The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a structured, culturally adapted home-based exercise program helps Afghan women with depression stay more active than routine exercise advice. The study will also examine whether taking part in the exercise program improves depression symptoms, daily functioning, and participant satisfaction, and whether the program is safe.
The main questions the study aims to answer are:
Researchers will compare a structured home-based exercise program with routine exercise advice to see which approach leads to better exercise adherence.
About 60 women aged 18 to 50 years with mild to moderate depression will take part. Participants will be randomly assigned (by chance) to one of two groups.
Participants in the structured exercise group will:
Participants in the routine exercise advice group will:
All participants will take part in the study for 8 weeks. At the beginning and end of the study, they will complete questionnaires about their depression symptoms and their ability to carry out everyday activities. At the end of the study, participants will also complete a questionnaire about their satisfaction with the program, and researchers will ask about any medical problems or injuries that occurred during the study.
The information from this study may help researchers understand whether a culturally adapted home-based structured exercise program is a practical and effective way to support Afghan women with depression and encourage regular physical activity.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
n.naibkhil@gmail.com
Participants assigned to this arm will receive usual psychiatric care plus a structured, culturally adapted home-based exercise program. The intervention includes an illustrated exercise booklet containing breathing, stretching, walking, and light-to-moderate aerobic exercises that can be performed safely at home without specialised equipment. Participants will receive initial visual instruction on performing the exercises and will be encouraged to choose exercises according to their preferences, physical abilities, and available time during the 8-week study period. Participants will record each exercise session in a logbook to monitor exercise adherence.
Participants assigned to this arm will receive usual psychiatric care and routine advice on the benefits of physical activity, including general recommendations such as walking and household physical activities. They will not receive the structured home-based exercise program, illustrated exercise booklet, or exercise instruction provided to the experimental group. Participants will receive an exercise logbook to record any physical activity or exercise performed during the 8-week study period, allowing comparison of exercise adherence between the study groups.
Promoting Wellbeing for Women With Depression: A Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of an Exercise Programme
Incorporating Ecological Momentary Assessment and Personalized Telephone Support Into Group-Based Exercise Intervention for Depressive Symptoms