Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal
Submission Title
Category
Health & Natural Sciences & Engineering > Health Sciences > Mental Health
Received
April 20, 2022
Accepted
August 19, 2022
Published
August 31, 2022
Copyright
Articles in Spectra are freely available under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) which allows others to re-use the work without permission as long as the work is properly cited.
Data Availability Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available upon request from the corresponding author, MC. The data are not publicly available due to them containing information that could compromise research participant privacy and consent.
Conflicts of Interest
All authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Considerations
Prior to the onset of intervention, the present study received approval by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Funding
No funding was provided for this research.
Abstract
Exercise is a commonly used non-pharmacological treatment to improve the mental and physical health of patients with varying conditions. However, not all patients have the means to participate in exercise and/or physical exertion. Motor imagery training (MIT) is visualizing a task without motor output. Evidence has demonstrated MIT to enhance physical function with and without adjacent physical practice. A qualitative research study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of utilizing MIT as a depression and anxiety reducing alternative to exercise. Seven participants meeting the selection criteria were randomized into (a) the exercise group, or (b) the MIT group. The three participants in the exercise group engaged in two structured 20-minute aerobic exercise classes per week for three weeks. The four participants assigned to the MIT group engaged in the same dosage of structured MIT sessions. Data was collected through phenomenological interviews both before and after the exercise and MIT interventions. Four themes emerged from the interview, which included: (1) feeling refreshed and energized, (2) decrease in depressive-like symptoms, (3) overall improvement in mood perception, and (4) improvement in physical health. The results of the study suggest that the usage of MIT can improve aspects of mental health. Thus, it is proposed that future research should further investigate using MIT as a mental health improving alternative to exercise for those with physical activity restrictions.
Keywords
Motor imagery training (MIT), substance use disorders (SUD), aerobic exercise, depression, mood perception, non-pharmacological treatment, rehabilitation
Submission Type
Primary research article
Recommended Citation
Colbert, M. (2022). Using motor imagery as an alternative to exercise for improvement of mental health: A qualitative investigation. Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal, 2(2), 35-53. https://doi.org/10.9741/2766-7227.1019
