are currently working on developing interventions for people with schizophrenia living in the community that seek to increase both physical activity as well as social engagement.
