The Teen Run Group Therapy A creative “health based” approach to treating adolescent depression/anxiety

and low self esteem

Dan McGann, Social Worker Child & Family Services

The Credit Valley Hospital

MY RUNNING FRIEND (Unique bonding)“We talk about everything under the sun . . . and I don't even know her last name”By Michele Bender – Runner’s World Magazine, Aug 2007

"When you run sometimes hundreds or thousands of miles together, you trust each other, bare your souls to each other, and help each other heal."Dr."Ozzie" Gontang, Ph.D.,

Numerous studies have shown that exercise stimulates the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and beta-endorphin, all of which elevate mood and reduce depression and anxiety.

“What is said on the road, stays on the road.”

Run Dan Run!!

My own depressionStarted to runTraining for 10 yearsCompleting my first Marathon- May 2006Created a Program

Adolescence & DepressionMajor Public Health Issue

10-20% Depressive Disorder

25-50% Associated Anxiety Disorder

20% Associated Substance Use Disorder

70% of depressed adolescents will have a 2nd episode within 5 years

10-20% - ultimate diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder

80% of Suicidal Adolescents suffer with depression

Suicide is the 2rd leading cause of death in Adolescents

Small minority of Adolescents receive treatment

Minority complete treatment

Traditional treatments such as medication and psychotherapy have limited efficacy.

Psychological Treatments

Modest Benefit:

I.P.T. C.B.T.

BiologicalTADS combination of Fluoxetine &

therapy

Handful of drug trials demonstrating effectiveness

Many drug trials showing no benefit

High drop out from medication

Compliance Issues

Side effects

Recent concerns regarding increase in suicidal ideation

Conventional Psychotherapy

Requires “Face to face” communication of thoughts and feelings

Focus on painful and emotional issues

Office based sessions reinforce the “sick-role”

The Running GroupGroup support

Out of the “office”

Mastering a skill

Integration of mind & Body

Indirect learning (less threatening)

Control & Predictability

Structure & Routine

Audio, visual, kinesthetic learning

Action vs. Passivity

Mastery vs. Victimization

Changes the internal narrative

Endorphin release

“Runner’s High”

ProposalAdolescent group 14 – 19 yearsDepression/AnxietyPre-test for BaselineTeach them to run 3X/wk/12 wksCommunity Race 5K/10KPost-test for comparisonAll teens are medically cleared by their family

Doc and waiver signed by parents

Our Sponsors

Personal donations from: Dr. David Rosen Dr. Marino Battigelli Tina Triano Stan and Jessie Solarski Dan McGann *Youth Branch – CVH Volunteer Services

Volunteer Coaches

Impact on coaching staff is amazing – the power of “giving back”

Program FormatA gradual skill/endurance building

1:1 ----------------------- 10:1

30 minutes

12 Weeks

FrequencyTuesday evenings from 6:30 - 7:45Guest speaker and short run

Saturday at 8:30 - 9:30 am ~ longer runs

Each teen was also asked to run one more time through the week independently and record on their log sheet.

Our SpeakersJeff Stapleton, Running CoachDr. Ian MacIntyre – sports physicianSandy Beckett, PhysiotherapistHeidi Nixdorf & Sandra Gabriel ~

DieticiansDan McGann, Psychology of RunningDetective Sean Sullivan (Capt Peel Police

Run team)John Knox – core trainingRick Ball - Paralympics -Team CanadaTom Lettner, Senior Runner/Ironman

Pre and Post Testing

“What I Think & Feel” (RCMAS) 49 itemsParent-Teen relationship scale

Group CharacteristicsAge range: 14 to 19 years

Gender: 22 males – 21 females – 11 are parents

Diagnosis: 2/3rds anxiety ~ 1/3rd depression

43 participants in total

Teen Run Log

Scale mood pre run?/10Scale mood post run ?/10

Note conditions, distance and timeSpace also provided for comments

What they Learn

How to take a goal, break it down, and achieve through small steps.

Impact of mood on performance

Importance of structure & routine

Being supportive of others - being supported by others (looping)

Influence of diet on energy

Increased self awareness through use of your running log book

Learning skills in developing “mental toughness” “the ability to keep going and stay positive and focused when faced with challenges” (long runs, hills)

Learn from their mistakes (lessons/opportunities for new learning) - not to over-react

Learn form others - from their mistakes

Learn to run softy and silently (no drama)

Learn how to talk and breathe as they run

Developing positive cognitive skills (positive thinking, focus, etc)

•How to look at challenges and obstacles (hills) as good teachers and How to look at challenges and obstacles (hills) as good teachers and skill buildersskill builders

Learn to pace themselves - when to hold back and when to push in order to complete a run well and in a good time.

That action (running) in the face of adversity is much better than standing still or retreating

Run towards your fears not away from them.

How to celebrate their achievements and meet their goals! (end run cheer/grad party with personalized certificates)

Teen Comments

“I can’t believe I ran that far!”“Running for me is better than making out

with boys I don’t know or cutting myself.”“Headache, legs hurt ~ never felt better!”“I liked running in the rain today.”“The run helped me to feel relaxed and de

stressed ”

Parent Comments“My son seems more relaxed after each

run ~ very satisfied with what he’s accomplished.”

“I found that her confidence level increased as the time went on. I think that it has made such a difference to her to actually see tangible results.”

“His mood and anxiety levels seem improved.”

“She said that she could actually feel her spirits lift after each run.”

New ResearchMSW Thesis “Evaluation of Running Group Therapy

with Youth” ~ qualitative

Family Run Program; “The value of running to improve the quality of the parent- teen relationship” – pre and post scale

Continued pre and post test using the RCMASRevised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale

Collaborative Research with University of Toronto Department of Psychiatry

Pre and post run log recording

Lesleigh's Story

Lesleigh completes her 1st Half Marathon