1 153 139 A QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORING HOW THE AIMS, LANGUAGE AND ACTIONS OF YOGA FOR PREGNANCY TEACHERS MAY IMPACT UPON WOMEN'S SELF-EFFICACY FOR LABOUR AND BIRTH. BACKGROUND: AS WOMEN'S ANXIETY AND THE RATE OF MEDICAL INTERVENTION IN LABOUR AND BIRTH CONTINUE TO INCREASE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY HOW ANTENATAL EDUCATION CAN INCREASE WOMEN'S CONFIDENCE AND THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THE INTENSE SENSATIONS OF LABOUR. AIM: TO REPORT A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY OF HOW THE AIMS, LANGUAGE AND ACTIONS OF YOGA FOR PREGNANCY TEACHERS MAY IMPACT UPON WOMEN'S SELF-EFFICACY FOR LABOUR AND BIRTH. METHODS: YOGA FOR PREGNANCY CLASSES IN THREE LOCATIONS WERE FILMED. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WERE UNDERTAKEN WITH THE TEACHERS TO EXPLORE WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THEIR CLASSES, AND HOW. INTERVIEWS AND CLASSES WERE TRANSCRIBED AND ANALYSED USING GROUNDED THEORY. FINDINGS: THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CONSISTENCY IN THE TEACHERS' AIMS, THE LANGUAGE THEY USED IN CLASSES AND IN THEIR THINKING ABOUT CLASS STRUCTURE. FOUR MAIN THEMES EMERGED: CREATING A SISTERHOOD, MODELLING LABOUR, BUILDING CONFIDENCE AND ENHANCING LEARNING. TEACHERS SEE YOGA FOR PREGNANCY AS A MULTI-FACETED, NON-PRESCRIPTIVE INTERVENTION THAT ENHANCES WOMEN'S PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL READINESS FOR LABOUR AND BIRTH, AND SUPPORTS WOMEN TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS ACROSS THE TRANSITION TO PARENTHOOD. CONCLUSION: WOMEN'S SELF-EFFICACY FOR LABOUR IS COMPLEX AND MULTI-FACTORIAL. THIS STUDY OFFERS INSIGHTS INTO THE FACTORS WHICH MAY BE INVOLVED IN INCREASING IT. THESE INCLUDE NOT ONLY TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS OF YOGA SUCH AS POSTURES, BREATHING AND MEDITATION, BUT ALSO THE CREATION OF SAFE, WOMEN-ONLY GROUPS WHERE ANXIETIES, EXPERIENCES AND STORIES CAN BE SHARED, AND PAIN-COPING TECHNIQUES FOR LABOUR LEARNED AND PRACTISED. 2016 2 27 47 'IT DEFINITELY MADE A DIFFERENCE': A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY OF YOGA FOR PREGNANCY AND WOMEN'S SELF-EFFICACY FOR LABOUR. OBJECTIVE: TO EXPLORE WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE OF ATTENDING YOGA FOR PREGNANCY CLASSES IN ORDER TO GENERATE A THEORY ABOUT WHICH ASPECTS, IF ANY, ARE EFFECTIVE IN ENHANCING SELF-EFFICACY FOR LABOUR AND BIRTH. DESIGN: A LONGITUDINAL GROUNDED THEORY STUDY. METHODS: SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WERE UNDERTAKEN WITH WOMEN BEFORE THEY STARTED YOGA FOR PREGNANCY CLASSES, AFTER THEY HAD ATTENDED AT LEAST SIX CLASSES, AND FINALLY, POSTNATALLY. INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYSED USING CONSTRUCTIVE GROUNDED THEORY AND A SELF-EFFICACY FRAMEWORK. SETTING: THREE YOGA FOR PREGNANCY TEACHERS' CLASSES IN ENGLAND. PARTICIPANTS: TWENTY TWO WOMEN ATTENDING YOGA FOR PREGNANCY CLASSES. FINDINGS: ANALYSIS OF INTERVIEWS WITH WOMEN AT THREE TIME POINTS LED TO A PROPOSITIONAL THEORY THAT YOGA FOR PREGNANCY ENHANCES WOMEN'S SELF-EFFICACY FOR LABOUR BY BUILDING THEIR CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE THROUGH A COMBINATION OF TECHNIQUES. THESE INCLUDE REPEATED PRACTICE OF A VARIETY OF PAIN MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, USE OF AFFIRMING LANGUAGE AND THE TELLING OF POSITIVE LABOUR STORIES, UNDERPINNED BY YOGA PRACTICE TO LOWER SOMATIC RESPONSE TO STRESS. 2019 3 1577 48 MEANINGS AND PERCEPTIONS OF WOMEN REGARDING THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN PREGNANCY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: CONSIDERING THAT PREGNANCY TRIGGERS PROFOUND TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE LIFE EXPERIENCE OF WOMEN, AMONG THEM THE NEED TO ADAPT TO A BODY IN A CONSTANT PROCESS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL, PSYCHIC, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHANGE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY TO WHAT EXTENT YOGA CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROCESS. FOR THIS REASON, THE PRESENT STUDY AIMED TO COMPREHEND THE MEANINGS AND PERCEPTIONS OF WOMEN REGARDING THE PRACTICE OF YOGA DURING PREGNANCY. