Physical activity to improve mental health in adolescents from socio-economically disadvantaged black and minority ethnic and refugee communities

In the UK, 20% of adolescents experience mental health problems yearly, of which stress is a leading cause. The period of adolescence represents rapid growth and development characterised by numerous physical, emotional, and social changes. These changes alongside societal pressures from school, families, peers, and social media mean teenagers are more stressed today than they have ever been.

Our recent pilot data in adolescents demonstrates that physical activity is associated with lower anxiety and depression, through more adaptive ways of coping with stress. Thus, there is a need for interventions to promote regular physical activity in adolescents to enhance mental health.
It is important to recognise that stress, mental health, and physical activity are not equally distributed in society: adolescents from ethnic minorities and/or low socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to experience increased stress and mental health problems.

A recent Birmingham community-based BEP project confirmed that stress, anxiety, depression, as well as low rates of seeking mental health support were highly prevalent in a population of South Asian adolescents. This project identified barriers and facilitators of engagement with interventions to support mental health.

This project aims to develop a physical activity intervention for adolescents from socio-economically disadvantaged BAMER communities to improve mental health by enhancing more adaptive coping with stress.

The specific objectives are:
1) Identify the determinants of physical activity, stress, and mental health in adolescents from socio-economically disadvantaged BAMER communities.
2) Co-produce a physical activity intervention to foster better coping with stress to enhance mental health in adolescents from socio-economically disadvantaged BAMER communities.

Methodology and Techniques
This collaborative project will be conducted in the Hodge Hill ward of Birmingham. The ward's communities represent a diverse ethnic population with an above average number of young people living in poverty (e.g., high number of children entitled to free school meals). The characteristics of this ward will enhance the generalisability of the project to other areas in Birmingham and the UK.

In line with the person-based approach for the development of behavioural interventions to enhance health (Yardley, 2015), the following mixed-methods approach will be used:

1. Questionnaires and focus groups with adolescents and other stakeholders (e.g., parents, teachers) will examine determinants of physical activity, stress, and mental health in adolescents from socio-economically disadvantaged BAMER communities.

2. Using information from Study 1 and existing physical activity interventions, the physical activity intervention will be co-developed with adolescents, parents, and teachers using a series of workshops. Workshops will address the intervention delivery method, duration, types of physical activity, and ways to support behaviour change.

3. Assess the co-produced intervention's feasibility and effectiveness in adolescents. Detailed feedback, participant programme engagement, and effects of the interventions will be obtained using quantitative and qualitative research methods.

4. Based on earlier findings, finalise implementation materials to be incorporated as BEP's standard practice, broader dissemination, and complete the PhD thesis.

The main anticipated outcome from this collaboration will be a physical activity intervention to support mental health in adolescents from BAMER communities throughout the UK.