How Does Exercise Improve Depression? A Social Big Data Analysis of Psychological and Social Mechanisms

This study explored how exercise alleviates depression using large-scale social big data. Data were collected with Textom from major Korean online platforms (Naver, Daum, Google) between January 2022 and December 2024, using the keywords “exercise + depression + improvement.” A total of 4,548 cases (2,525 KB) were analyzed through text mining and social network analysis, including frequency, TF-IDF, and CONCOR.<br/> Results showed that ‘exercise,’ ‘depression,’ ‘improvement,’ and ‘help’ were the most frequent keywords, suggesting that exercise is perceived as a practical tool for mental health promotion. TF-IDF highlighted terms such as ‘health,’ ‘treatment,’ and ‘effect,’ linking exercise to therapeutic and preventive roles. CONCOR analysis revealed four clusters: (1) physical activity and physiological mechanisms, (2) mental health and emotional stability, (3) depression improvement and daily life management, and (4) clinical treatment and patient care. These findings align with Self-Determination Theory and Emotion Regulation Theory, showing that exercise fosters autonomy, competence, and emotional regulation, thereby reducing depressive symptoms. Online discourse also emphasized collective aspects of exercise, including social support, motivation, and participation.<br/> In conclusion, exercise improves depression through multi-level mechanisms across physiological, psychological, and social dimensions, offering meaningful implications for sport psychology practice and mental health policy.