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A QUALITATIVE AND DESCRIPTIVE STUDY WAS CARRIED OUT WITH NINE WOMEN AT DIFFERENT GESTATIONAL AGES WHO WERE PRACTICING YOGA IN PLACES WITH ALTERNATIVE AND INTEGRATIVE THERAPIES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN LOCATED IN SAO PAULO, BRAZIL. DATA COLLECTION WAS PERFORMED THROUGH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS AND THE WOMEN'S STATEMENTS WERE TRANSCRIBED, ANALYSED AND GROUPED INTO THREE THEMATIC CATEGORIES. RESULTS: THE ANALYSIS OF THE INTERVIEWS ALLOWED THE IDENTIFICATION OF THREE CATEGORIES 'BENEFITS OF PRACTICING YOGA', 'SELF-KNOWLEDGE, AUTONOMY AND SELF-CARE' AND 'EMPOWERMENT FOR THE MOMENT OF THE BIRTH'. THESE FINDINGS ALLOWED US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE WOMEN PERCEIVED THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN THE PREGNANCY AND CONSIDERED IT FUNDAMENTAL TO THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY WERE COMPETENT AND SKILLED TO MANAGE AND CONTROL THEIR BODIES DURING CHILDBIRTH. CONCLUSION: IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA PROVIDED PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL BENEFITS FOR THE WOMEN OF THIS STUDY, INCLUDING STRENGTHENING OF THE PELVIC FLOOR, PAIN RELIEF, IMPROVEMENT OF BREATHING, REDUCTION OF STRESS AND ANXIETY, AND STRENGTHENING OF SELF-CONFIDENCE, SELF-ESTEEM AND AUTONOMY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE PREGNANCY AND IN CARING FOR THEMSELVES. 2020 4 2800 34 YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE: PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCES. MINDFULNESS-BASED THERAPIES ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMMON IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. WHILE THE POPULARITY OF YOGA CONTINUES TO RISE IN WESTERN CULTURE, LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE TO EXPLORE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA FROM A QUALITATIVE, CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE. THIS STUDY EXPLORES PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCES OF THE "YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE" (YTFTM), AN INTERNATIONAL, MANUALIZED YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. EIGHT FEMALE PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, AND TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYZED USING AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS, WITH FOUR MASTER THEMES EMERGING: "PERSONAL JOURNEY OF CHANGE," "AMBIVALENCE," "MIND/BODY CONNECTION," AND "GROUP EXPERIENCE." THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL CHALLENGES OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPORT IN OVERCOMING THESE. FINDINGS ALSO REVEAL THAT PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS FROM THE PRACTICE OF YOGA ASANA IN ADDITION TO MINDFULNESS, SUCH AS A MORE HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, ADAPTIVE COPING STRATEGIES, AND ENHANCED WELL-BEING. 2017 5 1715 34 PERCEIVED MECHANISMS OF CHANGE IN THERAPEUTIC YOGA TARGETING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. INTRODUCTION: THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO INVESTIGATE YOGA TEACHERS' AND YOGA THERAPISTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE WAYS YOGA IS APPLIED TO TREAT SYMPTOMS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, AND IDENTIFY THE DEFINING FEATURES, MAIN COMPONENTS, AND MECHANISMS OF CHANGE IN THERAPEUTIC PRACTICE. METHODS: A QUALITATIVE DESIGN WAS EMPLOYED. SIX YOGA TEACHERS WHO HAD SPECIFIC TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING THERAPEUTIC YOGA OR PRACTICING 'YOGA THERAPY' TOOK PART IN ONE-TO-ONE INTERVIEWS DURING WHICH THEY GAVE ACCOUNTS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES OF HELPING PEOPLE COPE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS THROUGH YOGA. PARTICIPANTS' INTERVIEWS WERE TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM AND WERE ANALYSED USING AN INTEGRATIVE INDUCTIVE-DEDUCTIVE THEMATIC ANALYSIS. RESULTS: FOUR KEY THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED IN RELATION TO THE BENEFITS OF THERAPEUTIC YOGA: AWARENESS, CHOICE, RELATIONSHIPS, AND TAILORING. CONCLUSIONS: THE FINDINGS SUPPORT PREVIOUS RESEARCH WHICH SUGGESTS THAT INDIVIDUALISED YOGA THERAPY IS A PROMISING INTERVENTION, AND MAY HELP TO FORM A THEORETICAL RATIONALE FOR THE FUTURE TREATMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS WITH YOGA. 2020 6 380 32 BECOMING CONNECTED: THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF YOGA PARTICIPATION AFTER STROKE. PURPOSE: TO INVESTIGATE THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND PERCEIVED OUTCOMES OF A YOGA PROGRAMME FOR STROKE SURVIVORS. METHOD: THIS ARTICLE REPORTS ON A PRELIMINARY STUDY USING QUALITATIVE METHODS TO INVESTIGATE THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND PERCEIVED OUTCOMES OF A YOGA PROGRAMME. NINE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED STROKE WERE INTERVIEWED FOLLOWING A 10-WEEK YOGA PROGRAMME INVOLVING MOVEMENT, BREATHING AND MEDITATION PRACTICES. AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH WAS USED TO DETERMINE MEANINGS ATTACHED TO YOGA PARTICIPATION AS WELL AS PERCEPTIONS OF OUTCOMES. RESULTS: INTERPRETATIVE THEMES EVOLVING FROM THE DATA WERE ORGANISED AROUND A BIO-PSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL OF HEALTH BENEFITS FROM YOGA. EMERGENT THEMES FROM THE ANALYSIS INCLUDED: GREATER SENSATION; FEELING CALMER AND BECOMING