| Summary: | Adolescence is an important period of development, where health and health behaviours have substantial impact on health and lifestyle in adulthood. Prevalence of mental illness are increasing in this group, where depression account for a substantial part of the cases. Increasing evidence present exercise as an effective treatment for adolescent with mild or moderate depression, but investigations of long-term effects are required. Qualitative studies of adolescents’ experiences of exercise as treatment for depression may lead to a greater understanding of favourable arrangements of future treatment plans to facilitate adherence and effects on depressive symptoms. The salutogenic concept sense of coherence (SOC) is associated with mental health and important for behaviour change, such as initiating an exercise treatment program. This study described adolescents’ long-term experiences of a group-based exercise intervention for depression, within the framework of SOC. Fourteen adolescents met the inclusion criteria and were individually interviewed at one-year follow-up, after their participation in a 14-week group-exercise intervention for depression. Interviews were analysed with abductive qualitative content analysis, initially using an inductive approach to create nine sub-categories and four categories. The deductive part included sorting categories into the three SOC domains manageability, comprehensibility, or meaningfulness. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) have been considered when reporting the procedures. Results revealed that the setting for the exercise intervention offered a supportive environment which made the participation manageable, while insights during the intervention facilitated comprehensibility. Furthermore, the experiences of progress in health and lifestyle together with a belief in the future that emerged during the intervention made the experience meaningful. The connection in the group was appreciated, and a feeling more energised and clearer in the head facilitated functionality in daily life. This study concludes that a group-based exercise intervention as treatment for depression can be an encouraging and valuable long-term experience for the adolescents, potentially influencing health, and health behaviours in a positive direction through SOC. The study is further suggesting that SOC may provide useful guidance for further development of exercise as treatment for depression.
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