1 136 120 A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION APPROACH FOR IMPROVING LONG-TERM WEIGHT LOSS: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL. OBJECTIVE: YOGA TARGETS PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES WHICH MAY BE IMPORTANT FOR LONG-TERM WEIGHT LOSS (WL). THIS STUDY IS THE FIRST TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, AND PRELIMINARY EFFICACY OF YOGA WITHIN A WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOLLOWING WL TREATMENT. METHODS: 60 WOMEN WITH OVERWEIGHT OR OBESITY (34.3+/-3.9 KG/M2, 48.1+/-10.1 YEARS) WERE RANDOMIZED TO RECEIVE A 12-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION (2X/WEEK; YOGA) OR A STRUCTURALLY EQUIVALENT CONTROL (COOKING/NUTRITION CLASSES; CON), FOLLOWING A 3-MONTH BEHAVIORAL WL PROGRAM. FEASIBILITY (ATTENDANCE, ADHERENCE, RETENTION) AND ACCEPTABILITY (PROGRAM SATISFACTION RATINGS) WERE ASSESSED. TREATMENT GROUPS WERE COMPARED ON WEIGHT CHANGE, MINDFULNESS, DISTRESS TOLERANCE, STRESS, AFFECT, AND SELF-COMPASSION AT 6 MONTHS. INITIAL WL (3-MO WL) WAS EVALUATED AS A POTENTIAL MODERATOR. RESULTS: ATTENDANCE, RETENTION, AND PROGRAM SATISFACTION RATINGS OF YOGA WERE HIGH. TREATMENT GROUPS DID NOT DIFFER ON WL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSTRUCTS (WITH EXCEPTION OF ONE MINDFULNESS SUBSCALE) AT 6 MONTHS. HOWEVER, AMONG THOSE WITH HIGH INITIAL WL (>/=5%), YOGA LOST SIGNIFICANTLY MORE WEIGHT (-9.0KG VS. -6.7KG) AT 6 MONTHS AND RESULTED IN GREATER DISTRESS TOLERANCE, MINDFULNESS, AND SELF-COMPASSION AND LOWER NEGATIVE AFFECT, COMPARED TO CON. CONCLUSIONS: STUDY FINDINGS PROVIDE PRELIMINARY SUPPORT FOR YOGA AS A POTENTIAL STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING LONG-TERM WL AMONG THOSE LOSING >/=5% IN STANDARD BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT. 2022 2 1267 33 FOLLOW-UP OF YOGA OF AWARENESS FOR FIBROMYALGIA: RESULTS AT 3 MONTHS AND REPLICATION IN THE WAIT-LIST GROUP. OBJECTIVES: PUBLISHED PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM A RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED TRIAL SUGGEST THAT AN 8-WEEK YOGA OF AWARENESS INTERVENTION MAY BE EFFECTIVE FOR IMPROVING SYMPTOMS, FUNCTIONAL DEFICITS, AND COPING ABILITIES IN FIBROMYALGIA. THE PRIMARY AIMS OF THIS STUDY WERE TO EVALUATE THE SAME INTERVENTION'S POSTTREATMENT EFFECTS IN A WAIT-LIST GROUP AND TO TEST THE INTERVENTION'S EFFECTS AT 3-MONTH FOLLOW-UP IN THE IMMEDIATE TREATMENT GROUP. METHODS: UNPAIRED T TESTS WERE USED TO COMPARE DATA FROM A PER PROTOCOL SAMPLE OF 21 WOMEN IN THE IMMEDIATE TREATMENT GROUP WHO HAD COMPLETED TREATMENT AND 18 WOMEN IN THE WAIT-LIST GROUP WHO HAD COMPLETED TREATMENT. WITHIN-GROUP PAIRED T TESTS WERE PERFORMED TO COMPARE POSTTREATMENT DATA WITH 3-MONTH FOLLOW-UP DATA IN THE IMMEDIATE TREATMENT GROUP. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS THE FIBROMYALGIA IMPACT QUESTIONNAIRE REVISED (FIQR). MULTILEVEL RANDOM-EFFECTS MODELS WERE ALSO USED TO EXAMINE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE RATES AND OUTCOMES. RESULTS: POSTTREATMENT RESULTS IN THE WAIT-LIST GROUP LARGELY MIRRORED RESULTS SEEN AT POSTTREATMENT IN THE IMMEDIATE TREATMENT GROUP, WITH THE FIQR TOTAL SCORE IMPROVING BY 31.9% ACROSS THE 2 GROUPS. FOLLOW-UP RESULTS SHOWED THAT PATIENTS SUSTAINED MOST OF THEIR POSTTREATMENT GAINS, WITH THE FIQR TOTAL SCORE REMAINING 21.9% IMPROVED AT 3 MONTHS. YOGA PRACTICE RATES WERE GOOD, AND MORE PRACTICE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH MORE BENEFIT FOR A VARIETY OF OUTCOMES. DISCUSSION: THESE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THE BENEFITS OF YOGA OF AWARENESS IN FIBROMYALGIA ARE REPLICABLE AND CAN BE MAINTAINED. 2012 3 342 31 ASHTANGA YOGA FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING: AN UNCONTROLLED OPEN PILOT STUDY. OBJECTIVE: THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PILOT STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON WEIGHT IN YOUTH AT RISK FOR DEVELOPING TYPE 2 DIABETES. SECONDARILY, THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATION IN YOGA ON SELF-CONCEPT AND PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS WAS MEASURED. METHODS: A 12-WEEK PROSPECTIVE PILOT ASHTANGA YOGA PROGRAM ENROLLED TWENTY CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. WEIGHT WAS MEASURED BEFORE AND AFTER THE PROGRAM. ALL PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED SELF-CONCEPT, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION INVENTORIES AT THE INITIATION AND COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM. RESULTS: FOURTEEN PREDOMINATELY HISPANIC CHILDREN, AGES 8-15, COMPLETED THE PROGRAM. THE AVERAGE WEIGHT LOSS WAS 2KG. WEIGHT DECREASED FROM 61.2+/-20.2KG TO 59.2+/-19.2KG (P=0.01). FOUR OF FIVE CHILDREN WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM IMPROVED, ALTHOUGH TWO HAD DECREASES IN SELF-ESTEEM. ANXIETY SYMPTOMS IMPROVED IN THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: ASHTANGA YOGA MAY BE BENEFICIAL AS A WEIGHT LOSS STRATEGY IN A PREDOMINATELY HISPANIC POPULATION. 