1 391 95 BENEFITS OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS: RESULTS OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. YOGA HAS BEGUN TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS DESPITE LIMITED EMPIRICAL SUPPORT FOR THIS PRACTICE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFICACY OF INCORPORATING YOGA INTO THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS. THIS PRELIMINARY RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL INVESTIGATED THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN AN EIGHT-WEEK KRIPALU YOGA PROGRAM FOR 53 WOMEN WITH SYMPTOMS OF BULIMIA NERVOSA AND BINGE EATING DISORDER. COMPARED TO WAITLIST CONTROLS, YOGA PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCED DECREASES IN BINGE EATING FREQUENCY, EMOTIONAL REGULATION DIFFICULTIES AND SELF-CRITICISM, AND INCREASES IN SELF-COMPASSION. YOGA PARTICIPANTS ALSO EXPERIENCED INCREASES IN STATE MINDFULNESS SKILLS ACROSS THE EIGHT WEEKS OF THE YOGA PROGRAM. WHILE THESE RESULTS ARE ENCOURAGING AND SUGGEST YOGA MAY HAVE A VALUABLE ROLE TO PLAY IN THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO STRESS THEIR TENTATIVE NATURE. FURTHER RESEARCH, ADOPTING A MORE RIGOROUS DESIGN, IS NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE LIMITATIONS OF THE PRESENT STUDY AND EXPAND ON THESE FINDINGS. 2020 2 1254 31 FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, AND EFFECTS OF GENTLE HATHA YOGA FOR WOMEN WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION: FINDINGS FROM A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED MIXED-METHODS STUDY. MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD) IS A COMMON, DEBILITATING CHRONIC CONDITION IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE. PARTICULARLY IN WOMEN, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS ARE OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS AND RUMINATIONS, OR REPETITIVE SELF-CRITICAL NEGATIVE THINKING. THERE IS A RESEARCH AND CLINICAL IMPERATIVE TO EVALUATE COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE AND FEASIBLE FOR WOMEN WITH DEPRESSION AND THAT TARGET SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF DEPRESSION IN WOMEN, SUCH AS RUMINATIONS. TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS THIS NEED, WE CONDUCTED A RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED, MIXED-METHODS COMMUNITY-BASED STUDY COMPARING AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION WITH AN ATTENTION-CONTROL ACTIVITY IN 27 WOMEN WITH MDD. AFTER CONTROLLING FOR BASELINE STRESS, THERE WAS A DECREASE IN DEPRESSION OVER TIME IN BOTH THE YOGA GROUP AND THE ATTENTION-CONTROL GROUP, WITH THE YOGA GROUP HAVING A UNIQUE TREND IN DECREASED RUMINATIONS. PARTICIPANTS IN THE YOGA GROUP REPORTED EXPERIENCING INCREASED CONNECTEDNESS AND GAINING A COPING STRATEGY THROUGH YOGA. THE FINDINGS PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR FUTURE LARGE SCALE RESEARCH TO EXPLORE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA FOR DEPRESSED WOMEN AND THE UNIQUE ROLE OF YOGA IN DECREASING RUMINATION. 2013 3 2402 40 YOGA AND EATING DISORDERS: IS THERE A PLACE FOR YOGA IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS AND DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIOURS? THIS PAPER ADDRESSES THE QUESTION: WHAT CAN THE PRACTICE OF YOGA OFFER THE FIELD OF EATING DISORDERS IN TERMS OF PREVENTION AND TREATMENT? REGARDING PREVENTION, PRELIMINARY RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN DECREASING RISK FACTORS, AND INCREASING PROTECTIVE FACTORS, FOR EATING DISORDERS. YOGA WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE HELPFUL IN A SMALL NUMBER OF TREATMENT STUDIES. HOWEVER, FINDINGS ARE NOT CONSISTENT ACROSS STUDIES, WHICH ARE LIMITED IN NUMBER, AND DUE TO THE PRELIMINARY NATURE OF THIS BODY OF RESEARCH, MOST STUDIES HAVE WEAKNESSES IN THEIR DESIGNS (E.G. OBSERVATIONAL DESIGN, NO CONTROL GROUPS, OR SMALL SAMPLE SIZES). THE BASIC TENETS OF YOGA, ANECDOTAL REPORTS OF ITS EFFECTIVENESS, ITS HIGH ACCESSIBILITY AND LOW COST, AND INITIAL RESEARCH FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY OFFER PROMISE FOR THE FIELD OF EATING DISORDERS. TWO OPTIONS ARE SUGGESTED FOR PREVENTION: (1) EATING DISORDER PREVENTION CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO ONGOING YOGA CLASSES AND (2) YOGA CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO EATING DISORDER PREVENTION PROGRAMMES. REGARDING TREATMENT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT TEACHING STYLES AND PRACTICES FOR DIFFERENT EATING DISORDERS. POTENTIAL HARMS OF YOGA SHOULD ALSO BE EXPLORED. FURTHER RESEARCH, USING STRONGER STUDY DESIGNS, SUCH AS RANDOMISED, CONTROLLED TRIALS, IS NEEDED. 2014 4 1 31 "A FEELING OF CONNECTEDNESS": PERSPECTIVES ON A GENTLE YOGA INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION. MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD) IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON AND DEBILITATING HEALTH CONDITIONS IN WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE. MANY WOMEN WITH MDD SEEK OUT COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR THEIR DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, EITHER AS AN ADJUNCT OR ALTERNATIVE TO THE USUAL CARE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR THEIR DEPRESSION. THE FINDINGS FROM THIS INTERPRETIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ARE DERIVED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH AND DAILY LOGS BY 12 WOMEN WITH MDD WHO TOOK PART IN AN 8-WEEK GENTLE YOGA INTERVENTION AS PART OF A LARGER PARENT RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE OF DEPRESSION INVOLVED STRESS, RUMINATIONS, AND ISOLATION. IN ADDITION, THEIR EXPERIENCES OF YOGA WERE THAT IT SERVED AS A SELF-CARE TECHNIQUE FOR THE STRESS AND RUMINATIVE ASPECTS OF DEPRESSION AND THAT IT SERVED AS A RELATIONAL TECHNIQUE, FACILITATING CONNECTEDNESS AND SHARED EXPERIENCES IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. FUTURE LONG-TERM RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO EVALUATE THESE CONCEPTS AS POTENTIAL MECHANISMS FOR THE EFFECTS OF YOGA FOR DEPRESSION. 2013 5 2903 26 [HOW SHOULD YOGA IN ANOREXIA NERVOSA TREATMENT BE APPLIED? A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY ON YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL FROM PATIENTS' PERSPECTIVE]. AN ALTERED INTEROCEPTION IS A CENTRAL CORRELATE OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA (AN) AND ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE OFFERS A PROMISING APPROACH IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. FIRST RESULTS HAVE SHOWN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS A BODY-FOCUSED INTERVENTION IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. HOWEVER, TO DATE THERE IS A LACK OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE REGARDING THE QUESTION HOW YOGA STRATEGIES AND YOGA ELEMENTS (POSTURES, RELAXATION, BREATH, MEDITATION) SHOULD BE APPLIED. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, WE CONDUCTED A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY WITH N=6 FEMALE PATIENTS WITH AN UNDERGOING TREATMENT IN A SPECIALIST UNIT SUPPORTING RE-INSERTION SUBSEQUENT TO A PRECEDING INPATIENT AN TREATMENT. STUDY PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED A WEEKLY ONE-HOUR HATHA-YOGA INTERVENTION OVER AT LEAST 12 WEEKS. AFTER THE YOGA INTERVENTION, SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS (1/2 TO 1 HOUR) WERE CONDUCTED TO ASSESS THE EXPERIENCES OF THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS DURING THE YOGA INTERVENTION. THE DATA WERE ANALYZED USING GROUNDED THEORY. AT THE UPPER LEVEL OF ANALYSIS, FOUR CATEGORIES WERE DIFFERENTIATED: INFORMATION REGARDING 1) STUDY PARTICIPANTS' SYMPTOMS, 2) ASPECTS OF THE SETTING EXPERIENCED TO BE BENEFICIAL, 3) YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL AND 4) PERCEIVED CONSEQUENCES OF YOGA STRATEGIES. WITH REGARD TO THE YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL, ANALYSES REVEALED 4 SUBCATEGORIES: FEATURES OF 1) POSTURES AND MOVEMENTS, 2) BREATH AND MEDITATION EXERCISES, 3) RELAXATION EXERCISES AND 4) GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SETTING. THE RESULTS GIVE FIRST INDICATIONS REGARDING THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF AN AND POTENTIAL MECHANISMS. FURTHER QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDIES ARE NEEDED, E.G., WITH REGARD TO EFFECTIVENESS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, MEDIATORS OR MODERATORS TO BETTER EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. 