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Mental Health Benefits of Running and Mentorship Program in Adolescents

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A new study on the role of the Teens Run DC (TRDC) program in improving mental health outcomes in high-school students has yielded promising results. Researchers from George Washington University examined the impact of the TRDC program, a combined running and mentorship initiative, on self-reported indicators of mental health in 291 high-school students living in Washington, DC. The study found that students who participated in the program for at least two years showed significant improvements in depression and social connectedness scores compared to those with less exposure.

Key Takeaways:

  • Students who completed at least 2 years of TRDC lowered their Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression in Children scale score by 6 points (b = -5.9; 95% CI, -10.7 to -1.0) compared to those with less than one year of participation.
  • High school students with 2 or more years of TRDC had a 69% lower odds of developing symptoms of clinical depression (odds ratios = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.42) compared to those with less than one year.
  • The benefits of TRDC were especially pronounced in female students, indicating that teenage girls may particularly benefit from this type of program.
  • The program's positive effects were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression in Children scale and the Hemingway Social Connectedness scale, highlighting the program's impact on both depression and social connectedness.
  • The study's findings suggest that a running and mentorship program like TRDC can have a substantial positive impact on mental health outcomes in adolescents.

Statistics:

  • 291 high-school students participated in the study.
  • Students who completed at least 2 years of TRDC lowered their depression score by 6 points (b = -5.9; 95% CI, -10.7 to -1.0).
  • Students with 2 or more years of TRDC had a 69% lower odds of developing symptoms of clinical depression (odds ratios = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.42).
  • The program was offered in 10 high schools across 7 DC wards between 2010 and 2018.
  • The study used a quasi-experimental design within each school to determine the relation between dose of the TRDC program and indicators of depression and social connectedness.

Sources:

  • Journal of Physical Activity and Health, "Physical Activity, Mentorship, and Mental Health in Adolescents Living in Washington, DC: Teens Run DC".
  • George Washington University, Department of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences, "Mental Health Benefits of Running and Mentorship Program in Adolescents".
  • Human Kinetics Publ Inc, "Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2025:1-7".
  • Loretta DiPietro, Department of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University.

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