CONNECTED. THESE THEMES RESPECTIVELY REVEALED PERCEIVED PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF STRENGTH, RANGE OF MOVEMENT OR WALKING ABILITY, AN IMPROVED SENSE OF CALMNESS AND THE POSSIBILITY FOR RECONNECTING AND ACCEPTING A DIFFERENT BODY. CONCLUSION: THE STUDY HAS GENERATED ORIGINAL FINDINGS THAT SUGGEST THAT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD A STROKE YOGA PARTICIPATION CAN PROVIDE A NUMBER OF MEANINGFUL PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS AND SUPPORT THE RATIONALE FOR INCORPORATING YOGA AND MEDITATION-BASED PRACTICES INTO REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES. 2011 7 2259 36 THE PRACTICABILITY AND RELEVANCE OF DEVELOPING A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVES OF MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS, STAFF, AND YOGA TEACHERS ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION TO BE DEVELOPED FOR CONSUMERS WITH A LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION, IN ADDITION TO ANXIETY AND/OR DEPRESSION. TWO FOCUS GROUPS WERE HELD WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS (N = 8), TWO FOCUS GROUPS WITH MENTAL HEALTH STAFF (N = 13) FROM A METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SETTING, AND FIVE ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS WITH YOGA TEACHERS. PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY AND APPROPRIATENESS OF A RANGE OF YOGA PRACTICE FEATURES TO BE TESTED AS A NEWLY DEVELOPED YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION. THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS USED TO IDENTIFY THEMES. FINDINGS INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING CONSUMER THEMES: MENTAL HEALTH UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS AND PARTICIPANTS IS IMPORTANT, CREATING A SAFE SPACE AND YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS. STAFF THEMES INCLUDED MENTAL HEALTH UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS IS IMPORTANT, ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, AND YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS. YOGA TEACHER THEMES INCLUDED ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS. MENTAL HEALTH UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF THE YOGA TEACHER, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE WERE CONSISTENTLY EMPHASIZED BY CONSUMERS AND STAFF. TEACHERS FOCUSED LESS ON SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS, WHICH MAY BE REFLECTIVE OF A BROADER KNOWLEDGE GAP. RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS, INCLUDING PRE-INFORMATION, REGULAR AND CONSISTENT PRACTICE, MODIFICATIONS, BREATHWORK, MINDFULNESS AND GUIDED PRACTICE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN FEATURES, WERE CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA RESEARCH. FINDINGS WILL BE USED TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR CONSUMERS WITH A LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION, IN ADDITION TO ANXIETY AND/OR DEPRESSION. 2020 8 22 36 "YOGA WAS MY SAVING GRACE": THE EXPERIENCE OF WOMEN WHO PRACTICE PRENATAL YOGA. BACKGROUND: APPROXIMATELY 20% OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES PRACTICE PRENATAL YOGA, BUT THERE IS A PAUCITY OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE WOMEN. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY EXAMINES WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY-BASED PRENATAL YOGA. METHOD: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE EXPLORATORY DESIGN USED FOCUS GROUPS WITH A CONVENIENCE SAMPLE OF PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN (N = 14) WHO ENGAGED IN PRENATAL YOGA WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 6 MONTHS. CONTENT ANALYSIS WAS EMPLOYED TO IDENTIFY KEY THEMES AND SUBTHEMES. RESULTS: THREE THEMES AROSE: (A) STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS COMMONLY INSTIGATE WOMEN'S INTEREST IN PRENATAL YOGA, (B) PRENATAL YOGA IS PERCEIVED TO BE PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND PHYSICALLY BENEFICIAL, AND (C) PRENATAL YOGA IS PERCEIVED AS MORE BENEFICIAL THAN OTHER GROUP CLASSES. CONCLUSIONS: PREGNANT WOMEN WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS MAY BE DRAWN TO PRENATAL YOGA FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON THESE NEEDS, PARTICULARLY WHEN DESIGNING PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES WITH THIS POPULATION. 