Bridging the Gap: Implementing BRIDGES

Bridging the Gap: Implementing BRIDGES (Brussels Resilience and Inclusion for Depression - Guidance, Exercise and Support) to Shape Adolescent Outpatient Mental Health Care. A Randomized Control Study Protocol

Together with teenagers, we have developed a new approach: BRIDGES, which stands for "In Brussels, Resilience and Inclusion for Depression through Guidance, Exercise, and Support." BRIDGES aims to help young people with depression get moving again in their daily lives, at their own pace and in ways that are good for them.

Even though physical activity is recognized for its mental and physical health benefits, we find that adolescents going through a difficult psychological period often engage in very little of it. Current physical activity offerings do not always take into account their specific needs, preferences, or daily realities. That is why we have co-created a new approach with adolescents: BRIDGES, which stands for "In Brussels, Resilience and Inclusion for Depression through Guidance, Exercise, and Support." This project includes 18 30-minute sessions over 3 months with a physical therapist specializing in mental health, including individual follow-ups with advice and discussions, as well as putting you in touch with sports clubs or associations of your choice. The goal is to help you get moving again in your daily life, at your own pace and in a way that makes you feel good.

This study has a waiting list control group, so young people can either participate immediately or wait 6 months to participate.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All adolescents aged 12 to 19 with a diagnosis of depression who are receiving outpatient care through AREA+
• voluntary participation and accepting the randomisation
• being admitted at AREA+
• being able to stay focused for 30 minutes
• having a good knowledge of French
• physically inactive defined as not meeting the PA guidelines from World Health Organisation (28) following the corresponding age (i.e. at least 420 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) /week for those aged 12-17 and at least 150 min of MVPA /week for those aged 18 and 19 years
• living in Brussels

Exclusion Criteria:

• intellectual disability (defined as an intelligence quotient < 70)
• participants with serious medical problems or medical precautions prohibiting higher-intensity exercise (e.g., severe metabolic disorders, oncologic disease, unstable diabetes) according to the recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine.