INTRODUCTION
death, major depression, Psychiatric, illness, Mental disorders, psychiatric disorder, mania, depressive disorder, psychiatric, depressed, hypomania, depression, Depression
DISORDER, DISEASE, MUSCLE RELAXATION, DISORDERS
Depression is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder and has received more attention due to its adverse outcomes, including suicide and a severe decrease in social and individual functioning. To this end, the present study examined the effect of movement therapy and progressive muscle relaxation on the depression rate in depressed patients. In the present interventional study, 60 patients diagnosed with major depression and hospitalized at Moradi Hospital's psychiatric ward in Rafsanjan in 2020, with an age of at least 20 years, were randomly divided into two groups: the intervention group and the control group. The subjects in the intervention group attended 30 sessions of 30–45 mins, with the researcher performing a movement therapy program followed by 15 to 20 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation. The Beck Depression Inventory was used to measure the degree of depression along with clinical pre-and post-intervention interviews. The mean depression scores were 37.26±7.70 and 36.93±8.166 for the participants in the intervention group and control group before the intervention, indicating no statistically significant intergroup difference (P=0.871). The mean depression scores after the intervention for the subjects in the intervention group and control group were 8.01±5.22 and 22.96±9.43, respectively. The results showed a statistically significant difference between the groups (P=0.001), with a greater decrease in depression scores in the intervention group compared to the control group. According to the present research, movement therapy and progressive muscle relaxation interventions effectively reduced depression in patients.Mental disorders are a significant threat to overall health. Mood disorders, particularly depression, have become a major concern due to their negative impact on families, individuals, and society, including increased risk of divorce, suicide, increased illness burden, and decreased social functioning [According to the National Burden of Disease and Study in Iran, depression is the third health problem in the country. The prevalence of major depressive disorder over a lifetime is estimated at 5–17%. The American Psychiatric Association in 2013 reported a major depressive disorder occurrence rate of approximately 7% in one year. In Iran, it was estimated at 25%. This rate in Iran is 15 to 25% per year [This disorder develops with no history of mania, mixed, or hypomania periods. The period of major depression should last at least two weeks. A patient diagnosed with major depression should have at least four signs on the list, including changes in weight and appetite, activity and sleep, lack of energy, feeling guilty, difficulty in thinking and making a decision, and persistent suicide and death thoughts [It is estimated that more than 50% of annual suicides are related to depression, and depressed patients are 20 times more likely to commit suicide than the rest of the community members [Medications are often used to reduce the likelihood of relapse in depression [Physical activity and exercise, especially physical exercise-based interventions, have been suggested as an effective treatment and a good complement to medication [A review in 2015 showed that rhythmic movement therapy had no effect on depression and that further studies were needed to examine the effect of this therapy on all age groups [Given the inconsistent research findings, the high prevalence of depression in society, its adverse psychological, social, and economic consequences, side effects, and medication and counseling costs, this research aimed to explore the impact of movement therapy with progressive muscle relaxation on depression among depressed patients hospitalized at the Moradi Hospital's psychiatric ward in Rafsanjan in 2020.