2021 6 1770 35 POTENTIAL LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A MIND-BODY INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: SUSTAINED MENTAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS WITH A PILOT YOGA INTERVENTION. DESPITE PHARMACOLOGIC AND PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC ADVANCES OVER THE PAST DECADES, MANY INDIVIDUALS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD) EXPERIENCE RECURRENT DEPRESSIVE EPISODES AND PERSISTENT DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS DESPITE TREATMENT WITH THE USUAL CARE. YOGA IS A MIND-BODY THERAPEUTIC MODALITY THAT HAS RECEIVED ATTENTION IN BOTH THE LAY AND RESEARCH LITERATURE AS A POSSIBLE ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION. ALTHOUGH PROMISING, RECENT FINDINGS ABOUT THE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH EFFECTS OF YOGA ARE LIMITED BECAUSE FEW STUDIES HAVE USED STANDARDIZED OUTCOME MEASURES AND NONE OF THEM HAVE INVOLVED LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP BEYOND A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD. THE GOAL OF OUR RESEARCH STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, AND EFFECTS OF A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN WITH MDD USING STANDARDIZED OUTCOME MEASURES AND A LONG FOLLOW-UP PERIOD (1YEAR AFTER THE INTERVENTION). THE KEY FINDING IS THAT PREVIOUS YOGA PRACTICE HAS LONG-TERM POSITIVE EFFECTS, AS REVEALED IN BOTH QUALITATIVE REPORTS OF PARTICIPANTS' EXPERIENCES AND IN THE QUANTITATIVE DATA ABOUT DEPRESSION AND RUMINATION SCORES OVER TIME. ALTHOUGH GENERALIZABILITY OF THE STUDY FINDINGS IS LIMITED BECAUSE OF A VERY SMALL SAMPLE SIZE AT THE 1-YEAR FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENT, THE TRENDS IN THE DATA SUGGEST THAT EXPOSURE TO YOGA MAY CONVEY A SUSTAINED POSITIVE EFFECT ON DEPRESSION, RUMINATIONS, STRESS, ANXIETY, AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE. WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL CONTINUES WITH YOGA PRACTICE, SIMPLE EXPOSURE TO A YOGA INTERVENTION APPEARS TO PROVIDE SUSTAINED BENEFITS TO THE INDIVIDUAL. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS RARE THAT ANY INTERVENTION, PHARMACOLOGIC OR NON-PHARMACOLOGIC, FOR DEPRESSION CONVEYS SUCH SUSTAINED EFFECTS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MDD, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE TREATMENT IS DISCONTINUED. 2014 7 1628 24 MINDFULNESS, SELF-COMPASSION, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION MEASURES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIAN YOGA PARTICIPANTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR DESIGNING A YOGA INTERVENTION. AIM: THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND PRACTICE CHARACTERISTICS OF CURRENT YOGA PARTICIPANTS AND ASSESS THEIR LEVELS OF MINDFULNESS, SELF-COMPASSION, STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND WELLBEING AND IMPLICATIONS FOR DESIGNING A YOGA INTERVENTION. METHODS: A WEB-BASED SURVEY WAS ADMINISTERED TO SOUTH AUSTRALIAN YOGA TEACHERS AND STUDENTS FROM SEPTEMBER 2014 TO FEBRUARY 2015. RESULTS: RESULTS SHOWED A POSITIVE CORRELATION WITH MINDFULNESS AND SELF-COMPASSION AND NEGATIVE CORRELATION WITH DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS SCORES WITH MONTHS OF PRACTICE. MINDFULNESS AND SELF-COMPASSION SCORES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER WITH TWO OR MORE CLASSES PER WEEK AND MINDFULNESS HIGHER IN THOSE WITH A REGULAR MEDITATION PRACTICE. DISCUSSION: KEY FINDINGS INDICATE THAT CLASS FREQUENCY, PRACTICE EXPERIENCE AND MEDITATION PRACTICE ARE IMPORTANT FACTORS IN DESIGNING A YOGA INTERVENTION EXAMINING MINDFULNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH. CONCLUSION: FINDINGS PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR GUIDING DEVELOPMENT OF A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. 2018 8 1469 31 INNOVATIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF PERINATAL DEPRESSION: THE ROLE OF YOGA AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTERVENTIONS DURING PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM. PURPOSE OF REVIEW: WE REVIEW EVIDENCE FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA AS INTERVENTIONS FOR DEPRESSED PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN. RECENT FINDINGS: RESULTS FROM EXISTING TRIALS HAVE GENERALLY INDICATED THAT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA INTERVENTIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO WOMEN DURING THE PERINATAL PERIOD, AND THAT THESE INTERVENTIONS CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING DEPRESSION. HOWEVER, SOME STUDIES HAVE NOT FOUND SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTERVENTION AND CONTROL CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, SYMPTOM IMPROVEMENTS WERE NOT ALWAYS MAINTAINED. THE AVAILABLE RESEARCH ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA AS INTERVENTIONS FOR PERINATAL DEPRESSION IS ENCOURAGING WITH REGARD TO FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, PATIENT SAFETY, AND PRELIMINARY EFFICACY. THESE INTERVENTIONS HAVE THE ABILITY TO REACH A LARGE NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO MAY NOT ENGAGE IN TRADITIONAL TREATMENT. ADDITIONAL HIGH QUALITY, RIGOROUS, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS ARE NEEDED. FUTURE RESEARCH IS ALSO NEEDED TO EXAMINE THE OPTIMAL DOSE OF THESE INTERVENTIONS AND HOW TO BEST INCREASE SUSTAINED ENGAGEMENT. 