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Table 2 Characteristics of the interventions

From: Single Session and Short-Term Exercise for Mental Health Promotion in Tertiary Students: A Scoping Review

Study

PA/exercise interventions

Exercise intensity/type

Non PA/exercise interventions

Personnel delivering treatment

Individual/group

Duration frequency

Stress condition

Bartholomew [32]

RE: "participants performed sets of 4 reps for each of 6 exercises. They were asked to rate the intensity of each set using Borg's 6–19 RPE scale. The level of resistance for each set was manipulated until an RPE equal to 15 (hard) was reported. The level of resistance was noted and used as the intensity for the experimental resistance exercise sessions."

RE: VIGOROUS, RESISTANCE

Placebo: "Placebo activity participants were shown copies of college yearbook photographs and were asked to provide a detailed personality profile for as many individuals as they could within 20 min"

Researcher

Individual

20 m single session

Laboratory induced

Broman-Fulks et al. [38]

AE-high: (walking/jogging) HIET: "2 min of stretching exercises and a 2 min treadmill warm-up then briskly walk or jog on a treadmill at a speed that produced exercise HR between 60–90% of the individual’s age adjusted predicted MHR. Treadmill speed was adjusted as necessary"

AE-low: (walking/jogging) LIET: "The comparison group completed a similar protocol except treadmill speed was maintained at 1-mile per hour so participant heart rate never reached 60% of MHR"

AE-high: VIGOROUS (Aerobic); AE-low: LIGHT to MODERATE

NA

Researcher

Individual

20 m 2-4xwk/2wks

Resting

Broman-Fulks and Storey [43]

AE: (walking/jogging) "Exercise participants were asked to briskly walk or jog on a treadmill at a speed that maintained their HR between 60–90% of their predicted MHR for the full 20-min session. Treadmill speeds were adjusted as necessary. Following each exercise session, participants completed a 5-min cool down"

AE: MODERATE to VIGOROUS, AEROBIC

"Individuals assigned to the no-exercise control condition reported to the lab 6 times over 2 weeks (no fewer than 2 and no more than 4 times per week) just to complete the ASI-R."

A researcher

Not stated

20 m 2-4xwk/2wks

Resting

Fallon and Hausenblas [44]

AE: "Following the 5 min warm-up period, participants self-selected a speed and incline on the treadmill that would create a ‘‘moderate intensity’’ exercise bout. After 20 min of moderate intensity exercise, the participants were asked to slow to a mild walking pace for a 5 min cool down"

AE: MODERATE to VIGOROUS, AEROBIC

Rest: "The participants were allowed to read or sit quietly for 30 min. Study materials were checked to confirm that they did not discuss diet, exercise, or pictorially depict an ideal body type"

Not stated

Individual

30 m single session

Resting

Focht et al. [39]

RE-mod: "(weight training) circuit: a single set of 10 to 20 reps at 50% of 1 RM for each exercise while utilizing 30 to 45 s recovery interval between each set and exercise"

RE-high: "(weight training) multiple set: 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps at 75% of 1 RM for each exercise while utilizing a 1 to 2 min recovery interval between each set and exercise"

RE-mod: MODERATE, RESISTANCE

RE-high: VIGOROUS, RESISTANCE

Video: "watched a videotape of resistance exercise techniques that was of comparable length to the resistance exercise sessions"

Not stated

Not stated

30 m single session

Resting

Hopkins et al. [33]

AE (4x/wk-): Walk or jog continuously on a treadmill for a minimum of 30 min, at a minimum speed of 3.5 mph (equivalent to a brisk walk) four times per week (no acute session on final day)

AE (4x/wk+): Walk or jog continuously on a treadmill for a minimum of 30 min, at a minimum speed of 3.5 mph four times per week, plus a single acute session on the final day of the study

Acute session: A single session on the final day of the study (walk or jog continuously on a treadmill for a minimum of 30 min, at a minimum speed of 3.5 mph)

AE: CBD [likely MODERATE to VIGOROUS], AEROBIC

Acute: CBD [likely MODERATE to VIGOROUS], AEROBIC

No intervention

Not stated

Not stated

AE: 30 m 4xwk/4wks; Acute session: 30 m single session

Laboratory induced

Julian et al. [34]

AE: (walking/jogging)

"Supervised, moderate-intensity (65–70% MHR) treadmill exercise. Exercise began with a 5 min warm-up at progressively increasing speed. Participants then trained at the target heart rate for 20 min, after which they completed a 5 min cool-down, during which the speed was gradually reduced, and participants then stretched"

AE: MODERATE, AEROBIC

Rest: "Participants assigned to the rest condition rested for 30 min"

Not stated (states were supervised)

Not stated

30 m single session

Laboratory induced

Lindheimer et al. [37]

Cycling: participants in the active condition pedalled at an intensity of 35% VO2 reserve for a duration of 25 min and cadence of 55 revolutions per minute on a semi-recumbent cycle ergometer (RT-300-SL; Restorative Therapies Inc)

