Psychological Effects of 12 Weeks of Moderate-to-Vigorous Exercise on Men With Methamphetamine Use Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES

This study evaluated the psychological impact of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise (MVE) on male methamphetamine (MA) use disorders (MUD) rehabilitation inpatients.

METHODS

Hundred male MUD rehabilitation inpatients were randomized into 2 groups; the experimental group received the MVE intervention, and the control group received a low-to-moderate-intensity exercise intervention for 1 hour, 5 times a week for 3 months. Psychological assessment was performed using Symptom Checklist 90, and MA craving was assessed using the Virtual Reality Addiction Assessment System developed by Tsing Research Technology (http://www.qingtech.com.cn/AntiDrug/VrDrug). Two-factor repeated measures ANOVA was utilized to compare treatment differences between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

There were better outcomes in the MVE group than in controls, mainly in terms of lower scores for compulsive symptoms (P < .05, η2 = .046), depression (P < .01, η2 = .061), and MA cravings (P < .05, η2 = .054). However, group × time interaction effects had no significant impact on somatization, interpersonal relationships, anxiety, hostility, paranoia, phobia, and psychoticism.

CONCLUSIONS

MVE helps reduce depression, compulsive symptoms, and MA cravings scores in adult men MUD rehabilitation inpatients. However, randomized double-blind trials are needed to validate this result further.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2400080819.