1 1253 144 FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY AND PRELIMINARY IMPACT OF MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA AMONG HISPANIC/LATINX ADOLESCENTS. BACKGROUND: THE HISPANIC/LATINX POPULATION CONSTITUTES THE FASTEST GROWING ETHNIC/RACIAL MINORITY GROUP IN THE UNITED STATES (U.S.). COMPARED TO THEIR NON-HISPANIC/LATINX WHITE COUNTERPARTS, HISPANIC/LATINX YOUTH EXPERIENCE MORE DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, AND HAVE MORE UNMET MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS (88% VS 76%). EMERGING RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF MIND-BODY AWARENESS TRAINING TO ENHANCE WELL-BEING AND MENTAL HEALTH, BUT ALMOST NO STUDIES HAVE RECRUITED ETHNIC/RACIAL MINORITY SAMPLES. PURPOSE: THE CURRENT STUDY EXAMINED THE FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY AND PRELIMINARY IMPACT OF A MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA PROGRAM AMONG HISPANIC/LATINX PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. PROCEDURES: PARTICIPANTS (N = 187) WERE RECRUITED FROM A LOCAL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN A LARGE MULTI-ETHNIC URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE SOUTHEAST U.S. AND PARTICIPATED IN 6 WEEKLY HOUR-LONG SESSIONS OF MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED ASSESSMENTS AT PRETEST AND ONE MONTH AFTER PROGRAM COMPLETION. MAIN FINDINGS: THE SAMPLE WAS PREDOMINANTLY HISPANIC/LATINX (95%) AND FEMALE (64%), ON AVERAGE 15.2 YEARS OLD (SD = 1.3), AND 51% WERE BORN OUTSIDE THE U.S. PARTICIPANTS REPORTED ON AVERAGE A 14.2% REDUCTION IN DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS (PRETEST MEAN = 5.51, POSTTEST MEAN = 4.73, P = .032, COHEN'S D = 0.2), A 14.9% REDUCTION IN ANXIETY SYMPTOMS (PRETEST MEAN = 9.90, POSTTEST MEAN = 8.42, P = .005, COHEN'S D = 0.2), AND A 21.9% REDUCTION IN STRESS (PRETEST MEAN = 9.66, POSTTEST MEAN = 7.54, P < .001, COHEN'S D = 0.5). CONCLUSION: THESE FINDINGS PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA PROGRAM FOR HISPANIC/LATINX ADOLESCENTS, A MEDICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUP EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES. 2022 2 342 29 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 3 1349 31 IF WE OFFER, WILL THEY COME: PERCEPTIONS OF YOGA AMONG HISPANICS. OBJECTIVE: YOGA IS UNDERUTILIZED BY THE HISPANICS. THIS STUDY EXAMINED PERCEPTIONS OF BENEFITS AND BARRIERS TO YOGA AMONG HISPANIC ADULTS, TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT MAY INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THIS PRACTICE. SETTING: PARTICIPANTS WERE RECRUITED FROM A COMMUNITY CENTER SERVING LOW-INCOME HISPANICS. DESIGN: SELF-ADMINISTERED CROSS-SECTIONAL QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESSING BENEFITS AND BARRIERS TO YOGA WERE CONDUCTED IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH. FISHER'S EXACT TEST WAS USED TO EXAMINE PERCEPTIONS OF YOGA BY GENDER, AGE, AND PRIOR EXPERIENCE. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS (AGES 18-85, 65 % WOMEN, N = 121) REPORTED SEVERAL BENEFITS TO YOGA. HISPANIC WOMEN, INDIVIDUALS 65 Y OR OLDER, AND THOSE WITH PRIOR EXPERIENCE, PERCEIVED MORE BENEFITS. BARRIERS TO YOGA ALSO DIFFERED BY DEMOGRAPHICS. MEN REPORTED THAT TIME AND THE PERCEPTION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO UNREALISTIC PRETZEL-LIKE POSES AS DETERRENTS TO YOGA PRACTICE; YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS PERCEIVED YOGA TO BE BORING, AND THOSE WITH NO EXPERIENCE PERCEIVED LACK OF FLEXIBILITY AND FEELING LIKE AN OUTSIDER IN CLASS, AS BARRIERS TO YOGA. THE MOST COMMON BARRIER, ACROSS SUBGROUPS, WAS THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA PRACTICE. THE MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BEING WILLING TO ATTEND YOGA CLASSES IF OFFERED AT A LOW COST. CONCLUSION: PERCEIVED BARRIERS RELATED TO YOGA REFLECT A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT YOGA AND WHAT IT ENTAILS AND THE COST OF CLASSES. DESPITE THESE BARRIERS, HISPANIC ADULTS FROM A LOW-INCOME POPULATION SAID THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO ATTEND YOGA CLASSES IF OFFERED AT A LOW COST. UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING THESE BARRIERS CAN HELP RESEARCHERS AND HEALTH PRACTITIONERS IMPROVE DIVERSITY IN YOGA CLASSES AND RESEARCH. 2021 4 719 34 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 2062 41 THE BENEFITS OF YOGA IN THE CLASSROOM: A MIXED-METHODS APPROACH TO THE EFFECTS OF POSES AND BREATHING AND RELAXATION TECHNIQUES. BACKGROUND: DISADVANTAGED YOUTH IN THE UNITED STATES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY LIKELY TO BE MORE SEDENTARY AND OBESE AND EXPERIENCE MORE STRESS THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS WITH HIGHER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. YOGA AND BREATHING AND RELAXATION TECHNIQUES HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS ON STRESS LEVELS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS, AND BEHAVIOR OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. AIMS: USING SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY TO EXAMINE BEHAVIORAL, PERSONAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE MULTILEVEL INFLUENCES OF A YOGA-BASED CLASSROOM INTERVENTION ON URBAN YOUTH. METHODS: USING A MIXED METHODOLOGICAL QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN, THIS PILOT STUDY INCLUDED THE THIRD GRADE STUDENTS (N = 40) AT ONE URBAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. A SURVEY CONTAINED STRESS, YOGA BEHAVIOR, AND AGGRESSION SCALES. IN ADDITION, INDIVIDUAL STUDENT INTERVIEWS, A TEACHER INTERVIEW, AND CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS WERE CONDUCTED. RESULTS: PAIRED AND INDEPENDENT SAMPLE T-TESTS SHOWED PRE/POST DIFFERENCES IN YOGA PARTICIPATION BOTH IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL FOR THE INTERVENTION PARTICIPANTS (P < 0.01). QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS REVEALED THREE MAIN THEMES: (1) INCREASED USE AND ENJOYMENT OF YOGA TECHNIQUES, (2) BEHAVIORAL CHANGES BOTH IN/OUT OF SCHOOL, AND (3) IMPACT ON PERSONAL FACTORS. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT URBAN CLASSROOMS SHOULD INCLUDE YOGA AND MINDFULNESS TRAINING AS IT CONTRIBUTES TO DAILY STUDENT PA AND ALSO CAN BE STRESS RELIEVING, FUN, CALMING, AND EASY TO PERFORM OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. 2020 6 2613 33 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 7 1628 28 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 8 210 33 A SLEEP HYGIENE AND YOGA INTERVENTION CONDUCTED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITIES: PILOT STUDY RESULTS AND LESSONS FOR A FUTURE TRIAL. BACKGROUND: AND PURPOSE: INADEQUATE SLEEP IS HIGHLY PREVALENT AMONG SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND IS OFTEN RELATED TO MALADAPTIVE SLEEP BEHAVIORS AND STRESS. THERE IS SCANT RESEARCH INVESTIGATING THE DELIVERY OF THESE INTERVENTIONS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DEVELOP AND TEST THE FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF A SLEEP EDUCATION AND YOGA INTERVENTION FOR SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND RACIAL/ETHNIC DIVERSE ADULTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: WE PRESENT QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA FROM A SINGLE-ARM SLEEP EDUCATION AND YOGA PILOT STUDY (N = 17) CONDUCTED IN TWO AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITIES, AND THE MULTI-MODAL PROCESS WE EMPLOYED TO REFINE THE INTERVENTION FOR A FUTURE TRIAL. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS WERE AGE 43.6 YEARS ON AVERAGE (+/-19.3 YEARS) AND 88.2% WERE FEMALE. NEARLY 56% IDENTIFIED AS NON-HISPANIC BLACK AND 19% AS HISPANIC/LATINO. RESULTS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT PRE/POST-INTERVENTION IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEP DURATION (5.4 +/- 1.2 H/NIGHT VS 6.9 +/- 1.7 H/NIGHT; P < 0.01), SLEEP-RELATED IMPAIRMENT (-8.15; P < 0.01), SLEEP DISTURBANCE (-5.95; P < 0.01), AND SLEEP HYGIENE BEHAVIORS (-5.50; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: THIS STUDY INDICATES INTERVENTION ACCEPTABILITY AND IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEP AND SLEEP HYGIENE. FUTURE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO ASSESS EFFICACY. 2020 9 1230 39 FEASIBILITY AND OUTCOME OF AN ONLINE STREAMED YOGA INTERVENTION ON STRESS AND WELLBEING OF PEOPLE WORKING FROM HOME DURING COVID-19. BACKGROUND: THE OUTBREAK OF COVID-19 AND ITS ASSOCIATED MEASURES HAS RESULTED IN A SIZEABLE WORKING POPULATION TRANSITIONING TO WORKING FROM HOME (WFH), BRINGING ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES, AND INCREASING WORK-RELATED STRESS. RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT YOGA HAS PROMISING POTENTIAL IN REDUCING STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE VERY FEW STUDIES EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF ONLINE STREAMED YOGA ON STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR PEOPLE-WFH. OBJECTIVE: TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY AND OUTCOME OF AN ONLINE STREAMED YOGA INTERVENTION ON STRESS AND WELLBEING OF PEOPLE-WFH DURING COVID-19. METHODS: A SIX-WEEK PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (RCT) YOGA INTERVENTION WAS DESIGNED WITH YOGA (N = 26) AND A WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUP (N = 26). A MIXED TWO-WAY ANOVA WAS USED TO ASSESS CHANGES IN STANDARDISED OUTCOME MEASURES AT BASELINE AND POST-INTERVENTION. LIKERT AND OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ASSESSED ENJOYMENT, ACCEPTABILITY AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH WERE ANALYSED THEMATICALLY. RESULTS: COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL, THE YOGA GROUP REPORTED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN PERCEIVED STRESS, MENTAL WELLBEING, DEPRESSION AND COPING SELF-EFFICACY, BUT NOT STRESS AND ANXIETY. PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS AND REPORTED HIGH ACCEPTABILITY AND ENJOYMENT OF THE INTERVENTION. CONCLUSIONS: AN ONLINE YOGA INTERVENTION CAN HELP PEOPLE WFH MANAGE STRESS AND ENHANCE WELLBEING AND COPING ABILITIES. 2021 10 2618 34 YOGA FOR SELF-CARE AND BURNOUT PREVENTION AMONG NURSES. THE PROMOTION OF SELF-CARE AND THE PREVENTION OF BURNOUT AMONG NURSES IS A PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITY. EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE EFFICACY OF YOGA TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES, BUT FEW STUDIES HAVE EXAMINED THE INFLUENCE OF YOGA ON NURSE-SPECIFIC OUTCOMES. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT-LEVEL RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WAS TO EXAMINE THE EFFICACY OF YOGA TO IMPROVE SELF-CARE AND REDUCE BURNOUT AMONG NURSES. COMPARED WITH CONTROLS (N = 20), YOGA PARTICIPANTS (N = 20) REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER SELF-CARE AS WELL AS LESS EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION AND DEPERSONALIZATION UPON COMPLETION OF AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION. ALTHOUGH THE CONTROL GROUP DEMONSTRATED NO CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE STUDY, THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN SCORES FROM PRE- TO POST-INTERVENTION FOR SELF-CARE (P < .001), MINDFULNESS (P = .028), EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION (P = .008), AND DEPERSONALIZATION (P = .007) OUTCOMES. