Intervention of adolescent' mental health during the outbreak of COVID-19 using aerobic exercise combined with acceptance and commitment therapy

OBJECTIVE: To explore the intervention effect of aerobic exercise in combination with acceptance and commitment therapy on mental health of adolescents during the outbreak of COVID-19 based on the theory of the dual-factor model of mental health. METHODOLOGY: 1200 adolescents aged 12–19 in Fujian Province, China were screened by means of the dual-factor model of mental health from March to April 2020. 30 vulnerable, 30 symptomatic but contented and 30 distressed adolescents were selected as the experiment objects, and these 3 types of adolescents were randomly divided into the intervention group and the control group. Among them, the intervention group received 8 weeks of aerobic exercise in combination with acceptance and commitment therapy, 3 times a week, about 40–60 min each time. The control group, however, didn’t receive any intervention other than routine mental health education. Measurements were made before and after the intervention. RESULTS: (1) For vulnerable, symptomatic but contented and distressed individuals, before the intervention, there is no significant difference between the intervention group and the control group in terms of psychological distress, well-being and psychological flexibility (P > 0.05). After the intervention, psychological distress and experiential avoidance is significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group, but all dimensions of well-being is significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.05). (2) For vulnerable, symptomatic but contented and distressed individuals, before and after the intervention, there are significant differences in psychological distress, well-being and psychological flexibility of the intervention group (P < 0.05), but there are no significant differences in the control group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Attention should be paid to the problems of mental health of adolescents caused by the sudden outbreak of public health incidents. Aerobic exercise in combination with acceptance and commitment therapy is feasible and effective for the intervention in mental health of adolescents.