2009 4 719 38 EFFECT OF IYENGAR YOGA ON MENTAL HEALTH OF INCARCERATED WOMEN: A FEASIBILITY STUDY. BACKGROUND: INCARCERATED WOMEN SHARE A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN OF MENTAL ILLNESS. ALTHOUGH PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO WOMEN IN PRISON, ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT MODALITIES, SUCH AS IYENGAR YOGA, MAY INCREASE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. OBJECTIVES: THE PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY WERE (A) TO ADDRESS THE FEASIBILITY OF PROVIDING A GENDER-RESPONSIVE EXERCISE INTERVENTION WITHIN A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AND (B) TO OBSERVE THE EFFECT OF A GROUP-FORMAT IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM THAT MET TWO SESSIONS A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS ON LEVELS OF DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS, ANXIETY SYMPTOMS, AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONG INCARCERATED WOMEN. METHODS: A REPEATED MEASURES DESIGN, IN WHICH EACH PARTICIPANT SERVED AS HER OWN CONTROL, WAS USED. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THREE SELF-ADMINISTERED INSTRUMENTS: THE BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY, THE BECK ANXIETY INVENTORY, AND THE PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE BEFORE TREATMENT (BASELINE) AND DURING TREATMENT (WEEKS 4, 8, AND 12). LINEAR MIXED EFFECTS MODELS WERE USED TO EXAMINE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN MENTAL HEALTH MEASURES OVER TIME, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL AVAILABLE DATA. RESULTS: ALTHOUGH 21 WOMEN INITIALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE INTERVENTION, 6 WOMEN COMPLETED THE 12-WEEK INTERVENTION. A SIGNIFICANT LINEAR DECREASE WAS DEMONSTRATED IN SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION OVER TIME, WITH MEAN VALUES CHANGING FROM 24.90 AT BASELINE TO 5.67 AT WEEK 12. THERE WAS A MARGINALLY SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN ANXIETY OVER TIME (12.00 AT BASELINE TO 7.33 AT WEEK 12) AND A NONLINEAR CHANGE IN STRESS OVER TIME, WITH DECREASES FROM BASELINE TO WEEK 4 AND SUBSEQUENT INCREASES TO WEEK 12. DISCUSSION: WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM EXPERIENCED FEWER SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY OVER TIME. FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY MAY BE USED TO IMPROVE FUTURE INTERVENTIONS FOCUSING ON THE HEALTH OUTCOMES OF INCARCERATED WOMEN. 2010 5 2687 32 YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS WITHIN A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON NEGATIVE AFFECT (AN EATING DISORDERS RISK FACTOR), 38 INDIVIDUALS IN A RESIDENTIAL EATING DISORDER TREATMENT PROGRAM WERE RANDOMIZED TO A CONTROL OR YOGA INTERVENTION: 1 HOUR OF YOGA BEFORE DINNER FOR 5 DAYS. NEGATIVE AFFECT WAS ASSESSED PRE- AND POST-MEAL. MIXED-EFFECTS MODELS COMPARED NEGATIVE AFFECT BETWEEN GROUPS DURING THE INTERVENTION PERIOD. YOGA SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED PRE-MEAL NEGATIVE AFFECT COMPARED TO TREATMENT AS USUAL; HOWEVER, THE EFFECT WAS ATTENUATED POST-MEAL. MANY EATING DISORDERS PROGRAMS INCORPORATE YOGA INTO TREATMENT. THIS PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SETS THE STAGE FOR LARGER STUDIES EXAMINING YOGA AND EATING DISORDER TREATMENT AND PREVENTION. 2017 6 1630 35 MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN WITH DEPRESSION. OBJECTIVES: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE EFFICACY OF A 12-WEEK MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA INTERVENTION ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND RUMINATION AMONG DEPRESSED WOMEN. DESIGN: PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED 12 WEEK INTERVENTION PILOT STUDY. DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, POST-INTERVENTION (12 WEEKS), AND ONE-MONTH FOLLOW-UP. SETTING: WOMEN WITH A HISTORY OF DIAGNOSED DEPRESSION AND CURRENTLY DEPRESSED WERE RANDOMIZED TO A MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA CONDITION OR A WALKING CONTROL. INTERVENTIONS: THE MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF A HOME-BASED YOGA ASANA, PRANAYAMA AND MEDITATION PRACTICE WITH MINDFULNESS EDUCATION SESSIONS DELIVERED OVER THE TELEPHONE. THE WALKING CONTROL CONDITION CONSISTED OF HOME-BASED WALKING SESSIONS AND HEALTH EDUCATION SESSIONS DELIVERED OVER THE PHONE. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: THE BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY (BDI) AND RUMINATIVE RESPONSES SCALE (RRS). RESULTS: BOTH GROUPS REPORTED DECREASES IN DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS FROM BASELINE TO POST-INTERVENTION, F(1,33)=34.83, P<0.001, AND FROM BASELINE TO ONE-MONTH FOLLOW-UP, F(1,33)=37.01, P<0.001. AFTER CONTROLLING FOR BASELINE, THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT BETWEEN GROUP DIFFERENCES ON DEPRESSION SCORES AT POST-INTERVENTION AND THE ONE-MONTH FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENT. THE MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA CONDITION REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER LEVELS OF RUMINATION THAN THE CONTROL CONDITION AT POST-INTERVENTION, AFTER CONTROLLING FOR BASELINE LEVELS OF RUMINATION, F(1,31)=6.23, P<0.01. CONCLUSIONS: THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA MAY PROVIDE TOOLS TO MANAGE RUMINATIVE THOUGHTS AMONG WOMEN WITH ELEVATED DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS. FUTURE STUDIES, WITH LARGER SAMPLES ARE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON DEPRESSION AND FURTHER EXPLORE THE IMPACT ON RUMINATION. 