A sport-for-protection program reduces anxiety and depression in youth affected by displacement: A randomized controlled trial of the Game Connect program in Uganda

IF 4.9 2区医学 Q1 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY

Journal of affective disorders Pub Date : 2025-02-03 DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2025.02.001

Kathleen Latimer , Rita Larok , John Paul Nyeko , Lydia Murungi , Ronald Luwangula , Bashir Lukungu , Jeroen Carrin , Robinah Nannungi , Daniel Ojara Comboni , Esther Nanfuka Kalule , Simon Rosenbaum , Davy Vancampfort

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Abstract

Introduction

Youth affected by displacement are at risk for anxiety and depression. Supervised sport programs are a potentially effective strategy, however trials from displacement contexts are lacking.

Methods

Displaced youth and youth from host communities in five humanitarian settings across Uganda aged 15 to 24 years, and with at least mild anxiety and/or depression, were randomized to a 16-week sport-for-protection program or a wait-list control condition. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9, adolescent version (PHQ-9-A) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Linear mixed modelling was conducted.

Results

834 young people were randomized (421 in the experimental and 413 in the control condition; median age = 19.0 years; 46.9 % boys; 14.7 % with self-reported or observed disability; 29.5 % from host community and 70.5 % displaced youth). Large effect sizes were found for the anxiolytic (Cohen d = 1.21, 95%CI = 1.06–1.36) and antidepressant (Cohen d = 1.32, 95%CI = 1.17–1.47) effects of sport-for-protection in comparison with a wait-list control condition. In subgroup analyses, large effect sizes were observed in displaced youth (Cohen d GAD-7 = 1.15, 95%CI = 1.0–1.32; Cohen d PHQ-9-A = 1.33, 95%CI = 1.16–1.51) and youth from host communities (Cohen d GAD-7 = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.06–1.61; Cohen d PHQ-9-A = 1.30, 95%CI = 1.03–1.58); in boys (Cohen d GAD-7 = 1.23, 95%CI = 1.03–1.43; Cohen d PHQ-9-A = 1.36, 95%CI = 1.14–1.58) and girls (Cohen d GAD-7 = 1.11, 95%CI = 0.89–1.33; Cohen d PHQ-9-A = 1.26, 95%CI = 1.05–1.47); and in those with (Cohen d GAD-7 = 0.99, 95%CI = 0.61–1.37.; Cohen d PHQ-9-A = 1.53, 95%CI = 1.12–1.94) and without disability (Cohen d GAD-7 = 1.24, 95%CI = 1.08–1.49; Cohen d PHQ-9-A = 1.28, 95%CI = 1.12–1.44).

Conclusion

Sport-for-protection is an effective stand-alone or adjunctive intervention to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression among young people affected by displacement within humanitarian settings.

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来源期刊

Journal of affective disorders 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

10.90

自引率

6.10%

发文量

1319

审稿时长

9.3 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Affective Disorders publishes papers concerned with affective disorders in the widest sense: depression, mania, mood spectrum, emotions and personality, anxiety and stress. It is interdisciplinary and aims to bring together different approaches for a diverse readership. Top quality papers will be accepted dealing with any aspect of affective disorders, including neuroimaging, cognitive neurosciences, genetics, molecular biology, experimental and clinical neurosciences, pharmacology, neuroimmunoendocrinology, intervention and treatment trials.