Research Paper Retracts Finding That Squats Cure Depression After Realizing Control Group Was Also Squatting

A widely cited 2024 study claiming that barbell back squats significantly reduce symptoms of clinical depression has been retracted after peer reviewers discovered that both the experimental and control groups had been performing squats for the entire eighteen-month trial period. The study, published in the Journal of Exercise Psychology, had reported a 64 percent reduction in depression symptoms among participants assigned to a squat-based exercise protocol. The control group, assigned to a 'non-exercise social engagement' program, showed a nearly identical 61 percent reduction — a convergence that reviewers initially attributed to the therapeutic value of social connection. Investigation revealed a simpler explanation: research assistant Kyle Quadricep, assigned to supervise the control group's weekly social gatherings, had been teaching them to squat. 'Kyle got really into squatting during the study,' said lead author Dr. Vanessa Gluteal. 'He started doing them during the social sessions to pass the time. The control group members asked to join in. He taught them. He did not mention this to anyone for eighteen months.' Quadricep, in a written statement, said he 'didn't think it was a big deal' because 'squats are for everyone' and 'the control group seemed like they could benefit from better hip mechanics.' The retraction has thrown related research into question. A follow-up study examining whether squats reduce anxiety had used the same control group, which by that point could reportedly squat 1.5 times their body weight. Dr. Gluteal has announced a new study with stricter controls, including physical barriers between groups and a prohibition on research assistants who 'have strong feelings about compound movements.'