Undergraduate student perceptions of cognitive behavioral therapy, aerobic exercise, and their combination for depression

Objective: Both aerobic exercise and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) improve depression, but perceptions of their credibility and efficacy are underexplored. These perceptions can contribute to treatment seeking and outcome. A previous online sample ranging in age and education rated a combined treatment higher than individual components and underestimated their efficacy. The current study is a replication exclusively focused on college students. Participants: Undergraduates (N = 260) participated during the 2021–2022 school year. Methods: Students reported impressions of each treatment’s credibility, efficacy, difficulty, and recovery rate. Results: Students viewed combined therapy as potentially better, but also more difficult, and underestimated recovery rates, replicating previous work. Their efficacy ratings significantly underestimated both meta-analytic estimates and the previous sample’s perceptions. Conclusions: Consistent underestimation of treatment effectiveness suggests that realistic education could prove especially beneficial. Students might be more willing than the broader population to accept exercise as a treatment or adjunct for depression.