Effects of an exercise and sport intervention on symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health indices among asylum seekers in a camp. A pragmatic randomized controlled trial

People seeking asylum face a high risk of mental health disorders, in particular post-traumatic stress (PTSD). Physical activity has been recommended as an effective treatment for relieving mental health symptoms, yet the impact of exercise and sport in this particular and steeply increasing population has been scantly studied. This study aimed to examine the effects of an exercise and sport intervention primarily on PTSD but also on symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and well-being, among asylum seekers living in a camp. One hundred and forty-two asylum seekers (75 women) were enrolled and randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. A 10-week intervention was implemented during which a variety of organized exercise and sport activities were provided daily for men and women separately. Mixed model ANOVAs were conducted to examine changes in outcome measures from pre- to post-intervention. Ninety-eight participants (58% women) with a mean age of 29.87 (±10.12) years completed both the pre-and post-intervention measures. They displayed a rather poor mental health profile, with 59% suffering from PTSD. The results showed that among participants of the intervention group, those attending the sport and exercise activities on average twice or more per week showed improved PTSD symptoms (p=.03, η 2 p =.05), whereas no changes were found for those attending less than twice per week (p=.95, η 2 p < .001), and participants of the control group (p=.98, η 2 p < .001); no significant changes were revealed for depression, anxiety, stress, and well-being. The findings provided indications that engagement in exercise and sport can help ameliorate symptoms of PTSD among asylum seekers and highlight the importance of participation frequency; the lack of improvements in other mental health indices may be linked to external factors and requires further investigation. • Asylum seekers living in a camp displayed a rather poor mental health profile • Exercise/sport participation twice a week or more was important for PTSD improvement • Depression, anxiety, stress, and well-being were not affected by sport/exercise • Circumstantial factors may influence the impact of sport/exercise on mental health