FC Barcelona Foundation is carrying out a project related to mood disorders in adolescents

FC Barcelona Foundation is carrying out a project related to mood disorders in adolescents

The FC Barcelona Foundation is currently conducting a program aimed at complementing the treatment of mood disorders in children and young people aged between 13 and 17 years in Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Badalona, using sports as a means to achieve this.

The mental health project “#EsportivaMent,” implemented with the participation of a hundred adolescents from Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Badalona, aims to generate scientific evidence on the impact of physical activity and sport as a complementary treatment for mental health disorders among young people. Additionally, this program aims to provide knowledge about the general benefits of physical activity and specifically about the Foundation’s own socio-educational methodology, SportNet, to enhance the treatment and prognosis of these disorders.

One hundred adolescents, primarily from the Child and Youth Mental Health Centre of Santa Coloma but also from the Day Hospitals of Santa Coloma and Badalona, are participating in this project. All of them present symptoms related to mood disorders, which can develop into depressive disorders (low mood and loss of interest) or bipolar disorders characterized by episodes of euphoria.

Scientific study

On the other hand, another 100 young people with the same characteristics participated in the research study, but they do not engage in any sports activity. This allows for the evaluation of differences between patients in both groups. The scientific aspect of the project, led by the Vidal i Barraquer Foundation, aims to assess the differences between adolescent patients who receive the usual treatment (medication and psychological therapy) and those who complement the intervention with physical activities, sports, and cooperative games organized and supervised by professionals.

The implementation of the SportNet methodology is carried out by the Sport2Live Association and involves 12 weekly sessions with different groups. The FC Barcelona Foundation’s SportNet methodology uses physical activity and sport as tools to enhance the quality of life for children and young people in vulnerable situations. SportNet promotes FC Barcelona values such as effort, respect, teamwork, humility, and ambition through game dynamics and physical activity. Children and young people have the opportunity to regulate their behavior through an empowering experience, enhancing their positive relationships with peers and developing social and personal skills necessary to improve their relationships with their family and community.