Exercise and Mental Health

This unit addresses Exercise and Sport Science Australia (ESSA) requirements for the Mental Health domain. Students will critically evaluate and apply knowledge of both common and complex mental health problems and disorders, medications and treatments, and standardised measures for exercise testing, training and mental health monitoring. Students subsequently design and implement a simulated client exercise testing and training programme specific to the management of mental health conditions within the Australian healthcare context.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate knowledge of the psychopathology, treatments, risks, and monitoring, of mental health conditions;
2. Critically appraise literature relating to exercise testing, prescription and barriers to exercising for mental health problems and disorders and associated comorbidities;
3. Substantiate and evaluate the roles of different practitioners in the multidisciplinary care of individuals with mental health problems and disorders; and
4. Formulate appropriate, person-centred screening, testing, training and monitoring plans for individuals within mental health problems and disorders, and communicate those plans (including risks) to others for suitable multidisciplinary care.