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE ARE DISCUSSED. 2015 11 1242 32 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 12 1512 32 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 13 1369 26 IMPACT OF A SHORT YOGA INTERVENTION ON MEDICAL STUDENTS' HEALTH: A PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND: MEDICAL STUDENTS OFTEN EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT DISTRESS EARLY-ON IN UNDERGRADUATE TRAINING. AIMS: WE AIMED TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF A BRIEF STRUCTURED YOGA INTERVENTION ON MEDICAL STUDENTS. METHOD: FOURTEEN FIRST-YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A 16-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION PILOT STUDY. STUDENTS COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES AT BASELINE, MID-INTERVENTION AND END OF THE STUDY. RESULTS: THE STUDENTS REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN OVERALL HEALTH, PERCEIVED STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION. CONCLUSIONS: A YOGA INTERVENTION MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN DECREASING STRESS AND IMPROVING GENERAL WELL-BEING IN MEDICAL STUDENTS. 2009 14 2226 35 THE IMPACT OF YOGA IN MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY. OBJECTIVES: WE EVALUATED THE ACCEPTABILITY, ACCESS, AND IMPACT OF YOGA AMONG PARTICIPANTS IN YOGA CLASSES CO-LOCATED IN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS. DESIGN: PARTICIPANTS WERE INVITED TO COMPLETE A MIXED-METHODS PROGRAM EVALUATION CONSISTING OF A PRE/POST SURVEY AT THEIR FIRST CLASS AND STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS AT 4 MONTHS. SETTING: THE STUDY TOOK PLACE AT TWO COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO, IL, USA. INTERVENTIONS: FOUR WEEKLY 1-1.5 HOUR YOGA CLASSES WERE PROVIDED BY FOUR CERTIFIED YOGA INSTRUCTORS TRAINED TO TEACH TO ALL ABILITY LEVELS. MEASURES: OUR PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES WERE PAIN AND STRESS BEFORE AND AFTER THE FIRST CLASS, AND AT 4-MONTHS. WE GATHERED DATA ABOUT PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICS, THEIR HEALTH PROBLEMS, HOW THEY ACCESSED THE CLASSES, AND MOTIVATIONS AND BARRIERS TO ATTENDING. WE ALSO EXTRACTED THEMES FROM PARTICIPANTS' QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES. RESULTS: OVERALL, 70 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THE INITIAL SURVEYS; 44 COMPLETED THE 4-MONTH INTERVIEWS. A RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE GROUP OF MIDDLE- AND LOW-INCOME ADULT PATIENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTENDED, WITH FLYERS AND WORD OF MOUTH THE MAJOR ROUTES TO THE CLASS. A SINGLE YOGA CLASS PROVIDED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN PAIN AND STRESS, BUT THESE BENEFITS WERE NOT DEMONSTRATED AT THE 4-MONTH FOLLOW-UP. THE PRIMARY MOTIVATORS FOR YOGA CLASS ATTENDANCE WERE STRESS RELIEF, EXERCISE, AND OVERALL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT. PRIMARY BARRIERS INCLUDED FAMILY ISSUES, SCHEDULE, ILLNESS, AND WORK CONFLICTS. PRIMARY BENEFITS INCLUDED PHYSICAL BENEFITS, RELAXATION, EMOTIONAL BENEFITS, AND COMMUNITY CONNECTEDNESS. CONCLUSIONS: CO-LOCATING YOGA CLASSES IN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS PROVIDES A VARIETY OF BENEFITS AND IS A VIABLE PATHWAY TO ADDRESSING DISPARITIES IN YOGA ACCESS. 