2015 9 2659 37 YOGA IN ADULT CANCER: AN EXPLORATORY, QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE. BACKGROUND: SOME PATIENTS RECEIVING TREATMENT IN CONVENTIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ACCESS THERAPEUTIC YOGA OUTSIDE THEIR MAINSTREAM CARE TO IMPROVE CANCER SYMPTOMS. GIVEN THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE GAP AROUND PATIENT PREFERENCES AND DOCUMENTED EXPERIENCES OF YOGA IN ADULT CANCER, THIS STUDY AIMED TO DESCRIBE PATIENT-REPORTED BENEFITS, BARRIERS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRAMMING FOR YOGA PRACTICE DURING CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT. METHODS: IN DEPTH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS (N=10) WERE CONDUCTED IN MEN AND WOMEN RECRUITED FROM CANCER CARE CLINICS IN VANCOUVER, CANADA USING A PURPOSIVE SAMPLING TECHNIQUE. THE EXPLORATORY INTERVIEWS WERE AUDIO-RECORDED, TRANSCRIBED AND ANALYZED USING INTERPRETIVE DESCRIPTION METHODOLOGY AND CONSTANT COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS METHODS. RESULTS: FOUR THEMES EMERGED FROM THE DATA TO ADDRESS OUR RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: PATIENT-PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA, REASONS AND MOTIVATIONS FOR PRACTISING YOGA, HURDLES AND BARRIERS TO PRACTISING YOGA, AND ADVICE FOR EFFECTIVE YOGA PROGRAM DELIVERY IN ADULT CANCER. SEVERAL PATIENTS REPORTED YOGA REDUCED STRESS AND OTHER SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER TREATMENT. THEMATIC ANALYSIS FOUND THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF GROUP YOGA WAS IMPORTANT, AS WELL AS YOGA'S ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT AND AWARENESS OF PHYSICAL BODY AND SELF. BARRIERS TO YOGA ADHERENCE FROM THE PATIENT PERSPECTIVE INCLUDED LACK OF TIME, SCHEDULING CONFLICTS AND WORRIES ABOUT FINANCIAL BURDEN. CONCLUSION: THIS SMALL, DIVERSE SAMPLE OF PATIENTS REPORTED POSITIVE EXPERIENCES AND NO ADVERSE EFFECTS FOLLOWING YOGA PRACTICE FOR MANAGEMENT OF CANCER AND ITS SYMPTOMS. RESULTS OF THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY IDENTIFIED PATIENT-REPORTED PREFERENCES, BARRIERS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA INTERVENTION OPTIMAL DURING ADULT CANCER TREATMENT. 2015 10 1712 27 PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA AMONG URBAN SCHOOL STUDENTS: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS. THIS STUDY REPORTS ON THE FINDINGS OF A QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF A YOGA INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR URBAN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH IN NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS. SIX FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED WITH STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN A YEAR-LONG YOGA PROGRAM TO DETERMINE THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS AS WELL AS BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES. RESULTS SHOW THAT STUDENTS PERCEIVED THE BENEFITS OF YOGA AS INCREASED SELF-REGULATION, MINDFULNESS, SELF-ESTEEM, PHYSICAL CONDITIONING, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND STRESS REDUCTION. BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES FOR A YOGA PRACTICE INCLUDE LACK OF TIME AND SPACE. THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE BENEFITS EXPERIENCED ARE INTERRELATED TO ONE ANOTHER IS DISCUSSED. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMMING ARE ALSO OFFERED. 2016 11 1588 37 MEDICAL YOGA: ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD-A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PERSONS SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS. THE PREVALENCE OF STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS HAS GROWN IN RECENT YEARS. MANY OF THESE PATIENTS SEEK HELP IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE. YOGA CAN REDUCE STRESS AND THUS COMPLEMENTS PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY IN MEDICAL PRACTICE. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, NO STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA TREATMENT IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING OR, SPECIFICALLY, THE EXPERIENCES OF YOGA WHEN SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS. THUS, THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE THE MEANING OF PARTICIPATING IN MEDICAL YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING. THIS STUDY HAS A DESCRIPTIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL DESIGN AND TOOK PLACE AT A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE IN SWEDEN DURING 2011. FIVE WOMEN AND ONE MAN (43-51 YEARS) PARTICIPATED. THEY WERE RECRUITED FROM THE INTERVENTION GROUP (N=18) IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL, IN WHICH THEY HAD PARTICIPATED IN A MEDICAL YOGA GROUP IN ADDITION TO STANDARD CARE FOR 12 WEEKS. DATA WERE COLLECTED BY MEANS OF QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS, AND A PHENOMENOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED. THE ESSENTIAL MEANING OF THE MEDICAL YOGA EXPERIENCE WAS THAT THE MEDICAL YOGA WAS NOT AN ENDPOINT OF RECOVERY BUT THE START OF A PROCESS TOWARDS AN INCREASED SENSE OF WHOLENESS. IT WAS DESCRIBED AS A WAY OF ALLEVIATING SUFFERING, AND IT PROVIDED THE PARTICIPANTS WITH A TOOL FOR DEALING WITH THEIR STRESS AND CURRENT SITUATION ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL. IT LED TO GREATER SELF-AWARENESS AND SELF-ESTEEM, WHICH IN TURN HAD AN IMPLICIT IMPACT ON THEIR LIFEWORLD. IN PHENOMENOLOGICAL TERMS, THIS CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD, ENCOMPASSING A PERCEPTION OF DEEPENED IDENTITY. FROM A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE, DUE TO USING THE BODY IN A NEW WAY (YOGA), THE PARTICIPANTS HAD LEARNT TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, WHICH ENRICHED AND RECAST THEIR PERCEPTION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR LIVES. 