2016 7 248 34 A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH ELEVATED SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION. CONTEXT: YOGA TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OFTEN REPORT THAT YOGA HAS AN UPLIFTING EFFECT ON THEIR MOODS, BUT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON YOGA AND DEPRESSION IS LIMITED. OBJECTIVE: TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF A SHORT-TERM IYENGAR YOGA COURSE ON MOOD IN MILDLY DEPRESSED YOUNG ADULTS. DESIGN: YOUNG ADULTS PRE-SCREENED FOR MILD LEVELS OF DEPRESSION WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A YOGA COURSE OR WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUP. SETTING: COLLEGE CAMPUS RECREATION CENTER. PARTICIPANTS: TWENTY-EIGHT VOLUNTEERS AGES 18 TO 29. AT INTAKE, ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE EXPERIENCING MILD LEVELS OF DEPRESSION, BUT HAD RECEIVED NO CURRENT PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSES OR TREATMENTS. NONE HAD SIGNIFICANT YOGA EXPERIENCE. INTERVENTION: SUBJECTS IN THE YOGA GROUP ATTENDED TWO 1-HOUR IYENGAR YOGA CLASSES EACH WEEK FOR 5 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. THE CLASSES EMPHASIZED YOGA POSTURES THOUGHT TO ALLEVIATE DEPRESSION, PARTICULARLY BACK BENDS, STANDING POSES, AND INVERSIONS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY, STATE-TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY, PROFILE OF MOOD STATES, MORNING CORTISOL LEVELS. RESULTS: SUBJECTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE YOGA COURSE DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN SELF-REPORTED SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND TRAIT ANXIETY. THESE EFFECTS EMERGED BY THE MIDDLE OF THE YOGA COURSE AND WERE MAINTAINED BY THE END. CHANGES ALSO WERE OBSERVED IN ACUTE MOOD, WITH SUBJECTS REPORTING DECREASED LEVELS OF NEGATIVE MOOD AND FATIGUE FOLLOWING YOGA CLASSES. FINALLY, THERE WAS A TREND FOR HIGHER MORNING CORTISOL LEVELS IN THE YOGA GROUP BY THE END OF THE YOGA COURSE, COMPARED TO CONTROLS. THESE FINDINGS PROVIDE SUGGESTIVE EVIDENCE OF THE UTILITY OF YOGA ASANAS IN IMPROVING MOOD AND SUPPORT THE NEED FOR FUTURE STUDIES WITH LARGER SAMPLES AND MORE COMPLEX STUDY DESIGNS TO MORE FULLY EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MOOD DISTURBANCES. 2004 8 2613 42 YOGA FOR RISK REDUCTION OF METABOLIC SYNDROME: PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES FROM A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED PILOT STUDY. LIFESTYLE CHANGE IS RECOMMENDED AS TREATMENT FOR ADULTS AT RISK FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS), ALTHOUGH ADOPTION OF NEW BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS IS LIMITED. IN ADDITION, MOST EXISTING LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS DO NOT ADDRESS PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS OR QUALITY OF LIFE, BOTH OF WHICH IMPACT THE BURDEN OF METS. YOGA, A FORM OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT INCORPORATES PSYCHOLOGICAL COMPONENTS (E.G., MAINTAINING ATTENTION, RELAXATION), IS A PROMISING INTERVENTION FOR IMPROVING THE BURDEN OF METS. THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL ASSESSED THE FEASIBILITY AND PRELIMINARY EFFICACY OF A 12-WEEK YOGA PROGRAM COUPLED WITH AN EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM (HED) COMPARED TO HED ALONE. A SECONDARY, EXPLORATORY AIM EXAMINED PERCEIVED STRESS, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND RELATED PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES (MINDFULNESS, PERCEIVED HEALTH COMPETENCE, AND MOOD). SIXTY-SEVEN ADULTS AT RISK FOR METS ENROLLED (MEAN AGE [SD]: 58 [10] YEARS; 50% MALE; 79% NON-HISPANIC WHITE). PRELIMINARY RESULTS REVEALED SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER IMPROVEMENTS IN TWO QUALITY OF LIFE DOMAINS (ROLE-PHYSICAL AND GENERAL HEALTH PERCEPTIONS) IN THE HED PLUS YOGA GROUP VERSUS HED ALONE (PS < 0.05). THIS IS THE FIRST STUDY THAT IMPLEMENTED LIFESTYLE EDUCATION ALONG WITH YOGA TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL UNIQUE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON PARTICIPANTS AT RISK FOR METS. A LARGER CLINICAL TRIAL IS WARRANTED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THESE PROMISING PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES. 2016 9 1241 42 FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS A POTENTIALLY LOW RISK INTERVENTION FOR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT THAT COMBINES MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PRACTICE AND INCLUDES INSTRUCTION ON BREATHING, STRESS REDUCTION, AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION. PREVIOUS RESEARCH DOCUMENTS THAT YOGA CAN TARGET MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS FOR MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (MCI) PROGRESSION. THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE A RANDOMIZED FEASIBILITY TRIAL OF YOGA FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MCI. