1 1474 67 INTEGRATED APPROACH TO YOGA THERAPY AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS. A SPECIALLY DESIGNED INTEGRATED APPROACH TO YOGA THERAPY MODULE WAS APPLIED TO AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS OVER A PERIOD OF TWO ACADEMIC YEARS. DESPITE LOW NUMBERS (SIX IN EACH ARM), CONSISTENCY AND MAGNITUDE OF EFFECTS MAKE THE FINDINGS SIGNIFICANT. PARENTAL PARTICIPATION, ALLOWING FIRM GUIDANCE TO BE GIVEN TO EACH CHILD, RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN IMITATION AND OTHER SKILLS, AND IN BEHAVIOR AT HOME AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT GUIDED IMITATION OF THERAPIST BODY POSITIONS STIMULATED MIRROR NEURON ACTIVATION, RESULTING IN IMPROVED SENSE OF SELF. 2010 2 1164 25 EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA-BASED PROGRAM INTEGRATED WITH THIRD-WAVE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY COMPONENTS ON SELF-REGULATION IN CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM: A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. LAY ABSTRACT: CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTIES WITH THE REGULATION OF ATTENTION, THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, AND BEHAVIOR, UNDERSTANDING, AND EXPRESSING THEIR EMOTIONS APPROPRIATELY, AS WELL AS ANXIETY, AND SLEEP. IN AUTISM RESEARCH, CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES THAT WORK THROUGH BOTH BODY AND MIND HAVE SHOWN TENTATIVELY PROMISING RESULTS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE LIMITED STUDIES ON THIS TOPIC, AND THE USE OF YOGA TO FACILITATE EXECUTIVE CONTROL HAS NOT BEEN RESEARCHED YET. THE INCREDIBLE EXPLORERS (6-WEEK PROGRAM), A YOGA-INFORMED INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN (8-12 YEARS), WAS DEVELOPED TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER, FOR CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, THE TRAINING COULD IMPROVE THE ABILITY TO SELF-REGULATE, REDUCE ANXIETY AND SLEEP PROBLEMS, AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF EMOTIONS. IN OUR SAMPLE, 61 CHILDREN WITH ONE OF THEIR PARENTS COMPLETED THE PROGRAM. HALF OF THE GROUP RECEIVED THE INTERVENTION, AND THE OTHER HALF HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE YOGA GROUP COMPLETED THEIR TRIAL. THE PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED TO GIVE THEIR FEEDBACK IMMEDIATELY AFTER PROGRAM COMPLETION AND AT 6-WEEK FOLLOW-UP. COMPARED TO THE GROUP THAT WAS WAITING TO RECEIVE THE INTERVENTION, PARENTS IN THE YOGA GROUP REPORTED SIGNIFICANT GAINS FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN REGULATING THEIR OVERALL EXECUTIVE CONTROL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SESSION AND AGAIN AT FOLLOW-UP. THE PARENTS REPORTED A REDUCTION IN SOME OF THE SLEEP PROBLEMS POST-TREATMENT. CHILDREN INDICATED AN IMPROVED ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE THEIR FEELINGS AND WILLINGNESS TO ANALYZE THEIR EMOTIONS POST-INTERVENTION. HOWEVER, THE STUDY HAD SEVERAL SHORTCOMINGS AND GIVEN THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TRIAL OF THE PROGRAM, THE RESULTS NEED TO BE INTERPRETED WITH CAUTION. FURTHER RESEARCH IS RECOMMENDED. 2021 3 1126 23 EFFICACY OF STRUCTURED YOGA INTERVENTION FOR SLEEP, GASTROINTESTINAL AND BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS OF ASD CHILDREN: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY. INTRODUCTION: AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) IS A NEURO DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER WHICH APPEARS AT EARLY CHILDHOOD AGE BETWEEN 18 AND 36 MONTHS. APART FROM BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS ASD CHILDREN ALSO SUFFER FROM SLEEP AND GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) PROBLEMS. MAJOR BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS OF ASD CHILDREN ARE LACK OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATION AND INTERACTION, LESS ATTENTION SPAN, REPETITIVE AND RESTRICTIVE BEHAVIOUR, LACK OF EYE TO EYE CONTACT, AGGRESSIVE AND SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOURS, SENSORY INTEGRATION PROBLEMS, MOTOR