2014 12 2247 30 THE INTEGRATION OF YOGA IN PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINICAL PRACTICE. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE BEGINNING TO USE YOGA AS A TREATMENT MODALITY. HOWEVER, EVIDENCE EXPLAINING PHYSICAL THERAPISTS' INTEGRATION OF YOGA IN CLINICAL PRACTICE IS LACKING. OBJECTIVE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE HOW, WHY, AND WITH WHOM PHYSICAL THERAPISTS INTEGRATE YOGA INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE. DESIGN: THIS STUDY IS A SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTED DURING A LARGER MULTI-METHODS STUDY. THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF 13 INTERVIEWS WAS CONDUCTED. RESULTS: ANALYSIS INDICATED FOUR THEMES, AND SIX SUBTHEMES. FACILITATING YOGA IN CLINICAL PRACTICE AND YOGA TRAINING THEMES; INCLUDING EVALUATION OF OUTCOMES, BILLING, TERMINOLOGY, AND SAFETY SUBTHEMES DESCRIBE HOW PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE USING YOGA IN CLINICAL PRACTICE. THE PERCEIVED CLIENT OUTCOMES THEME, INCLUDING PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOMES EXPLAIN WHY PHYSICAL THERAPISTS USE YOGA IN PRACTICE. THE YOGA WITH CLINICAL POPULATIONS THEME ADDRESSES WITH WHOM PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE USING YOGA. CONCLUSION: PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE USING YOGA WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH VARIOUS HEALTH CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. FINDINGS SUPPORT THE NEED FOR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS TO INCREASE THEIR ASSESSMENT AND DOCUMENTATION OF FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH CLIENT'S YOGA PARTICIPATION. DOCUMENTATION COULD CONTRIBUTE TO EVIDENCE-BASED LITERATURE RELATED TO HOW, WHY, AND WITH WHOM PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE USING YOGA. DOCUMENTED OUTCOMES COULD ALSO PROVIDE RATIONALE FOR YOGA TO RECEIVE CLASSIFICATION AS A REIMBURSABLE COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH APPROACH. FUTURE RESEARCH INVOLVING A LARGER, DIVERSE SAMPLE (E.G., PHYSICAL THERAPISTS WITH VARYING LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND YOGA TRAINING) FOCUSED ON HOW, WHY, AND WITH WHOM PHYSICAL THERAPISTS INTEGRATE YOGA INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE IS RECOMMENDED. 2021 13 376 34 BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO YOGA USE IN A POPULATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SELF-REPORTED CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: A QUALITATIVE APPROACH. YOGA HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE EFFICACIOUS IN TREATING CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN, YET BIOMEDICAL TREATMENTS ARE MOST COMMONLY USED FOR PAIN. PROMOTING YOGA AS PART OF INTEGRATIVE CARE WOULD REDUCE EXCLUSIVE RELIANCE ON HIGH-COST, HIGHER-RISK BIOMEDICAL TREATMENTS. ATTITUDES TOWARD YOGA PLAY A ROLE IN CONSIDERATION OF IT AS A TREATMENT. THE CURRENT STUDY EXAMINED ATTITUDES TOWARD YOGA IN ADULTS WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN AND COMPARED THESE RESULTS TO THOSE FOUND IN A 2009 GENERAL POPULATION STUDY. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED A SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW WHERE THEY RESPONDED TO ITEMS ABOUT PERCEPTIONS OF POTENTIAL BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO TRYING YOGA. PARTICIPANT RESPONSES WERE ANALYZED QUALITATIVELY AND SEVERAL COMMON THEMES EMERGED. THEMES IDENTIFIED BY PARTICIPANTS INDICATED THERE IS MIXED INFORMATION ABOUT YOGA IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND THAT CLARIFICATION OF WHAT YOGA IS, HOW IT CAN BE BENEFICIAL, AND WHAT IT REQUIRES ONE TO DO PHYSICALLY MAY HELP PROMOTE ITS USE. 2014 14 1217 37 EXPLORING THE IMPACTS OF MINDFULNESS AND YOGA UPON CHILDBIRTH OUTCOMES AND MATERNAL HEALTH: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW. BACKGROUND: FOETAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF THE INFANT ARE INFLUENCED BY THE INTRAUTERINE ENVIRONMENT. STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE MATERNAL HEALTH IN PREGNANCY ARE NEEDED TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR CHILDBEARING WOMEN AND BABIES, ADVANCING THE WELL-BEING