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS WERE 37 INDIVIDUALS WITH AMNESTIC MCI WHO WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO RECEIVE 12 WEEKS OF TWICE-WEEKLY YOGA INTERVENTION (YI) OR HEALTHY LIVING EDUCATION (HLE) CLASSES. ACCEPTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY WERE ASSESSED BY TRACKING ADVERSE EVENTS, CLASS ATTENDANCE, AND PARTICIPANT SATISFACTION. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL AND MOOD MEASURES AS WELL AS MEASURES OF POTENTIAL INTERVENTION MECHANISMS AT BASELINE AND IMMEDIATELY POSTINTERVENTION. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH CONDITIONS REPORTED HIGH LEVELS OF SATISFACTION AND REASONABLE CLASS ATTENDANCE RATES. HOME PRACTICE RATES WERE LOW. THERE WERE NO ADVERSE EVENTS DEEMED RELATED TO THE YI. RESULTS SHOWED A MEDIUM EFFECT SIZE IN FAVOR OF THE YI IN VISUOSPATIAL SKILLS. THE YOGA GROUP ALSO SHOWED A LARGE EFFECT SIZE INDICATING DECLINE IN PERCEIVED STRESS COMPARED WITH THE HLE GROUP, WHEREAS HLE RESULTED IN GREATER REDUCTIONS IN DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AFTER THE INTERVENTION (LARGE EFFECT SIZE). CONCLUSIONS: STUDY FINDINGS INDICATED THAT THE YI WAS SAFE, MODESTLY FEASIBLE, AND ACCEPTABLE TO OLDER ADULTS WITH MCI. THE AUTHORS FOUND PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE THAT YOGA MAY IMPROVE VISUOSPATIAL FUNCTIONING IN INDIVIDUALS WITH MCI. RESULTS SUPPORT STRESS REDUCTION AS A POSSIBLE MECHANISM FOR THE YI. FUTURE STUDIES SHOULD ADDRESS A YI IN A LARGER SAMPLE AND INCLUDE STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT AND HOME PRACTICE. 2022 10 1242 46 FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION TO DECREASE PAIN IN OLDER WOMEN: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND: A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF OLDER WOMEN SUFFER FROM CHRONIC PAIN, WHICH CAN DECREASE QUALITY OF LIFE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PILOT RANDOMIZED STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF A FLOW-RESTORATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION DESIGNED TO DECREASE PAIN AND RELATED OUTCOMES AMONG WOMEN AGED 60 OR OLDER. METHODS: FLOW-RESTORATIVE YOGA CLASSES WERE HELD TWICE WEEKLY FOR 1 HOUR AND LED BY A CERTIFIED YOGA INSTRUCTOR. PARTICIPANTS RANDOMIZED TO THE INTERVENTION GROUP ATTENDED THE YOGA CLASSES FOR 12 WEEKS AND RECEIVED SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS FOR AT-HOME PRACTICE. THOSE RANDOMIZED TO THE CONTROL GROUP WERE ASKED TO MAINTAIN THEIR NORMAL DAILY ROUTINE. FEASIBILITY WAS EVALUATED USING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION RATES, CLASS AND HOME PRACTICE ADHERENCE RATES, AND PARTICIPANT SATISFACTION SURVEYS. OUTCOME MEASURES (SELF-REPORTED PAIN, INFLAMMATORY MARKERS, FUNCTIONAL FITNESS, QUALITY OF LIFE, RESILIENCE, AND SELF-REPORTED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY) WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE AND POST-INTERVENTION. PAIRED T-TESTS OR WILCOXON SIGNED-RANK TESTS WERE USED TO EXAMINE CHANGES IN OUTCOME MEASURES WITHIN TREATMENT GROUPS. RESULTS: THIRTY-EIGHT PARTICIPANTS WERE RECRUITED AND RANDOMIZED. PARTICIPANTS WERE PRIMARILY WHITE, COLLEGE-EDUCATED, AND HIGHER FUNCTIONING, DESPITE EXPERIENCING VARIOUS FORMS OF CHRONIC PAIN. ATTENDANCE AND RETENTION RATES WERE HIGH (91 AND 97%, RESPECTIVELY) AND THE MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE YOGA PROGRAM (89%) AND WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO OTHERS (87%). INTERVENTION PARTICIPANTS ALSO EXPERIENCED REDUCTIONS IN PAIN INTERFERENCE AND IMPROVEMENTS IN ENERGY AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING. CONCLUSIONS: THIS PILOT STUDY PROVIDES ESSENTIAL DATA TO INFORM A FULL SCALE RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF FLOW-RESTORATIVE YOGA FOR OLDER WOMEN WITH CHRONIC PAIN. FUTURE STUDIES SHOULD EMPHASIZE STRATEGIES TO RECRUIT A MORE DIVERSE STUDY POPULATION, PARTICULARLY OLDER WOMEN AT HIGHER RISK OF DISABILITY AND FUNCTIONAL DECLINE. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICALTRIALS.GOV , NCT03790098 . REGISTERED 31 DECEMBER 2018 - RETROSPECTIVELY REGISTERED. 2020 11 1320 44 HEATED HATHA YOGA TO TARGET CORTISOL REACTIVITY TO STRESS AND AFFECTIVE EATING IN WOMEN AT RISK FOR OBESITY-RELATED ILLNESSES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. OBJECTIVE: CORTISOL REACTIVITY TO STRESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH AFFECTIVE EATING, AN IMPORTANT BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR FOR OBESITY AND RELATED METABOLIC DISEASES. YOGA PRACTICE IS RELATED TO DECREASES IN STRESS AND CORTISOL LEVELS, THUS EMERGING AS A POTENTIAL TARGETED COMPLEMENTARY INTERVENTION FOR AFFECTIVE EATING. THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL EXAMINED THE EFFICACY OF A HEATED, HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION FOR REDUCING CORTISOL REACTIVITY TO STRESS AND AFFECTIVE EATING. METHOD: FEMALES (N = 52; AGES 25-46 YEARS; 75% WHITE) AT RISK FOR OBESITY AND RELATED ILLNESSES WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO 8 WEEKS OF BIKRAM YOGA PRACTICE OR TO WAITLIST CONTROL. CORTISOL REACTIVITY TO A LABORATORY STRESS INDUCTION WERE MEASURED AT WEEKS 0 (PRETREATMENT) AND 9 (POSTTREATMENT). SELF-REPORTED BINGE EATING FREQUENCY AND COPING MOTIVES FOR EATING WERE ASSESSED AT WEEKS 0, 3, 6, AND 9. RESULTS: AMONG PARTICIPANTS WITH ELEVATED CORTISOL REACTIVITY AT PRETREATMENT ("HIGH REACTORS"), THOSE RANDOMIZED TO THE YOGA CONDITION EVIDENCED GREATER PRE- TO POSTTREATMENT REDUCTIONS IN CORTISOL REACTIVITY (P = .042, D = .85), BUT THERE WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT CONDITION DIFFERENCES FOR THE "LOW REACTORS" (P = .178, D = .53). YOGA PARTICIPANTS REPORTED GREATER DECREASES IN BINGE EATING FREQUENCY (P = .040, D = .62) AND EATING TO COPE WITH NEGATIVE AFFECT (P = .038, D = .54). CONCLUSIONS: THIS STUDY PROVIDES PRELIMINARY SUPPORT FOR THE EFFICACY OF HEATED HATHA YOGA FOR TREATING PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS REACTIVITY AND AFFECTIVE EATING AMONG WOMEN AT RISK FOR OBESITY-RELATED ILLNESSES. (PSYCINFO DATABASE RECORD 2016 12 2187 39 THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH: A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE FACING AN EPIDEMIC OF MENTAL DISTRESS AMONG THEIR STUDENTS. THE PROBLEM IS TRULY A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, AFFECTING MANY AND WITH SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. THE GLOBAL BURDEN OF DISEASE-AGENDA CALLS FOR EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS WITH LASTING EFFECTS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG ADULTS. IN THIS STUDY WE AIMED TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOGA, A POPULAR AND WIDELY AVAILABLE MIND-BODY PRACTICE, CAN IMPROVE STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH. METHODS: WE PERFORMED A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL WITH 202 HEALTHY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE OSLO AREA. THE PARTICIPANTS WERE ASSIGNED TO A YOGA GROUP OR WAITLIST CONTROL GROUP IN A 1:1 RATIO BY A SIMPLE ONLINE RANDOMISATION PROGRAM. THE INTERVENTION GROUP WAS OFFERED 24 YOGA SESSIONS OVER 12 WEEKS. MEASUREMENTS WERE TAKEN AT WEEK 0 (BASELINE), WEEK 12 (POST-INTERVENTION), AND WEEK 24 (FOLLOW-UP). THE PRIMARY OUTCOME WAS PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS ASSESSED BY THE HSCL-25 QUESTIONNAIRE. ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED BASED ON THE INTENTION TO TREAT-PRINCIPLE. RESULTS: BETWEEN 24 JANUARY 2017, AND 27 AUGUST 2017, WE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED 202 STUDENTS TO A YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP (N = 100), OR WAITLIST CONTROL GROUP (N = 102). COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL GROUP, THE YOGA PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN DISTRESS SYMPTOMS BOTH AT POST-INTERVENTION (ADJUSTED DIFFERENCE IN THE MEAN CHANGE -0.15, 95% CI -0.26 TO -0.03, P = 0.0110) AND FOLLOW-UP (ADJUSTED DIFFERENCE IN THE MEAN CHANGE -0.18, 95% CI -0.29 TO -0.06, P = 0.0025). SLEEP QUALITY ALSO IMPROVED AT POST-INTERVENTION AND FOLLOW-UP. NO ADVERSE EVENTS WERE REPORTED. CONCLUSIONS: OUR FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA HAS A MODERATELY LARGE AND LASTING EFFECT, AT LEAST FOR SOME MONTHS, REDUCING SYMPTOMS OF DISTRESS AND IMPROVING SLEEP QUALITY AMONG STUDENTS. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOULD SEEK WAYS TO ENHANCE THE EFFECT, ASSESS AN EVEN LONGER FOLLOW-UP PERIOD, INCLUDE ACTIVE CONTROL GROUPS, AND CONSIDER PERFORMING SIMILAR STUDIES IN OTHER CULTURAL SETTINGS.TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICALTRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT04258540. 2020 13 290 35 ADJUNCTIVE YOGA V. HEALTH EDUCATION FOR PERSISTENT MAJOR DEPRESSION: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER HATHA YOGA IS AN EFFICACIOUS ADJUNCTIVE INTERVENTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH CONTINUED DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS DESPITE ANTIDEPRESSANT TREATMENT. METHOD: WE CONDUCTED A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF WEEKLY YOGA CLASSES (N = 63) V. HEALTH EDUCATION CLASSES (HEALTHY LIVING WORKSHOP; HLW; N = 59) IN INDIVIDUALS WITH ELEVATED DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS AND ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATION USE. HLW SERVED AS AN ATTENTION-CONTROL GROUP. THE INTERVENTION PERIOD WAS 10 WEEKS, WITH FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENTS 3 AND 6 MONTHS AFTERWARDS. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME WAS DEPRESSION SYMPTOM SEVERITY ASSESSED BY BLIND RATER AT 10 WEEKS. SECONDARY OUTCOMES INCLUDED DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS OVER THE ENTIRE INTERVENTION AND FOLLOW-UP PERIODS, SOCIAL AND ROLE FUNCTIONING, GENERAL HEALTH PERCEPTIONS, PAIN, AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING. RESULTS: AT 10 WEEKS, WE DID NOT FIND A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROUPS IN DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS (B = -0.82, S.E. = 0.88, P = 0.36). HOWEVER, OVER THE ENTIRE INTERVENTION AND FOLLOW-UP PERIOD, WHEN CONTROLLING FOR BASELINE, YOGA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED LOWER LEVELS OF DEPRESSION THAN HLW PARTICIPANTS (B = -1.38, S.E. = 0.57, P = 0.02). AT 6-MONTH FOLLOW-UP, 51% OF YOGA PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATED A RESPONSE (50% REDUCTION IN DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS) COMPARED WITH 31% OF HLW PARTICIPANTS (ODDS RATIO = 2.31; P = 0.04). YOGA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER SOCIAL AND ROLE FUNCTIONING AND GENERAL HEALTH PERCEPTIONS OVER TIME. CONCLUSIONS: ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT SEE A DIFFERENCE IN DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS AT THE END OF THE INTERVENTION PERIOD, YOGA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED FEWER DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS OVER THE ENTIRE FOLLOW-UP PERIOD. BENEFITS OF YOGA MAY ACCUMULATE OVER TIME. 2017 14 1226 34 FEASIBILITY AND EFFICACY OF A SHARED YOGA INTERVENTION FOR SLEEP DISTURBANCE IN OLDER ADULTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS. THE PURPOSE OF THE CURRENT STUDY WAS TO TEST THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFICACY OF A SHARED YOGA (SY) PROGRAM FOR SLEEP DISTURBANCE IN OLDER ADULTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA). PARTICIPANTS (AGES 50 TO 72) WITH INSOMNIA RELATED TO OA WERE RANDOMIZED TO 12 WEEKS OF SY (N = 9) OR INDIVIDUAL YOGA (IY; N = 7). THE SAMPLE WAS 53% MALE AND 41% SELF-IDENTIFIED AS A RACE OTHER THAN WHITE/CAUCASIAN. THE GROUPS DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFER IN CLASS ATTENDANCE, HOME PRACTICE, OR CHANGE SCORES ON EFFICACY OUTCOMES. PRE-POST COMPARISONS IN ALL PARTICIPANTS SHOWED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS ON THE INSOMNIA SEVERITY INDEX AND PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES MEASUREMENT SYSTEM SLEEP DISTURBANCE SCALE. FINDINGS SUPPORT THE OVERALL FEASIBILITY OF THE PROGRAM, BOTH IN THE SHARED AND INDIVIDUAL FORMATS. EFFICACY DATA SUGGEST THAT THIS YOGA PROGRAM MAY IMPROVE SLEEP, BUT GIVEN THE STUDY LIMITATIONS, FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS. [JOURNAL OF GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING, XX(X), XX-XX.]. 2017 15 177 37 A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF MINDFULNESS VERSUS YOGA: EFFECTS ON DEPRESSION AND/OR ANXIETY IN COLLEGE STUDENTS. BACKGROUND: DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY DISORDERS ARE TWO OF THE MOST COMMON MENTAL DISORDERS IN THE UNITED STATES. THESE DISORDERS ARE PREVALENT AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS. OBJECTIVE: THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO COMPARE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERVENTION PRACTICES (MINDFULNESS VS. YOGA) AND A NONINTERVENTIONAL CONTROL GROUP IN MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF DEPRESSION AND/OR ANXIETY IN COLLEGE STUDENTS. METHOD: A SAMPLE OF 90 STUDENTS (BOTH GENDERS) OVER AGE 18 WHO HAD A DIAGNOSIS OF ANXIETY AND/OR DEPRESSION WAS RECRUITED FROM 11,500 UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE STUDENTS IN A MID-SIZE UNIVERSITY. THE STUDY'S DESIGN INCLUDED STRATIFIED-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED REPEATED MEASURES WITH THREE GROUPS: A MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION GROUP, A YOGA-ONLY INTERVENTION GROUP, AND A NONINTERVENTIONAL GROUP. PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO THE AFOREMENTIONED THREE GROUPS. PARTICIPANTS IN THE INTERVENTION GROUPS RECEIVED AN 8-WEEK TRAINING EITHER IN MINDFULNESS OR YOGA. DEPRESSIVE, ANXIETY, STRESS SYMPTOMS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND MINDFULNESS WERE MEASURED AT BASELINE, WEEK 4, WEEK 8, AND WEEK 12. RESULTS: DEPRESSIVE, ANXIETY, AND STRESS SYMPTOMS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY (P < .01) FROM BASELINE TO FOLLOW-UP CONDITIONS IN BOTH THE MINDFULNESS AND YOGA INTERVENTION GROUPS. THE CHANGES IN MINDFULNESS SCORES WERE ALSO SIGNIFICANT IN BOTH GROUPS. HOWEVER, THE CHANGES IN SELF-COMPASSION SCORES WERE SIGNIFICANT ONLY IN THE MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION GROUP. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE CONTROL GROUP WERE DEMONSTRATED. CONCLUSIONS: THE FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY CAN PROVIDE USEFUL INFORMATION TO NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. THIS STUDY MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR A COST-EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. 2016 16 1483 32 INTEGRATING YOGA WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL GROUP-TREATMENT FOR MIXED DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE: AN EXPLORATIVE PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: YOGA HAS SHOWN PROMISE AS A TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. THE PRESENT PILOT STUDY INVESTIGATED THE FEASIBILITY OF AN EIGHT-WEEK GROUPTREATMENT INTEGRATING EMOTION-FOCUSED PSYCHOEDUCATION, COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY, AND VIRYA YOGA FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PATIENTS SEEKING TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN A PRIMARY HEALTHCARE CENTRE COMPLETED EITHER AN INTEGRATIVE GROUP-TREATMENT (N = 14) OR TREATMENT AS USUAL (TAU, N = 17). OUTCOME MEASURES WERE ANALYSED PRE- AND POSTTREATMENT. CORRELATIONS IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP WERE INVESTIGATED BETWEEN TREATMENT OUTCOMES AND AMOUNT OF YOGA PRACTICE BETWEEN SESSIONS. RESULTS: LARGE WITHIN-GROUP EFFECT SIZES ON ALL OUTCOME MEASURES WERE FOUND AT POSTTREATMENT. SYMPTOM REDUCTION DID NOT DIFFER