Light, aerobic

Participants in the passive cycling condition had their legs moved at a constant speed (55 revolutions per minute) via a motorized pedalling system for 30 min to control for the confounding effects of context and leg movement experienced during active cycling

Not stated

Not stated

30 m single session

Resting

Mason and Asmundson [40]

AE-sprint interval: a 2-min warm-up, consisting of low intensity cycling (i.e., generating less than 50 W), followed by three 20-s cycle sprints against an applied resistance at an intensity at or above 18 RPE and 85% of their age adjusted HR max, and separated by an active recovery consisting of approximately 2 min of low intensity cycling. The SIT session was followed by a 3-min cool-down, consisting of low intensity cycling

AE-continuous: participants underwent a 2-min warm up consisting of low intensity cycling (i.e., generating less than 50 W) followed by 45 min of MICT on a stationary spin cycle, then a 3-min cool down. Participants maintained a heart rate of 70% of their estimated age adjusted HR max and an RPE between 13 and 15 throughout the 45 min of training

AE-sprint interval: VIGOROUS, AEROBIC AE-continuous: MODERATE to VIGOROUS, AEROBIC

No intervention

Certified personal trainer

Not stated

AE-sprint interval: 10 m single session AE-continuous: 50 m single session

Resting

Medina et al. [41]/Smits et al. [42]

AE: "Moderate intensity aerobic exercise sessions at the laboratory in a room furnished with treadmills and appropriate safety equipment. Exercise intensity was pre-set at the high-moderate level (70% of HR max). The experimenter adjusted the speed and incline of the treadmill to target specific levels of effort as assessed by HR"

AE: MODERATE to VIGOROUS, AEROBIC

WL

Certified study personnel

Individual

20 m 3xwk/2wks

Resting

Mothes et al. [35]

AE: 2 min warm up and 30 min of cycling on an ergometer at approximately 75 RPM at 40% max power output

AE+ expectation: same as AE plus participants viewed a multimedia presentation that aimed to induce positive outcome expectations regarding the subsequent exercise (‘‘According to recent research this exercise is perfectly suitable for improving your immediate well-being’’)

AE+ enhanced expectations: same as AE plus viewing the multimedia presentation that aimed to induce positive outcome expectations regarding the subsequent exercise and aiming to induce an even stronger expectation by additionally focusing on the compression shirt lent to all participants to wear during exercise (‘‘Wearing this shirt will enhance physical capacity and increase exercise benefits’’)

AE no-effect expectation: same as AE plus viewing multi-media presentation aimed to induce a more neutral outcome expectation (‘‘According to recent research this exercise is not suitable for improving your immediate well-being, since it is too short and too weak’’)

AE: MODERATE, AEROBIC

NA

Researchers

Not stated

30 m single session

Resting

Roth [45]

AE: (cycling) The exercise condition involved supervised exercise on a Bodyguard 990 bicycle ergometer. The subject pedalled in time with a metronome to achieve a pedalling rate of 50 revolutions per minute. The initial workload was set at 600 kilopond meters per minute (kpm/min) for males and 300 kpm/min for females. For the remainder of the 20-min period. the workload was decreased, if necessary, to maintain a steady exercise heart rate between 115 and 135 bpm, verified by heart rate measurements obtained every 3 min

AE: MODERATE, AEROBIC

No intervention

Research personnel

Not stated

20 m single session

Laboratory induced

Roth et al. [46]

AE: (cycling)

Subjects mounted a Bodyguard 990 bicycle ergometer and pedalled in time with a metronome to achieve a pedalling rate of 50 revolutions per minute. 1 kilopond of resistance was applied, resulting in a workload of 300 kilopond meters per min (50 W)

AE: CBD [reported as LIGHT to MODERATE], AEROBIC

Rest: subjects assigned to the no-exercise condition were instructed to simply remain seated for several minutes until given further instructions

Not stated

Individual

10 m single session

Laboratory induced

Smits [36]

AE: Participants in the exercise condition completed exercise at 70% of HR max on a treadmill. The training program consisted of a 3 min warm-up at a progressively increasing speed until 70% of HR max was reached. Participants then trained at that target heart rate for 20 min

AE: MODERATE to VIGOROUS, AEROBIC

Rest: participants in the quiet rest condition sat quietly for 23 min

Not stated

Not stated

20 m single session

Laboratory induced

  1. 1RM 1 repetition maximum, AE aerobic exercise, ASI-R Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised, bpm beats per minute, CBD cannot be determined, E exercise, High high intensity, HIET high intensity exercise training, HR heart rate, LIET low intensity exercise training, Low low intensity, M/Mins minutes, MOD moderate, MHR maximum heart rate, mph miles per hour, NA not applicable, NS not stated, PA physical activity, PE physical education, RE resistance exercise, Reps repetitions, RPE rating of perceived exertion, TAU treatment as usual, VIG vigorous, VO2 oxygen consumption, Wk week, WL wait list