Chapter 10 - Behavioral and Psychological Approaches in Exercise-Based Interventions in Severe Mental Illness

Abstract

Along the growing interest toward physical activity among people with serious mental illness, researchers faced new challenges such as the initiation, increase, and maintenance of physical activity, as the necessity to develop approaches maximizing physical activity interventions. To favor physical activity interventions, psychological and behavioral approaches are needed. The objective of this chapter was to address the different psychological ingredients to overcome barriers to physical activity in people with serious mental illness. Then, it also addresses the use of psychological models of motivation, of behavior change techniques, with the objective to change physical activity behavior. Moreover, a framework of intervention has also been described to accompany care providers from physical activity initiation (“fill the gym”) to advise during supervised training, until physical activity maintenance (“from gym to green”).