The Psychosocial Consequences of Sports Participation for Individuals with Severe Mental Illness: A Metasynthesis Review

Abstract

The purpose of the current metasynthesis review was to explore the psychosocial benefits of sport and psychosocial factors which impact on sports participation for individuals with severe mental illness. AMED, CINAHL Plus, Medline, EMBASE, ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source, and Science Citation Index were searched from inception until January 2014. Articles included use qualitative methods to examine the psychosocial effects of sports participation in people with severe mental illness. Methodological quality was assessed using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies and a case study tool. Included studies were analysed within a metasynthesis approach. Eight articles involving 56 patients met the inclusion criteria. The results identified the broader and direct psychosocial benefits of sport. Sport provided a “normal” environment and interactions that were not associated with an individual’s mental illness. Sport provided individuals with a sense of meaning, purpose, belonging, identity, and achievement. Other findings are discussed. Direct psychosocial benefits are a consequence of sports participation for the vast majority of individuals with severe mental illness. Further to this, sports participation was associated with a reduction in social isolation and an increase in social confidence, autonomy, and independence.

Understanding the experience of initiating community-based group physical activity by people with serious mental illness: A systematic review using a meta-ethnographic approach

“…The need for instrumental and informational support has been demonstrated previously [14], as has emotional support [46]. We identified that sources of support need to come from someone who is valued and respected by the person living with SMI and someone who knows them well and is well known to them, which supports previous findings [46]. Consistent with previous research, this could be provided by mental health professionals such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists [47].…”

“…The intensive nature of the social support required during the initiation of community-based group PA for people living with SMI is a key outcome from this study. The need for instrumental and informational support has been demonstrated previously [14], as has emotional support [46]. We identified that sources of support need to come from someone who is valued and respected by the person living with SMI and someone who knows them well and is well known to them, which supports previous findings [46].…”

“…This supports previous findings about the importance of shared identities by people attending group-based PAs [11,33,46]. Providing people with SMI with a safe environment within which to make choices and decisions about their participation could translate into benefits in different areas of life [11,14,46]. Carless and Douglas [50] likened this to having a door opened that is usually shut for people living with SMI.…”

Is sport an untapped resource for recovery from first episode psychosis? A narrative review and call to action

“…Numerous studies have shown that for people with SMI, physical activity can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and/or lower BMI to protect against the deleterious health outcome and accompany the diagnoses (eg, Rosenbaum, Hobson‐Powell, Davison, Elliot, & Ward, ; Vancampfort et al, ), alleviate symptoms of mental illness (eg, Bonsaksen & Lerdal, ; Schuch et al, ), improve cognitive functioning (eg, Firth et al, ), enhance social competence and self‐reliance (eg, Soundy et al, ), and bolster markers of overall mental health and quality of life (eg, Firth et al, ; Rosenbaum et al, ; Soundy et al, ). Interventions that use sport as a mode of physical activity for people with SMI have reported functional recovery and quality of life benefits such as a sense of achievement, purpose and belonging; positive sense of identity and enhanced confidence; and positive social experiences (eg, Carless & Douglas, ; Soundy et al, ).…”

“…As such, there has been a stern call for interventions and treatment protocols that counteract the negative effects of using antipsychotic medication in the treatment of psychotic illness, with increased physical activity being a top complementary choice (eg, International Physical Health in Youth (iphYs) Working Group, 2013).3.2 | Physical activity interventions have been successful with SMI, and, more specifically, FEP populationsNumerous studies have shown that for people with SMI, physical activity can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and/or lower BMI to protect against the deleterious health outcome and accompany the diagnoses (eg,Rosenbaum, Hobson-Powell, Davison, Elliot, & Ward, 2017;, alleviate symptoms of mental illness (eg,Bonsaksen & Lerdal, 2012;Schuch et al, 2016), improve cognitive functioning(eg, Firth et al, 2016), enhance social competence and self-reliance (eg,Soundy et al, 2014), and bolster markers of overall mental health and quality of life(eg, Firth et al, 2015;Rosenbaum et al, 2014;Soundy et al, 2014). Interventions that use sport as a mode of physical activity for people with SMI have reported functional recovery and quality of life benefits such as a sense of achievement, purpose and belonging; positive sense of identity and enhanced confidence; and positive social experiences (eg,Carless & Douglas, 2016;Soundy et al, 2015).In recent years, there has been a growing amount of promising research on exercise-based early interventions specifically for the treatment and recovery of psychosis. The early stages of psychosis, particularly the time following a FEP, are considered a critical time in which the detrimental trajectory of the psychological and physical…”