OF OUR GENERAL POPULATION. AIM: TO SYNTHESISE THE EXISTING LITERATURE TO DETERMINE THE IMPACTS OF MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PRACTICE UPON BIRTH OUTCOMES AND MATERNAL HEALTH. METHODS: AN INTEGRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW USING WHITTEMORE AND KNAFL'S FRAMEWORK WAS UNDERTAKEN IN 2016-2017. TWO SEARCH STRATEGIES INCLUDED DATABASE PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES AND ANCESTRY SEARCHING, THAT IS EXPLORING THE REFERENCE LIST OF RELEVANT RESEARCH ARTICLES. AFTER SCREENING AND CHECKING THE ELIGIBILITY, A TOTAL OF 12 ARTICLES WERE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW. DATA ANALYSIS INVOLVED CODING, VISUAL DISPLAYS, THEMATIC ANALYSIS AND COMPARISON, AND CONCLUSION DRAWING. RESULTS: THE RESULTS OF THIS REVIEW IDENTIFIED A BROAD THEME THAT MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PRACTICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH ANTENATALLY AND POSTNATALLY. SUBTHEMES HAVE BEEN PRESENTED UNDER THE CENTRAL THEME INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: INCREASED MINDFULNESS CORRELATES WITH DECREASED FEAR OF CHILDBIRTH; REDUCED SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION; AND SUPPORTIVE GROUP SETTINGS FOUND TO BE BENEFICIAL BY PREGNANT WOMEN. CONCLUSION: THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN THIS REVIEW SUGGESTS THAT MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PRACTICE ARE FEASIBLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS TO ENHANCE MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH, PARTICULARLY FOR WOMEN EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PRACTISED REGULARLY IN THE ANTENATAL PERIOD CAN SIGNIFICANTLY PROMOTE THE HEALTH OF PREGNANT WOMEN AND POTENTIALLY THEIR DEVELOPING BABIES. 2020 15 150 31 A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION OF A PRENATAL YOGA INTERVENTION TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE GESTATIONAL WEIGHT GAIN: A THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF INTERVIEWS. PURPOSE: TO DESCRIBE PREGNANT WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES AND PERCEIVED FACILITATORS/BARRIERS OF A PRENATAL YOGA INTERVENTION TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE GESTATIONAL WEIGHT GAIN (EGWG). METHODS: PREGNANT WOMEN (N = 13) WERE INTERVIEWED AFTER PARTICIPATION IN A 12-WEEK PRENATAL YOGA INTERVENTION TO PREVENT EGWG. INTERVIEWS WERE SUMMARIZED USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS. RESULTS: TWELVE THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED AND ORGANIZED INTO FOUR CATEGORIES: 1) EXPERIENCES OF PRENATAL YOGA (POSITIVE EXPERIENCE/ENJOYMENT, PAIN RELIEF, CONNECTING TO BODY), 2) PRENATAL YOGA AND WEIGHT (INCREASED MINDFULNESS/SELF-AWARENESS, INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT), 3) BARRIERS TO PRENATAL YOGA (PHYSICAL BODY, COMMUTE/TRAFFIC, SCHEDULE), AND 4) FACILITATORS OF PRENATAL YOGA (HEALTHY PREGNANCY, SUPPORT FROM OTHER PREGNANT WOMEN, THE FEELING FROM PRENATAL YOGA). CONCLUSION: PRENATAL YOGA MAY RELIEVE PAIN AND HELP WOMEN BE MORE CONNECTED TO THEIR BODIES. PRENATAL YOGA MAY ALSO HELP WOMEN BECOME MORE AWARE OF THEIR HEALTH BEHAVIORS AND INCREASES THEIR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WHICH MAY HAVE IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR REDUCING EGWG. 2021 16 1206 41 EXPERIENCES OF PREGNANT WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN ANTENATAL YOGA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. CONTEXT: PREGNANCY YOGA IS A MODIFIED VERSION OF YOGA FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, AND IT AIMS TO REDUCE PREGNANCY-RELATED SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS INSOMNIA, LOW BACK PAIN, TIREDNESS, CONSTIPATION, LEG CRAMPS, AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH. OBJECTIVE: THE STUDY AIMED TO IDENTIFY THE EXPERIENCES AND EXPECTATIONS OF PREGNANT WOMEN RELATED TO THE PRACTICE OF YOGA. METHOD: THE RESEARCH TEAM CONDUCTED A QUALITATIVE STUDY. SETTING: THE STUDY TOOK PLACE AT THE ANTENATAL CLINIC OF A PUBLIC HOSPITAL IN THE CENTRAL ANATOLIA REGION OF TURKEY. PARTICIPANTS: THE PARTICIPANTS WERE 24 PREGNANT WOMEN AT THE CLINIC. INTERVENTION: THE STUDY INCLUDED AN INTERVENTION GROUP THAT PERFORMED YOGA AND RECEIVED ROUTINE ANTENATAL CARE; HOWEVER, NO CONTROL GROUPS WERE USED. EACH YOGA INTERVENTION WAS HELD FOR APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MINUTES, WITH YOGA ASANA PERIODS LASTING 30 MINUTES. THE PREGNANT WOMEN WERE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN YOGA PRACTICE TWICE A WEEK ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR 8 WEEKS. OUTCOME MEASURES: DATA WERE COLLECTED THROUGH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS. THE INTERVIEWS WERE RECORDED AND TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM AND THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED. RESULTS: FOUR MAJOR THEMES EMERGED: (1) PERCEPTIONS ABOUT PREGNANCY, (2) MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS, (3) PRENATAL ATTACHMENT, AND (4) BIRTH PERCEPTIONS. ACCORDING TO PARTICIPANTS, THE BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE WERE MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS, INCREASED PRENATAL ATTACHMENT, A POSITIVE PERCEPTION OF THE BIRTH, NATURAL-BIRTH BELIEFS, AND MANAGEMENT OF FEAR AND PAIN DURING BIRTH. CONCLUSIONS: THE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BARRIERS TO PERFORMING YOGA; HOWEVER, THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WOULD TRY PREGNANCY YOGA IF THEY WERE ENCOURAGED BY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. ALSO, THE PARTICIPANTS STATED THAT PREGNANCY YOGA PRACTICE SHOULD BE MADE A PART OF ANTENATAL EDUCATION TO FACILITATE PARTICIPATION. 2021 17 2380 41 WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES OF PARTICIPATION IN A PREGNANCY AND POSTNATAL GROUP INCORPORATING YOGA AND FACILITATED GROUP DISCUSSION: A QUALITATIVE EVALUATION. BACKGROUND: THIS PAPER REPORTS ON A SMALL QUALITATIVE RESEARCH STUDY WHICH EXPLORED WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES OF PARTICIPATION IN A PREGNANCY AND POSTNATAL GROUP THAT INCORPORATED YOGA AND FACILITATED DISCUSSION. THE GROUP IS OFFERED THROUGH A COMMUNITY BASED FEMINIST NON-GOVERNMENT WOMEN'S HEALTH CENTRE IN NORTHERN NSW AUSTRALIA. QUESTION: THE PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH WAS TO EXPLORE WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES OF ATTENDING THIS PREGNANCY AND POSTNATAL GROUP. METHODS: AN EXPLORATORY QUALITATIVE APPROACH WAS USED TO EXPLORE WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES OF ATTENDING THE GROUP. FIFTEEN WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN INDIVIDUAL, IN-DEPTH FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEWS. INTERVIEWS WERE RECORDED AND TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM. THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS UNDERTAKEN TO ANALYSE THE QUALITATIVE DATA. FINDINGS: SIX THEMES WERE DEVELOPED, ONE WITH 3 SUBTHEMES. ONE THEME WAS LABELLED AS: 'THE PREGNANCY AND MOTHERHOOD JOURNEY' AND INCLUDED 3 SUB-THEMES WHICH WERE LABELLED: 'PREPARATION FOR BIRTH', 'CONNECTING WITH THE BABY' AND 'SHARING BIRTH STORIES.' THE OTHER FIVE THEMES WERE: 'FEMININE NURTURING SAFE SPACE', 'WATCHING AND LEARNING THE MOTHERING', 'BUILDING MENTAL HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND CONNECTIONS', THE "GROUP LIKE A ROCK AND A SEED' AND 'DIFFERENT FROM MAINSTREAM'. CONCLUSION: THIS RESEARCH ADDS TO THE OVERALL BODY OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE VALUE OF YOGA IN PRE AND POSTNATAL CARE. IT DEMONSTRATES THE VALUE OF SHARING BIRTH STORIES AND THE STRONG CAPACITY WOMEN HAVE TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, BRINGING BENEFITS OF EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING, INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND SUPPORT DERIVED FROM GROUP BASED MODELS OF CARE. 2013 18 1151 44 ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PREGNANCY: A PILOT STUDY ON WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES WITH INTEGRATING YOGA INTO GROUP PRENATAL CARE. INTRODUCTION: HEALTH GUIDELINES SUGGEST THAT PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, YET RARELY DO THEY MEET THESE GUIDELINES. MEANS TO ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR PREGNANT WOMEN ARE REQUIRED, AND YOGA HAS BEEN SUGGESTED AS A POSSIBLE METHOD TO ENHANCE WOMEN'S SENSE OF CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. IN THIS PILOT STUDY, OUR PRIMARY AIM IS TO EVALUATE PREGNANT WOMEN'S PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE OF AN INTERVENTION WHICH INTEGRATES A LOW-INTENSITY FORM OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, YOGA, INTO PRENATAL CARE; OUR SECONDARY AIM IS TO EVALUATE CHANGES IN PARTICIPANTS' SELF-EFFICACY FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME. METHODS: HELD IN AN OUTPATIENT OBSTETRICS DEPARTMENT OF AN URBAN HOSPITAL SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS PILOT STUDY ENROLLED 16 PREGNANT WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVENTION THROUGHOUT THEIR PREGNANCY. WE EXPLORED PARTICIPANTS' LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THE INTERVENTION USING QUALITATIVE METHODS (PHENOMENOLOGY). MEANS, VARIANCES, AND COVARIANCES WERE CALCULATED FOR THE 2 MEASURES (SELF-EFFICACY AND TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY) OVER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD. RESULTS: QUALITATIVE FINDINGS FROM FOCUS GROUPS SUGGEST THAT IT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR PRENATAL YOGA TO BE INTEGRATED INTO GROUP PRENATAL CARE CLASSES AND WOMEN REPORTED INCREASED CONFIDENCE WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PREGNANCY. PARTICIPANTS DID NOT CONSIDER THE INTERVENTION TO FIT WITHIN THE TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF EXERCISE. WOMEN REPORTED INCREASED AMOUNTS OF TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FROM BASELINE TO THE END OF PREGNANCY, BUT THERE WERE NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN SELF-EFFICACY OVER TIME. DISCUSSION: THE INTEGRATION OF GENTLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTO THE GROUP PRENATAL CARE MODEL WARRANTS FURTHER ATTENTION FOR POTENTIAL BENEFITS WITH REGARD TO MATERNAL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLNESS. 