Exercise Adherence in Afghan Women With Depression

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Depression Disorder

In brief

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a structured, culturally adapted home-based exercise program helps Afghan women with depression stay more active than routine exercise advice. The study will also examine whether taking part in the exercise program improves depression symptoms, daily functioning, and participant satisfaction, and whether the program is safe. The main questions the study aims to answer are: * Does a structured home-based exercise program help participants exercise more regularly over 8 weeks? * Does the program improve depression symptoms and daily functioning? * Is the program acceptable to participants, and are there any safety concerns? Researchers will compare a structured home-based exercise program with routine exercise advice to see which approach leads to better exercise adherence. About 60 women aged 18 to 50 years with mild to moderate depression will take part. Participants will be randomly assigned (by chance) to one of two groups. Participants in the structured exercise group will: * Receive an illustrated exercise booklet with simple home-based exercises, such as breathing, stretching, walking, and light aerobic activities. * Choose exercises that suit their preferences, abilities, and daily schedules. * Record each exercise session in a logbook, including the date, type of exercise, and how long they exercised. Participants in the routine exercise advice group will: * Receive their usual psychiatric care and general advice about the benefits of physical activity. * Receive a logbook to record any physical activity or exercise they complete during the study. All participants will take part in the study for 8 weeks. At the beginning and end of the study, they will complete questionnaires about their depression symptoms and their ability to carry out everyday activities. At the end of the study, participants will also complete a questionnaire about their satisfaction with the program, and researchers will ask about any medical problems or injuries that occurred during the study. The information from this study may help researchers understand whether a culturally adapted home-based structured exercise program is a practical and effective way to support Afghan women with depression and encourage regular physical activity.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07745777

Run by

Ariana Medical Complex

People needed

60

Starts

2026-09-01

Expected to finish

2026-11-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-08-04

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 50. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Female participants who self-identify as women.
• Age 18 to 50 years.
• Able to read and understand the study information (at least school graduate).
• Diagnosis of mild to moderate depression according to DSM-5 criteria.
• Medically able to participate in moderate physical activity.
• Willing to participate in the study and provide written informed consent.

You may not qualify if…

• Severe depression requiring hospitalization.
• Psychotic disorders.
• Bipolar disorder.
• Severe cardiovascular disease or respiratory disease limiting exercise participation.
• Musculoskeletal conditions preventing participation in exercise.
• Pregnancy-related conditions restricting physical activity.
• Cognitive impairment affecting the ability to provide informed consent.
• Regular exercise habits before enrolment.

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.