2019 9 1621 27 MINDFULNESS AND AVOIDANCE MEDIATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND ANXIETY. OBJECTIVES: THERE IS ACCUMULATING EVIDENCE THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION CAN ALLEVIATE SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY, ALTHOUGH THE MECHANISMS BY WHICH THIS OCCURS REMAIN UNCLEAR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND SELF-REPORTED ANXIETY AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL MEDIATING ROLES OF MINDFULNESS AND EMOTIONAL AVOIDANCE. METHODS: USING A CROSS-SECTIONAL DESIGN, 367 PARTICIPANTS WERE RECRUITED ONLINE AND COMPLETED MEASURES OF ANXIETY, AVOIDANCE, AND MINDFULNESS. RESULTS: RESULTS SHOWED THAT LENGTH OF YOGA PRACTICE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED WITH LOWER ANXIETY IN YOGA PRACTITIONERS. AVOIDANCE AND MINDFULNESS MEDIATED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LENGTH OF YOGA PRACTICE AND ANXIETY, SHEDDING LIGHT ON POSSIBLE MECHANISMS BY WHICH THESE PRACTICES REDUCE ANXIETY. CONCLUSIONS: FUTURE EXPERIMENTAL AND LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO EXAMINE THE CAUSAL ROLE OF MINDFULNESS AND AVOIDANCE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND ANXIETY, AND WHETHER YOGA IS A USEFUL ADJUNCT TO COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY FOR ANXIETY DISORDERS. 2018 10 2170 32 THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON ANXIETY AND STRESS. STRESS AND ANXIETY HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED AS CONTRIBUTORS TO MANY CHRONIC DISEASES AND TO DECREASED QUALITY OF LIFE, EVEN WITH PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT. EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO FIND NON-PHARMACOLOGIC THERAPIES TO RELIEVE STRESS AND ANXIETY, AND YOGA IS ONE OPTION FOR WHICH RESULTS ARE PROMISING. THE FOCUS OF THIS REVIEW IS ON THE RESULTS OF HUMAN TRIALS ASSESSING THE ROLE OF YOGA IN IMPROVING THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY. OF 35 TRIALS ADDRESSING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON ANXIETY AND STRESS, 25 NOTED A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN STRESS AND/OR ANXIETY SYMPTOMS WHEN A YOGA REGIMEN WAS IMPLEMENTED; HOWEVER, MANY OF THE STUDIES WERE ALSO HINDERED BY LIMITATIONS, SUCH AS SMALL STUDY POPULATIONS, LACK OF RANDOMIZATION, AND LACK OF A CONTROL GROUP. FOURTEEN OF THE 35 STUDIES REPORTED BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY, BUT YIELDED INCONSISTENT SUPPORT OF YOGA FOR RELIEF OF STRESS AND ANXIETY. EVALUATION OF THE CURRENT PRIMARY LITERATURE IS SUGGESTIVE OF BENEFITS OF YOGA IN RELIEVING STRESS AND ANXIETY, BUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THIS RELATIONSHIP USING LARGE, WELL-DEFINED POPULATIONS, ADEQUATE CONTROLS, RANDOMIZATION AND LONG DURATION SHOULD BE EXPLORED BEFORE RECOMMENDING YOGA AS A TREATMENT OPTION. 2012 11 66 34 A CONTROLLED TRIAL OF A YOGA-BASED PREVENTION PROGRAM TARGETING EATING DISORDER RISK FACTORS AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOL FEMALES. THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES OUTCOMES OF A REVISED VERSION OF A YOGA-BASED, EATING DISORDER PREVENTION PROGRAM, TARGETING EATING DISORDER RISK FACTORS, AMONG FIFTH GRADE GIRLS (I.E., GIRLS GROWING IN WELLNESS AND BALANCE: YOGA AND LIFE SKILLS TO EMPOWER [GGWB]). THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO DECREASE EATING DISORDER RISK FACTORS AND BOLSTER SELF-CARE AND INCLUDES REVISIONS NOT YET STUDIED THAT EXTEND THE PROGRAM TO 14 WEEKS AND ENHANCE CONTENT ADDRESSING SELF-CARE. EFFICACY WAS ASSESSED USING A CONTROLLED, REPEATED MEASURES DESIGN. RESULTS INDICATE THAT PARTICIPATION IN THE GGWB PROGRAM SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASES DRIVE FOR THINNESS AND BODY DISSATISFACTION WHILE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING SELF-CARE WHEN COMPARED TO A CONTROL GROUP. AS EXPECTED, THE PROGRAM DID NOT HAVE SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS ON EATING DISORDERED BEHAVIOUR LIKELY DUE TO LOW BASELINE RATES AMONG PARTICIPANTS. IMPLICATIONS OF FINDINGS AS WELL AS DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ON PREVENTION ARE DISCUSSED. 