2019 19 2563 32 YOGA FOR CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION. OBJECTIVE: TO EXPLORE PATIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR PAIN WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A WEEKLY YOGA PROGRAM. METHODS: A CONSECUTIVE CONVENIENCE SAMPLE WAS RECRUITED FROM A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PAIN CENTRE. SEVEN ADULT PATIENTS (SIX WOMEN), AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN 8-WEEK HATHA YOGA PROGRAM, INCLUDING WEEKLY GROUP SESSIONS AND AT-HOME PRACTICE. DATA WERE GATHERED FROM PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AND IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS. INTERVIEWS EXPLORED THE EXPERIENCE OF PRACTICING YOGA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE PARTICIPANT'S PAIN EXPERIENCE. AN INDUCTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE INTERVIEWS EXPLORED EMERGENT THEMES FROM PARTICIPANTS' DESCRIPTIONS OF THEIR EXPERIENCE. RESULTS: ANALYSES IDENTIFIED THREE THEMES: RENEWED AWARENESS OF THE BODY; TRANSFORMED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BODY IN PAIN; AND ACCEPTANCE. DISCUSSION: PARTICIPANTS' DATA SUGGESTED THAT THEY REFRAMED WHAT IT MEANT TO LIVE WITH CHRONIC PAIN. SOME PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT THE SENSORY ASPECTS OF PAIN DID NOT CHANGE BUT THAT PAIN BECAME LESS BOTHERSOME. THEY WERE BETTER ABLE TO CONTROL THE DEGREE TO WHICH PAIN INTERFERED WITH THEIR DAILY LIFE. OTHER PARTICIPANTS REPORTED LESS FREQUENT OR LESS INTENSE PAIN EPISODES BECAUSE THEY COULD RECOGNIZE BODY SIGNALS AND ADJUST THEMSELVES TO ALLEVIATE PAINFUL SENSATIONS. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT PATIENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM YOGA MAY DO SO IN PART BECAUSE YOGA ENABLES CHANGES IN COGNITIONS AND BEHAVIOURS TOWARDS PAIN. 2011 20 6 37 "I JUST START CRYING FOR NO REASON": THE EXPERIENCE OF STRESS AND DEPRESSION IN PREGNANT, URBAN, AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADOLESCENTS AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF YOGA AS A MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. PURPOSE: PERINATAL HEALTH DISPARITIES ARE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN WITH PREGNANT, URBAN, AFRICAN-AMERICAN (AA) ADOLESCENTS, WHO HAVE HIGH RATES OF STRESS AND DEPRESSION DURING PREGNANCY, HIGHER RATES OF ADVERSE PREGNANCY AND NEONATAL OUTCOMES, AND MANY BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE PREGNANT, URBAN, AA TEENAGERS' EXPERIENCE OF STRESS AND DEPRESSION AND EXAMINE THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF ADJUNCTIVE NONPHARMACOLOGIC MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, SUCH AS YOGA. METHODS: THIS COMMUNITY-BASED, QUALITATIVE STUDY USED NONTHERAPEUTIC FOCUS GROUPS TO ALLOW FOR EXPLORATION OF ATTITUDES, CONCERNS, BELIEFS, AND VALUES REGARDING STRESS AND DEPRESSION IN PREGNANCY AND NONPHARMACOLOGIC MANAGEMENT APPROACHES, SUCH AS MIND-BODY THERAPIES AND OTHER PRENATAL ACTIVITIES. FINDINGS: THE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF PREGNANT, AA, LOW-INCOME ADOLESCENTS (N=17) WHO RESIDED IN A LARGE URBAN AREA IN THE UNITED STATES. THE THEMES THAT AROSE IN THE FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS WERE THAT 1) STRESS AND DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS ARE PERVASIVE IN DAILY LIFE, 2) PARTICIPANTS FELT A GENERALIZED SENSE OF ISOLATION, 3) STRESS/DEPRESSION MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES SHOULD BE GROUP BASED, INTERACTIVE, AND FOCUSED ON THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF TEENAGERS, AND 4) YOGA IS AN APPEALING STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE TO THIS POPULATION. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY SUGGEST THAT PREGNANT, URBAN, ADOLESCENTS ARE HIGHLY STRESSED; THEY INTERPRET DEPRESSION-LIKE SYMPTOMS TO BE SIGNS OF STRESS; THEY DESIRE GROUP-BASED, INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES; AND THEY ARE INTERESTED IN YOGA CLASSES FOR STRESS/DEPRESSION MANAGEMENT AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON THESE NEEDS, PARTICULARLY WHEN DESIGNING PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES. 2015