BETWEEN GROUPS (P = 0.155). IMPROVEMENT IN ALEXITHYMIA CORRELATED SIGNIFICANTLY (P < 0.05) WITH AMOUNT OF YOGA PRACTICE BETWEEN SESSIONS. CONCLUSION: INTEGRATING YOGA WITH A PSYCHOLOGICAL GROUP-TREATMENT IS A SOMEWHAT FEASIBLE APPROACH TO TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE. 2020 17 281 34 ADHERENCE TO AND CHANGES IN MENTAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL HEALTH DURING AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION: A PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND: PARTICIPATING IN YOGA MAY BE IDEAL FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS TO INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH. PURPOSE: TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY AND IMPACT OF AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION WITHIN A UNIVERSITY SETTING ON MENTAL AND PHYSIOLOGIC HEATH. METHODS: THIS 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION INCLUDED TWELVE YOGA-NAIVE ADULTS, (23.8 +/- 4.6 YEARS; 71% FEMALE). PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED TWO 60-MIN YOGA CLASSES/WEEK IN ADDITION TO BASELINE, MID- AND POST-LAB VISITS. RESULTS: 83% OF PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED >/=75% OF YOGA CLASSES. STRESS AND DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS DECREASED BY 11% AND 25%, RESPECTIVELY AND ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE (ESR) REDUCED BY 28%. PARTICIPANTS WHO DID NOT MEET PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS OBSERVED GREATER IMPROVEMENTS IN STRESS, DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS, ESR, AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN COMPARED TO PARTICIPANTS WHO MET RECOMMENDATIONS. CONCLUSION: THE MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED >/=12 OF 16 YOGA CLASSES. EXPLORATORY ANALYSES PROVIDE PRELIMINARY SUPPORT FOR THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON REDUCING STRESS, SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, AND ESR. PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE NOT MEETING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES PRIOR TO STARTING THE INTERVENTION RECEIVED GREATER BENEFITS. 2022 18 594 34 DEVELOPMENT AND FEASIBILITY OF A GROUP-BASED THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAM FOR WOMEN WITH CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN. OBJECTIVE: TO DEVELOP A GROUP-BASED THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAM FOR WOMEN WITH CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN (CPP) AND EXPLORE THE EFFECTS OF THIS PROGRAM ON PAIN SEVERITY, SEXUAL FUNCTION, AND WELL-BEING. METHODS: A YOGA THERAPY PROGRAM FOR CPP WAS DEVELOPED BY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PANEL OF CLINICIANS, RESEARCHERS, AND YOGA CONSULTANTS. WOMEN REPORTING MODERATE TO SEVERE PELVIC PAIN FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS WERE RECRUITED INTO A SINGLE-ARM TRIAL. PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED TWICE WEEKLY GROUP CLASSES FOCUSING ON IYENGAR-BASED YOGA TECHNIQUES AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO PRACTICE YOGA AT HOME AN HOUR A WEEK FOR SIX WEEKS. PARTICIPANTS SELF-RATED THE SEVERITY OF THEIR PELVIC PAIN USING DAILY LOGS. THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPANTS' PAIN ON EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES, EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, AND SEXUAL FUNCTION WAS ASSESSED USING AN IMPACT OF PELVIC PAIN (IPP) QUESTIONNAIRE. SEXUAL FUNCTION WAS FURTHER ASSESSED USING THE SEXUAL HEALTH OUTCOMES IN WOMEN QUESTIONNAIRE (SHOW-Q). RESULTS: AMONG THE 16 PARTICIPANTS (AGE RANGE = 31-64 YEARS), AVERAGE RATINGS OF THE SEVERITY OF PAIN "AT ITS WORST," "AT ITS BEST," AND "ON AVERAGE" DECREASED BY 29%, 32%, AND 34%, RESPECTIVELY, FROM START TO SIX WEEKS (P < 0.05 FOR ALL). WOMEN DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENTS IN SCORES ON IPP SUBSCALES FOR DAILY ACTIVITIES (1.8 +/- 0.7 TO 0.9 +/- 0.7, P < 0.001), EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING (1.7 +/- 0.9 TO 0.9 +/- 0.7, P = 0.005), AND SEXUAL FUNCTION (1.9 +/- 1.1 TO 1.0 +/- 0.9, P = 0.04). SCORES ON THE SHOW-Q "PELVIC PROBLEM INTERFERENCE" SCALE ALSO IMPROVED OVER SIX WEEKS (53 +/- 23 TO 27 +/- 23, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS PROVIDE PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE OF THE FEASIBILITY OF TEACHING WOMEN WITH CPP TO PRACTICE YOGA TO SELF-MANAGE PAIN AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE AND SEXUAL FUNCTION. 2017 19 2673 29 YOGA IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY TO ACCESS THE EFFECTS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. BACKGROUND: AND PURPOSE: YOGA IS GROWING IN POPULARITY, BUT ITS BENEFITS AND INTEGRATION INTO PRIMARY CARE REMAIN UNCERTAIN. HERE, WE DETERMINE YOGA EFFECTS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, AND EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF INTRODUCING YOGA AT PRIMARY CARE LEVEL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THIS IS A PROSPECTIVE, LONGITUDINAL, QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY, WITH AN INTERVENTION (N=49) AND A CONTROL GROUP (N=37). YOGA GROUP UNDERWENT 24-WEEKS PROGRAM OF ONE-HOUR SESSIONS. OUR PRIMARY ENDPOINT WAS QUALITY OF LIFE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, AS WELL AS SATISFACTION LEVEL AND ADHERENCE RATE. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS REPORTED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ALL DOMAINS OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND A REDUCTION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. LINEAR REGRESSION ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT YOGA SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES PSYCHOLOGICAL QUALITY OF LIFE (P=0.046). CONCLUSION: YOGA IN PRIMARY CARE IS FEASIBLE, SAFE AND HAS A SATISFACTORY ADHERENCE, AS WELL AS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON PSYCHOLOGICAL QUALITY OF LIFE OF PARTICIPANTS. 2019 20 2183 47 THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON PSYCHOSOCIAL VARIABLES AND EXERCISE ADHERENCE: A RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND: PHYSICAL INACTIVITY IS A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. BECAUSE OF CONDITIONS THAT RESULT FROM INACTIVITY, INDIVIDUALS INCUR CLOSE TO $1 TRILLION USD IN HEALTH-CARE COSTS, AND APPROXIMATELY 250 000 PREMATURE DEATHS OCCUR PER YEAR. RESEARCHERS HAVE LINKED ENGAGING IN YOGA TO IMPROVED OVERALL FITNESS, INCLUDING IMPROVED MUSCULAR STRENGTH, MUSCULAR ENDURANCE, FLEXIBILITY, AND BALANCE. RESEARCHERS HAVE NOT YET INVESTIGATED THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON EXERCISE ADHERENCE. OBJECTIVE: THE RESEARCH TEAM ASSESSED THE EFFECTS OF 10 WEEKS OF YOGA CLASSES HELD TWICE A WEEK ON EXERCISE ADHERENCE IN PREVIOUSLY SEDENTARY ADULTS. DESIGN: THE RESEARCH TEAM DESIGNED A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED PILOT TRIAL. THE TEAM COLLECTED DATA FROM THE INTERVENTION (YOGA) AND CONTROL GROUPS AT BASELINE, MIDPOINT, AND POSTTEST (POSTTEST 1) AND ALSO COLLECTED DATA PERTAINING TO EXERCISE ADHERENCE FOR THE YOGA GROUP AT 5 WEEKS POSTTEST (POSTTEST 2). SETTING: THE PILOT TOOK PLACE IN A YOGA STUDIO IN CENTRAL NEW JERSEY IN THE UNITED STATES. THE PRETESTING OCCURRED AT THE YOGA STUDIO FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS. MIDPOINT TESTING AND POSTTESTING OCCURRED AT THE STUDIO FOR THE YOGA GROUP AND BY MAIL FOR THE CONTROL GROUP. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS WERE 27 ADULTS (MEAN AGE 51 Y) WHO HAD BEEN PHYSICALLY INACTIVE FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE STUDY. INTERVENTIONS THE INTERVENTION GROUP (YOGA GROUP) RECEIVED HOUR-LONG HATHA YOGA CLASSES THAT MET TWICE A WEEK FOR 10 WEEKS. THE CONTROL GROUP DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN CLASSES DURING THE RESEARCH STUDY; HOWEVER, THEY WERE OFFERED COMPLIMENTARY POST RESEARCH CLASSES. OUTCOME MEASURES THE STUDY'S PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS EXERCISE ADHERENCE AS MEASURED BY THE 7-DAY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RECALL. THE SECONDARY MEASURES INCLUDED (1) EXERCISE SELF-EFFICACY AS MEASURED BY THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL SELF-EFFICACY FOR EXERCISE SCALE, (2) GENERAL WELL-BEING AS MEASURED BY THE GENERAL WELL-BEING SCHEDULE, (3) EXERCISE-GROUP COHESION AS MEASURED BY THE GROUP ENVIRONMENT QUESTIONNAIRE (GEQ), (4) ACUTE FEELING RESPONSE AS MEASURED BY THE EXERCISE-INDUCED FEELING INVENTORY (EFI), AND (5) TWO OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS CODED FOR EMERGING THEMES AND SUBCATEGORIES. RESULTS: THE ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT THE YOGA GROUP'S MEAN HOURS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AT 10 WEEKS REFLECTED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN EXERCISE ADHERENCE FROM BASELINE (P < .012) AND A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE FROM THE CONTROL GROUP (P < .004). AT 5 WEEKS POST-INTERVENTION, NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE HAD OCCURRED IN THE YOGA GROUP'S EXERCISE ADHERENCE (P = .906). EXERCISE SELF-EFFICACY CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM BASELINE TO MIDPOINT (P < .029). THE GENERAL WELLBEING DATA DEMONSTRATED A SIGNIFICANT INTERACTION EFFECT (P < .001), RESULTING FROM AN INCREASE IN GENERAL WELL-BEING IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP AND A DECREASE IN GENERAL WELL-BEING IN THE CONTROL GROUP. IN ADDITION, THE YOGA GROUP'S COHESION SCORE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE NORMS ON TWO CONSTRUCTS OF THE GEQ: ATTRACTION TO GROUP TASK AND GROUP INTEGRATION TASK. THE EFI REVEALED THAT THE YOGA PARTICIPANTS "FELT STRONGLY" THAT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN YOGA WERE PEACEFUL, HAPPY, UPBEAT, AND ENTHUSIASTIC AND THAT THEY FELT REVIVED FOLLOWING THE YOGA CLASSES. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF DATA REVEALED SELF-REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN EXERCISE BEHAVIORS, STRESS MANAGEMENT, AND EATING HABITS. CONCLUSIONS: TEN WEEKS OF YOGA CLASSES TWICE A WEEK SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED PREVIOUSLY INACTIVE PARTICIPANTS' ADHERENCE TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. ADDITIONALLY, THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT A MIND-BODY EXERCISE PROGRAM MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST PHYSICAL INACTIVITY. 2012