2017 12 257 33 A YOGA-BASED THERAPY PROGRAM DESIGNED TO IMPROVE BODY IMAGE AMONG AN OUTPATIENT EATING DISORDERED POPULATION: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND RESULTS FROM A MIXED-METHODS PILOT STUDY. POOR BODY IMAGE IS A CRITICAL BARRIER TO EATING DISORDER RECOVERY. THIS PILOT PROJECT WAS DESIGNED AS A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO EXAMINE A NOVEL GROUP-BASED, THERAPEUTIC YOGA AND BODY IMAGE PROGRAM (YBI) FOR ADDRESSING NEGATIVE BODY IMAGE IN THOSE CLINICALLY DIAGNOSED WITH AN EATING DISORDER (ANOREXIA, BULIMIA NERVOSA, AND OTHER SPECIFIED FEEDING OR EATING DISORDER) RECEIVING OUTPATIENT LEVEL TREATMENT AT AN EATING DISORDER TREATMENT CENTER LOCATED IN MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA. SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COMPLETED BY 67 PARTICIPANTS AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE 8-WEEK SERIES, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE YBI PROGRAM AND ITS POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON BODY IMAGE AND SELF-WORTH DURING OUTPATIENT EATING DISORDER TREATMENT. QUANTITATIVE SURVEY QUESTIONS ASSESSED PARTICIPANTS' BODY IMAGE CONCERNS, WHILE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS PROBED PARTICIPANTS' EXPERIENCES AND THE PERCEIVED IMPACT OF THE YOGA PROGRAM ON THEIR BODY IMAGE. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE YOGA PROGRAM, MEAN ITEM SCORES ON THE BODY IMAGE CONCERN SURVEY IMPROVED: INCREASES RANGED FROM 0.3 TO 0.8 POINTS ON A 5-POINT SCALE. IN OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS, PARTICIPANTS DESCRIBED MANY POSITIVE CHANGES TO THEIR BODY IMAGE. PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT THE YOGA PROGRAM IMPROVED THEIR SELF-ACCEPTANCE, SELF-AWARENESS, CONFIDENCE, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL STRENGTH, AND WAS A POSITIVE FORM OF RELEASE. PARTICIPANTS ALSO DISCUSSED PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES OF THE YOGA PROGRAM AND HOW THEY CONTRIBUTED TO SELF-JUDGMENT, VULNERABILITY, AND CONFRONTATION OF UNCOMFORTABLE FEELINGS. THE RESULTS OF THIS PILOT STUDY ARE PROMISING AND WARRANT CONSIDERATION OF MORE RIGOROUS STUDY DESIGNS TO EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL OF A BODY IMAGE SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAM TO AID THOSE IN EATING DISORDER TREATMENT TO IMPROVE BODY IMAGE DISTURBANCES. 2020 13 1183 34 EVALUATION OF YOGA FOR PREVENTING ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE RISK FACTORS IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL SETTING: A PRELIMINARY GROUP-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. ADOLESCENCE IS A KEY DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD FOR PREVENTING SUBSTANCE USE INITIATION, HOWEVER PREVENTION PROGRAMS SOLELY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE USE RARELY CHANGE ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE BEHAVIORS. RECENT RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT MIND-BODY PRACTICES SUCH AS YOGA MAY HAVE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON SEVERAL SUBSTANCE USE RISK FACTORS, AND THAT THESE PRACTICES MAY SERVE AS PROMISING INTERVENTIONS FOR PREVENTING ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE. THE PRIMARY AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO TEST THE EFFICACY OF YOGA FOR REDUCING SUBSTANCE USE RISK FACTORS DURING EARLY ADOLESCENCE. SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED BY CLASSROOM TO RECEIVE EITHER A 32-SESSION YOGA INTERVENTION (N = 117) IN PLACE OF THEIR REGULAR PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES OR TO CONTINUE WITH PHYSICAL-EDUCATION-AS-USUAL (N = 94). PARTICIPANTS (63.2 % FEMALE; 53.6 % WHITE) COMPLETED PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESSING EMOTIONAL SELF-REGULATION, PERCEIVED STRESS, MOOD IMPAIRMENT, IMPULSIVITY, SUBSTANCE USE WILLINGNESS, AND ACTUAL SUBSTANCE USE. PARTICIPANTS ALSO COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES AT 6-MONTHS AND 1-YEAR POST-INTERVENTION. RESULTS REVEALED THAT PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONTROL CONDITION WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE WILLING TO TRY SMOKING CIGARETTES IMMEDIATELY POST-INTERVENTION