What barriers influence mental health professionals' provision of physical activity recommendations during therapy?

Oral Presentation C6.2

Authors

  • Emily L. Mailey Kansas State University
  • Gina M. Besenyi Kansas State University
  • Miriam Avila Kansas State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.676

Keywords:

Mental Health, Physical Activity Counseling, Barriers, Therapists

Abstract

Background: The mental health benefits of physical activity (PA) are well-established. Initiatives such as Exercise is Medicine advise healthcare providers to assess and prescribe PA, but the feasibility of implementing PA counseling in mental healthcare contexts warrants investigation. Purpose: To explore therapists’ barriers to integrating PA recommendations into their clinical practice. Methods: A diverse sample of 125 therapists (including psychologists, social workers, and marriage/family therapists) completed an online survey; 14 therapists participated in one of four focus group sessions. Results: On the survey, therapists’ most salient barriers were lack of clients’ willingness to engage in PA (M=3.10/5), lack of time to discuss PA with clients (M=2.56/5), and concerns about client safety (M=2.54/5). Qualitative feedback from open-ended survey questions and focus groups revealed concerns about whether promoting PA was within therapists’ scope of practice, and others felt they lacked the knowledge/confidence to provide specific PA recommendations. Many participants said providing “prescriptions” contradicted their therapeutic approach, and they preferred to focus on clients’ presenting issues, which may be more pressing or salient than promoting PA. However, 94.4% of therapists endorsed the importance of promoting clients’ PA, and 60.8% said they would attend related training. Conclusions: While recognizing PA promotion as important, therapists’ questions about the relevance for all clients, and how to effectively implement PA recommendations in practice, emerged as key barriers. Future studies could develop training workshops to address these barriers and equip therapists with the confidence and skills to promote PA consistently as part of their therapeutic approach. 

Published

2021-09-30

How to Cite

Mailey, E., Besenyi, G., & Avila, M. (2021). What barriers influence mental health professionals’ provision of physical activity recommendations during therapy? Oral Presentation C6.2. The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.676