2019 15 2187 44 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 16 1249 39 FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A MODIFIED YOGA PROGRAM FOR CHRONIC PAIN AMONG ELDERLY ADULTS IN ASSISTED AND INDEPENDENT LIVING. CONTEXT: YOGA IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE IN ELDERS >/=65 YEARS, BUT STUDIES AMONG ELDERS WITH CHRONIC PAIN ARE LIMITED. OBJECTIVE: CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF GENTLE YOGA AMONG ELDERS IN ASSISTED AND INDEPENDENT LIVING. DESIGN: SINGLE ARM PRE/POST CLINICAL TRIAL. SUBJECTS: ADULTS (>/=65 YEARS OF AGE) WITH SELF-IDENTIFIED CHRONIC PAIN (>/=3 ON A 10-POINT SCALE, LASTING FOR >/=3 MONTHS) AND NO CURRENT YOGA PRACTICE. INTERVENTION: TEN WEEKLY 60-MIN GENTLE YOGA CLASSES TAILORED TO ELDERLY ADULTS. OUTCOME MEASURES: AT BASELINE, WEEKS 5, 10 (END OF INTERVENTION), AND 20 (FOLLOW-UP), WE COLLECTED DATA ON FEASIBILITY (ADHERENCE, RETENTION, SAFETY), PAIN, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, FATIGUE, SLEEP DISTURBANCE, AND PHYSICAL FUNCTION. RESULTS: TWENTY-SIX PARTICIPANTS ENROLLED (88% WOMEN, 77% WHITE, 58% IN ASSISTED LIVING) WITH AVERAGE AGE OF 86.6 +/- 4.4 (MEAN, STD). TWENTY PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THE INTERVENTION, WITH 90% ADHERING (COMPLETING >/=6 CLASSES). NINE PARTICIPANTS (45% OF COMPLETERS) EXPERIENCED ADVERSE EVENTS, WHICH WERE NON-SERIOUS AND RELATED TO TRANSIENT MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN. NO ADVERSE EVENTS RESULTED IN STUDY WITHDRAWAL. PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BEING SOMEWHAT LIKELY TO RECOMMEND YOGA TO A FRIEND, AND QUITE A BIT LIKELY TO DO YOGA AGAIN. AT THE END OF THE INTERVENTION, FOUR OF TWENTY PARTICIPANTS REPORTED PRACTICING YOGA OUTSIDE OF CLASS. ANXIETY SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED FROM 5.80 (SE=0.90) TO 4.44 (SE=0.74) (P = 0.014), BUT THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN OTHER MEASURES. CONCLUSIONS: OUR PILOT 10-WEEK YOGA STUDY WAS GENERALLY SAFE FOR AND SUITABLE TO ASSISTED AND INDEPENDENT LIVING ELDERLY ADULTS. FUTURE STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO EXAMINE OTHER EFFECTS OF YOGA IN ASSISTED/INDEPENDENT LIVING ADULTS WITH CHRONIC PAIN. 2022 17 1830 34 PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY AND SET-SHIFTING AMONG VETERANS PARTICIPATING IN A YOGA PROGRAM: A PILOT STUDY. INTRODUCTION: TRAUMA-FOCUSED PSYCHOTHERAPIES DO NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL VETERANS. YOGA SHOWS SOME POTENTIAL IN REDUCING STRESS AND PERHAPS EVEN PTSD IN VETERANS, ALTHOUGH LITTLE IS UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THE MECHANISMS OF ACTION. THIS STUDY IDENTIFIES PRELIMINARY CORRELATES OF CHANGE IN PTSD AND PERCEIVED STRESS FOR VETERANS PARTICIPATING IN YOGA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: NINE VETERANS (SEVEN MALES AND TWO FEMALES) WERE RECRUITED FROM AN EXISTING CLINICAL YOGA PROGRAM AND OBSERVED OVER 16 WK. SEVERITY OF PTSD SYMPTOMS (PCL-5) AND PERCEIVED STRESS (PSS-10) WERE COLLECTED AT BASELINE AND WEEKS 4, 6, 8, AND 16. PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY (AAQ-II) AND SET-SHIFTING (RATIO OF TRAIL MAKING TEST A TO B) WERE COLLECTED AT BASELINE AND AT WEEK 6. SUBJECTS ATTENDED YOGA SESSIONS FREELY, RANGING FROM 1 TO 23 CLASSES OVER THE 16 WEEKS. THE STANFORD UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVED THIS RESEARCH PROTOCOL. RESULTS: SELF-REPORTED PTSD SYMPTOMS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED WHILE PERCEIVED STRESS DID NOT. LOWER BASELINE SET-SHIFTING PREDICTED GREATER IMPROVEMENTS IN PTSD BETWEEN BASELINE AND 4 WEEKS; EARLY IMPROVEMENTS IN SET-SHIFTING PREDICTED OVERALL REDUCTION IN PTSD. GREATER PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER PTSD AND PERCEIVED STRESS; MORE YOGA PRACTICE, BEFORE AND DURING THE STUDY, WAS ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY. OTHER PREDICTORS WERE NOT SUPPORTED. CONCLUSIONS: IN A SMALL UNCONTROLLED SAMPLE, PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY AND SET-SHIFTING PREDICTED CHANGES IN PTSD SYMPTOMS IN VETERANS PARTICIPATING IN A CLINICAL YOGA PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS FINDINGS FROM PRIOR RESEARCH. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD INCLUDE AN ACTIVE COMPARISON GROUP AND RECORD FREQUENCY OF YOGA PRACTICED OUTSIDE FORMAL SESSIONS. 2018 18 2183 43 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 19 1363 40 IMPACT AND OUTCOMES OF AN IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM IN A CANCER CENTRE. BACKGROUND: INDIVIDUALS HAVE INCREASINGLY SOUGHT COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES TO ENHANCE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING DURING CANCER, ALTHOUGH LITTLE EVIDENCE OF THEIR EFFECT IS AVAILABLE. OBJECTIVES: WE INVESTIGATED HOW AN IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM AFFECTS THE SELF-IDENTIFIED WORST SYMPTOM IN A GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS. WHETHER QUALITY OF LIFE, SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING, AND MOOD DISTURBANCE CHANGE OVER THE IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM AND AT 6 WEEKS AFTER THE PROGRAM. HOW, FROM A PARTICIPANT'S PERSPECTIVE, THE IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS CONVENTIONAL CANCER TREATMENT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: THIS PRE-POST INSTRUMENTAL COLLECTIVE CASE STUDY USED A MIXED METHODS DESIGN AND WAS CONDUCTED AT A PRIVATE IYENGAR YOGA STUDIO. THE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 24 VOLUNTEERS (23 WOMEN, 1 MAN; 88% CAUCASIAN; MEAN AGE: 49 YEARS) WHO WERE CURRENTLY ON TREATMENT OR WHO HAD BEEN TREATED FOR CANCER WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 6 MONTHS, AND WHO PARTICIPATED IN TEN 90-MINUTE WEEKLY IYENGAR YOGA CLASSES. THE MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES WERE MOST-BOTHERSOME SYMPTOM (MEASURE YOUR MEDICAL OUTCOME PROFILE 2 INSTRUMENT), QUALITY OF LIFE AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING (FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS THERAPY-GENERAL SUBSCALE AND SPIRITUAL SUBSCALE), AND MOOD DISTURBANCE (PROFILE OF MOOD STATES-SHORT FORM). PARTICIPANT PERSPECTIVES WERE OBTAINED IN QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS. RESULTS: STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WERE REPORTED IN MOST-BOTHERSOME SYMPTOM (T((23)) = 5.242; P < 0.001), QUALITY OF LIFE (F((2,46)) = 14.5; P < 0.001), SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING (F((2,46)) = 14.4; P < 0.001), AND MOOD DISTURBANCE (F((2,46)) = 10.8; P < 0.001) DURING THE PROGRAM. AT FOLLOW-UP, QUALITY OF LIFE (T((21)) = -3.7; P = 0.001) AND MOOD DISTURBANCE (T((21)) = 2.4; P = 0.025) SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED OVER TIME. CATEGORICAL AGGREGATION OF THE INTERVIEW DATA SHOWED THAT PARTICIPANTS FELT THE PROGRAM PROVIDED THEM WITH VARIOUS BENEFITS NOT INCLUDED ON THE OUTCOMES QUESTIONNAIRES. CONCLUSIONS: OVER THE COURSE OF THE IYENGAR YOGA FOR CANCER PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS REPORTED AN IMPROVEMENT IN OVERALL WELL-BEING. THE PROGRAM WAS ALSO FOUND TO PRESENT PARTICIPANTS WITH A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CARE AND TO PROVIDE TOOLS TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE DEMANDS OF LIVING WITH CANCER AND ITS TREATMENT. 2008 20 1226 25 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