THAN PARTICIPANTS IN THE YOGA CONDITION. IMMEDIATE PRE- TO POST-INTERVENTION DIFFERENCES DID NOT EMERGE FOR THE REMAINING OUTCOMES. HOWEVER, LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP ANALYSES REVEALED A PATTERN OF DELAYED EFFECTS IN WHICH FEMALES IN THE YOGA CONDITION, AND MALES IN THE CONTROL CONDITION, DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENTS IN EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT SCHOOL-BASED YOGA MAY HAVE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS WITH REGARD TO PREVENTING MALES' AND FEMALES' WILLINGNESS TO SMOKE CIGARETTES, AS WELL AS IMPROVING EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL IN FEMALES. HOWEVER ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS REQUIRED, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO THE POTENTIAL LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF MIND-BODY INTERVENTIONS IN SCHOOL SETTINGS. THE PRESENT STUDY CONTRIBUTES TO THE LITERATURE ON ADOLESCENCE BY EXAMINING SCHOOL-BASED YOGA AS A NOVEL PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR SUBSTANCE USE RISK FACTORS. 2017 14 1512 25 IS THERE MORE TO YOGA THAN EXERCISE? CONTEXT: YOGA IS INCREASING IN POPULARITY, WITH AN ESTIMATED 15 MILLION PRACTITIONERS IN THE UNITED STATES, YET THERE IS A DEARTH OF EMPIRICAL DATA ADDRESSING THE HOLISTIC BENEFITS OF YOGA. OBJECTIVE: TO COMPARE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BENEFITS OF AN EXERCISE-BASED YOGA PRACTICE TO THAT OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE YOGA PRACTICE (ONE WITH AN ETHICAL/SPIRITUAL COMPONENT). DESIGN: STUDENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, OR STRESS AND WHO AGREED TO PARTICIPATE WERE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THREE GROUPS: INTEGRATED YOGA, YOGA AS EXERCISE, CONTROL. PARTICIPANTS: A TOTAL OF 81 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS 18 YEARS AND OLDER AT A UNIVERSITY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, STRESS, HOPE, AND SALIVARY CORTISOL. RESULTS: OVER TIME, PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH THE INTEGRATED AND EXERCISE YOGA GROUPS EXPERIENCED DECREASED DEPRESSION AND STRESS, AN INCREASED SENSE OF HOPEFULNESS, AND INCREASED FLEXIBILITY COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. HOWEVER, ONLY THE INTEGRATED YOGA GROUP EXPERIENCED DECREASED ANXIETY-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DECREASED SALIVARY CORTISOL FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA, PRACTICED IN A MORE INTEGRATED FORM, IE, WITH AN ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL COMPONENT, MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OVER YOGA PRACTICED AS AN EXERCISE REGIMEN. 2011 15 2848 33 YOGA, MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY - A REVIEW OF LITERATURE. PURPOSE: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR CANCER ARE EXPOSED TO A WIDE VARIETY OF STRESSORS BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. NOT ONLY ADULTS BUT ALSO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS INCREASINGLY PRACTICE YOGA IN A HEALTH-PROMOTING MANNER AND TO COPE WITH STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. METHODS: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE WAS CONDUCTED TO PRESENT THE CURRENT OUTCOMES ON YOGA, MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY AN ONCOLOGICAL DISEASE. RESULTS: EIGHT STUDIES WERE IDENTIFIED THAT EXAMINED YOGA TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES. THREE STUDIES WERE FOUND ON MINDFULNESS IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY. THE STUDIES SUMMARIZED HERE SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS COULD HELP TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCE FATIGUE, IMPROVE ACTIVITY AND FITNESS LEVELS, IMPROVE SLEEP QUALITY, INCREASE APPETITE AND DECREASE ANXIETY IN VARIOUS STAGES OF THE DISEASE AND ITS TREATMENT. THE REVIEWED STUDIES SHOWED THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ONCOLOGICAL ILLNESSES ARE FEASIBLE IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND ARE WELL RECEIVED. CONCLUSIONS: THE RESULTS OF THE STUDIES SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS MAY HELP TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS DURING AND AFTER ONCOLOGICAL TREATMENT. BASED ON THE CURRENT BODY OF EVIDENCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY PATIENTS. RESEARCH MUST MEET THIS CHALLENGE TO DEVELOP SUITABLE DESIGNS TO FURTHER AND BETTER INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES. 2021 16 2837 31 YOGA'S IMPACT ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR DISORDERED EATING: A PILOT PREVENTION TRIAL. YOGA HAS BEEN PROPOSED AS A STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR EATING DISORDERS, BUT FEW PREVENTION TRIALS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT STUDY WAS TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF A YOGA SERIES IN FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS (N = 52). PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO A YOGA INTERVENTION (THREE 50-MINUTE YOGA CLASSES/WEEK FOR 10 WEEKS CONDUCTED BY CERTIFIED YOGA TEACHERS WHO RECEIVED A 3-DAY INTENSIVE TRAINING) OR A CONTROL GROUP. RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS, ASSESSED AT BASELINE, 5 AND 10 WEEKS, INCLUDED BODY DISSATISFACTION, NEGATIVE AFFECT, LONELINESS, SELF-COMPASSION, POSITIVE AFFECT, AND MINDFULNESS. MIXED MODELS CONTROLLING FOR BASELINE LEVELS OF OUTCOME VARIABLES WERE RUN. ON AVERAGE, PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED 20 OUT OF 30 YOGA CLASSES, AND THE MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED HIGH LEVELS OF SATISFACTION WITH THE YOGA SERIES. APPEARANCE ORIENTATION DECREASED AND POSITIVE AFFECT INCREASED IN THE YOGA GROUP RELATIVE TO THE CONTROL GROUP. AFTER CONTROLLING FOR BASELINE LEVELS, THE YOGA GROUP HAD A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER POSITIVE AFFECT THAN THE CONTROL GROUP. CHANGES IN OTHER OUTCOMES WERE NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, AS COMPARED TO THE CONTROL CONDITION. FUTURE YOGA RESEARCH DIRECTIONS ARE DISCUSSED INCLUDING EDUCATION ABOUT BODY IMAGE, MEASURE AND SAMPLE SELECTION, AND USE OF AN IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE FRAMEWORK. 2020 17 1884 30 REDUCING STRESS IN SCHOOL-AGE GIRLS THROUGH MINDFUL YOGA. INTRODUCTION: SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN REPORT MUCH STRESS IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, WHICH MAY LEAD TO PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL PROBLEMS. MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION IS A PROGRAM OF AWARENESS-BASED PRACTICES EFFECTIVE WITH ADULTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFICACY OF MINDFULNESS TRAINING THROUGH YOGA WITH SCHOOL-AGE GIRLS TO REDUCE PERCEIVED STRESS, ENHANCE COPING ABILITIES, SELF-ESTEEM, AND SELF-REGULATION, AND EXPLORE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DOSE OF THE INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES. METHOD: FOURTH- AND FIFTH-GRADE GIRLS WERE RECRUITED FROM TWO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO INTERVENTION AND WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUPS. THE INTERVENTION GROUP MET 1 HOUR A WEEK FOR 8 WEEKS AND COMPLETED 10 MINUTES OF DAILY HOMEWORK. RESULTS: SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF-REGULATION INCREASED IN BOTH GROUPS. THE INTERVENTION GROUP WAS MORE LIKELY TO REPORT GREATER APPRAISAL OF STRESS (P < .01) AND GREATER FREQUENCY OF COPING (P < .05). HOMEWORK ACCOUNTED FOR 7% OF THE VARIANCE IN REPORTED STRESS. DISCUSSION: CONSISTENT WITH REPORTS OF MINDFULNESS TRAINING, GREATER AWARENESS OF THE FEELINGS ASSOCIATED WITH STRESS MAY ENHANCE COPING ABILITIES. HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE INCREASING AWARENESS OF STRESSORS IN ITSELF INCREASED STRESS, POSSIBLY AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING MINDFULNESS OR RELATED TO COGNITIVE, EMOTIONAL, OR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. MINDFULNESS IN CHILDREN MAY DIFFER FROM MINDFULNESS IN ADULTS AND WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. 2012 18 15 26 "OVEREATING IS NOT ABOUT THE FOOD": WOMEN DESCRIBE THEIR EXPERIENCE OF A YOGA TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR BINGE EATING. AS PART OF A LARGER MIXED-METHODS STUDY, DATA FROM 20 PERSONAL JOURNALS WERE ANALYZED TO EXAMINE THE EXPERIENCE OF A 12-WEEK YOGA TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR BINGE EATING AMONG A SAMPLE OF 25 WOMEN WHO WERE OBESE. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS REVEALED A POSITIVE SHIFT EXPERIENCED BY THE WOMEN DURING THE PROGRAM, SUMMARIZED BY A GENERAL STRUCTURAL DESCRIPTION: DISCONNECTION VERSUS CONNECTION. WOMEN'S COMMENTS SUGGESTED THAT THE PROGRAM APPEARED TO ENCOURAGE A HEALTHY RECONNECTION TO FOOD, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHYSICAL SELF-EMPOWERMENT, THROUGH CULTIVATING PRESENT-MOMENT AWARENESS. SPECIFICALLY, WOMEN PERCEIVED AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN THE QUANTITY OF FOOD THEY CONSUMED, DECREASED EATING SPEED, AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN FOOD CHOICES THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM. THE WOMEN ALSO REPORTED FEELING MORE CONNECTED TO AND POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. THESE EVOLVING OUTCOMES WERE SUMMARIZED THROUGH TWO MAJOR THEMES: THE WAY THEIR PHYSICALITY CHANGED, AND THE WAY THEIR FOOD CONSUMPTION CHANGED OVER TIME. FINDINGS PROVIDE INSIGHTS RELEVANT TO THERAPEUTIC PROCESSES THAT MIGHT OCCUR WITHIN EATING DISORDER INTERVENTIONS THAT DRAW ON MEDITATION-BASED APPROACHES. 2009 19 1373 33 IMPACT OF A YOGA INTERVENTION ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SELF-EFFICACY, AND MOTIVATION IN WOMEN WITH PTSD SYMPTOMS. BACKGROUND: STUDIES USING YOGA HAVE DEMONSTRATED INITIAL EFFICACY FOR TREATING SYMPTOMS ACROSS ANXIETY DISORDERS, INCLUDING POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. OBJECTIVE: UNDERSTANDING HOW INTERVENTIONS INFLUENCE PARTICIPANTS' PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND WHAT DETERMINANTS AFFECT CONTINUED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BEHAVIOR CHANGE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE MAINTENANCE OF THE BEHAVIOR MAY BE CRITICAL TO CONTINUED MENTAL HEALTH GAINS AND SYMPTOM REDUCTION. METHODS: THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED CHANGE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND POSSIBLE PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BEHAVIOR CHANGE, INCLUDING SELF-EFFICACY AND REGULATORY MOTIVATION, IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF YOGA FOR WOMEN WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SYMPTOMS (N=38). RESULTS: GROWTH CURVE MODELING RESULTS SHOWED NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OR SELF-EFFICACY FOR EITHER GROUP, WHEREAS EXTERNAL MOTIVATION DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE YOGA GROUP BUT NOT IN THE CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: INVESTIGATORS OF FUTURE YOGA INTERVENTIONS MAY WANT TO FOCUS ON INCREASING SELF-EFFICACY AND INTERNAL REGULATORY MOTIVATION, SO THAT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND RESULTANT SYMPTOM RELIEF CAN BE MAINTAINED. 2015 20 2401 35 YOGA AND EATING DISORDER PREVENTION AND TREATMENT: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. YOGA IS FREQUENTLY USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH STANDARD TREATMENT APPROACHES FOR EATING DISORDERS. HOWEVER, YOGA'S EFFICACY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN PREVENTING AND TREATING EATING DISORDERS HAS REMAINED UNCLEAR. THE AIM OF THIS COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS IS TO REVIEW THE EXTANT LITERATURE AND ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN THE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION OF EATING DISORDER SYMPTOMS AND CORRELATES IN BOTH CLINICAL AND NON-CLINICAL POPULATIONS. STUDIES ASSESSING YOGA AND ITS EFFECT ON EATING DISORDER SYMPTOMS AND/OR BODY IMAGE AS RELATED TO DISORDERED EATING, WERE ELIGIBLE FOR INCLUSION. THE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW DETAILS CORRELATIONAL, NON-CONTROLLED, NON-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED, AND YOGA COMPARISON STUDIES. FOR THE META-ANALYSIS, ONLY RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS COMPARING A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION TO A NON-YOGA CONTROL GROUP WERE INCLUDED. IN TOTAL, 43 STUDIES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW, WITH 11 TRIALS INVOLVING 754 PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED IN THE META-ANALYSIS. RESULTS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND META-ANALYSES RESULTS INDICATED YOGA INTERVENTIONS DEMONSTRATED A SMALL, SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON GLOBAL EATING DISORDER PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, A MODERATE-TO-LARGE EFFECT ON BINGE EATING AND BULIMIA, AND A SMALL EFFECT ON BODY IMAGE CONCERNS, AS COMPARED TO THE CONTROL CONDITIONS. THERE WAS NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON DIETARY RESTRAINT IN EITHER DIRECTION. ADDITIONALLY, RESULTS INDICATED A SMALL-TO-MODERATE EFFECT ON A COMPOSITE MEASURE OF EATING DISORDER-RELATED CONSTRUCTS. THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH SUPPORTING THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS. 2020