A decrease of depressive symptoms and the positive experiences of goal attainment might later enhance the likelihood to engage in exercise. Thus, interventions that prompt the generation of fewer goals or plans might be more appropriate for individuals with depressive symptoms. Further, one could presume that external strategies (e.g., social support, social control) are more beneficial for individuals with depressive symptoms to increase their exercise.
Such strategies might require less self-regulatory effort and thus consider depleted resources. However, studies on these questions are missing. One might also question whether the mode of our intervention was suitable to support participants suffering from depressive symptoms.