Introduction
Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in the United States and across the globe (Carek, Laibstain & Carek, 2011). Millions of people grapple with this illness and receive little help. There have been efforts from the academic and medical communities to develop effective interventions for addressing this illness. While medication remains one of the most widely applied approach, new and innovative interventions are emerging. Exercise is among these interventions. Peter Carek, Sarah Laibstain and Stephen Carek (2011) joined forces to examine the effectiveness of exercise as a treatment for depression. Appearing in the International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, and titled Exercise for the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety, their article explores the impact that physical exercise has on the experiences of depressed individuals. They establish that exercise helps to alleviate the suffering that depressed individuals endure (Carek, Laibstain & Carek, 2011). Moreover, physical exercise is a cost-effective alternative to such approaches to medication. The article that Carek and his team authored underscores the need for the medical community to adopt physical exercise as a first-line intervention. Overall, the article is insightful and makes use of standard writing mechanics to present information that is grounded in research evidence.
Evaluation
Content
To ensure that one’s audience clearly understands the issues being presented, it is important to provide some background information. Carek and his colleagues understand this. Before delving into their findings regarding the role of physical activity, they first offer general information about depression. For example, they state that millions in the US suffer from depression (Carek, Laibstain & Carek, 2011). This information helps to ground the discussion and sets the stage for the presentation of findings. Carek and his team also sought to ensure that all individuals in the targeted audience would make sense of the insights that they share in the article. They do this through definitions. They provide definitions for such terms as physical exercise (Carek, Laibstain & Carek, 2011). The definitions are important as they help to address contradictions and confusions. Furthermore, the definitions that they offer allow readers to consider the defined terms within the proper contextual framework.
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Evidence is one of the fundamental pillars of scholarly work. When presenting information, scholars need to ensure that the information is accompanied with solid evidence. A review of the article that Carek and his fellow scholars authored reveals that they provide sufficient and credible evidence. The evidence mostly takes the form of insights from previous research. For example, they cite De Moor who showed that depressed individuals who engage in physical activity witness a significant improvement in their wellbeing (Carek, Laibstain & Carek, 2011). Carek and his team also offer statistics to support their assertion. The figures that they provide lend credibility and weight to their findings and show that they are committed to the scientific process.
Integrity and truthfulness are some of the important values that guide the research process. As they disseminate research findings, scholars need to present insights that are accurate. They should avoid such ills as inflating their findings with the goal of promoting a particular agenda. As one examines the issues that Carek and his team share in their article, it becomes evident that these authors are faithful to the values of scientific research. The authors make it clear that the power of physical exercise limited. It does not deliver any significant gains to those suffering from such disorders as substance abuse or psychotic disorders (Carek, Laibstain & Carek, 2011). As they issue this disclaimer, the authors also shield themselves from blame when their readers adopt physical education with the expectation of being cured of psychotic illnesses. Another issue that demonstrates the commitment of the authors to promoting mental health is their advice that individuals should not turn their backs on other treatment approaches. For example, they point out that physical exercise is most effective when combined with such other interventions as medication (Carek, Laibstain & Carek, 2011). Overall, the article that Carek and his team authored is balanced, objective and based on sound scientific evidence and principles.
Presentation
The presentation of research findings is as important as the findings themselves. Clarke and his colleagues clearly understood the need to present their insights in a clear fashion that enhances understanding. The layout of their work is a demonstration of this. For example, as noted earlier, they begin with a general overview of the scourge of depression in the United States. They then proceed to provide research evidence which shows that physical activity helps those ailing from depression (Carek, Laibstain & Carek, 2011). Next, they examine the possible shortcomings and adverse impacts of physical activity on the health of depression sufferers. They conclude with a call to practitioners to adopt physical exercise as part of their strategy to tackle depression. The presentation enables the authors to ensure flow and smooth transition. Another element of the presentation that is worth pointing out is adherence to standard writing mechanics. The authors cite all the authors whose works they have used to support their assertion. This is an important element of academic integrity. Furthermore, the authors include such tools as tables. The tables break the monotony of text and enable readers to make better sense of the information presented in the article.
In conclusion, the article that Carek and his collaborators authored is an embodiment of scientific research principles and academic writing. The authors use established standards to communicate an important message. They highlight the remarkable improvement that depressed individuals make when they embrace physical advice. The article is written such that laymen can easily understand the information. Furthermore, the inclusion of research evidence imbues the article with credibility and authority. Mental health professionals can integrate the insights that Carek and his team share into practice. As they do this, they should expect a significant improvement in the health of their patients.
References
Carek, J., Laibstain, S. E., & Carek, S. M. (2011). Exercise for the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 41 (1), 15-28.