PROBLEMS, DEFICIENCY IN ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION ETC. OUR HYPOTHESIS IS THAT STRUCTURED YOGA INTERVENTION WILL BRINGS SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE PROBLEMS OF ASD CHILDREN. AIM: THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO FIND OUT EFFICACY OF STRUCTURED YOGA INTERVENTION FOR SLEEP PROBLEMS, GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS AND BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS OF ASD CHILDREN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: IT WAS AN EXPLORATORY STUDY WITH PRE-TEST AND POST-TEST CONTROL DESIGN. THREE SETS OF QUESTIONNAIRES HAVING 61 QUESTIONS DEVELOPED BY RESEARCHERS WERE USED TO COLLECT DATA PRE AND POST YOGA INTERVENTION. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE BASED ON THREE PROBLEMATIC AREAS OF ASD CHILDREN AS MENTIONED ABOVE AND WERE ADMINISTERED TO PARENTS BY TEACHERS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF RESEARCHER AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS. EXPERIMENTAL GROUP WAS GIVEN YOGA INTERVENTION FOR A PERIOD OF 90 DAYS AND CONTROL GROUP CONTINUED WITH SCHOOL CURRICULUM. RESULTS: BOTH CHILDREN AND PARENTS PARTICIPATED IN THIS INTERVENTION. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE SEEN POST YOGA INTERVENTION IN THREE AREAS OF PROBLEMS AS MENTIONED ABOVE. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ALSO SHOWED SIGNIFICANCE VALUE OF 0.001 IN THE RESULT. CONCLUSION: STRUCTURED YOGA INTERVENTION CAN BE CONDUCTED FOR A LARGE GROUP OF ASD CHILDREN WITH PARENT'S INVOLVEMENT. YOGA CAN BE USED AS ALTERNATIVE THERAPY TO REDUCE THE SEVERITY OF SYMPTOMS OF ASD CHILDREN. 2017 4 952 16 EFFECTS OF A CREATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION ON THE JOINT ATTENTION AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AS WELL AS AFFECTIVE STATES OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS GAINING POPULARITY AS A MULTISYSTEM INTERVENTION DUE TO ITS IMPACT ON BOTH THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN WITH TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER, THERE IS LIMITED EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE USE OF THIS APPROACH IN SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD). THE CURRENT PILOT STUDY EVALUATED THE IMPACT OF A CREATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION ON THE JOINT ATTENTION, SOCIAL COMMUNICATION, AND AFFECTIVE STATES OF CHILDREN WITH ASD. METHODS: 24 SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN WITH ASD RECEIVED EIGHT WEEKS OF YOGA (E.G., BREATHING, POSES, RELAXATION) OR TABLETOP PLAY/ACADEMIC INTERVENTION (E.G., READING, ARTS-CRAFTS, BUILDING ACTIVITIES). CHILDREN WERE TESTED BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION USING A STANDARDIZED MEASURE OF RESPONSIVE JOINT ATTENTION. ADDITIONALLY, CHANGES IN SOCIALLY DIRECTED VERBAL COMMUNICATION AND AFFECTIVE STATES OF CHILDREN WERE ASSESSED THREE TIMES DURING THE INTERVENTION PERIOD, I.E. DURING EARLY, MID, AND LATE INTERVENTION SESSIONS. RESULTS: CHILDREN WITH ASD SHOWED IMPROVEMENTS IN RESPONSIVE JOINT ATTENTION IN BOTH GROUPS IN THE POSTTEST VS. THE PRETEST. FURTHERMORE, CHILDREN IN THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED IMPROVEMENTS IN SOCIALLY DIRECTED VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS ACROSS THE INTERVENTION SESSIONS, I.E. GREATER SPONTANEOUS AND RESPONSIVE COMMUNICATION FROM EARLY/MID TO LATE INTERVENTION SESSIONS COMPARED TO THE ACADEMIC GROUP. THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN AFFECTIVE STATES WITH THE INTERVENTION, HOWEVER, THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED GREATER INTERESTED AND LESS NEGATIVE AFFECT COMPARED TO THE ACADEMIC GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: CREATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION IS A PROMISING TOOL THAT LED TO IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERVENTION-RELATED SOCIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND GENERALIZED JOINT ATTENTION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD. 2021 5 1979 19 SLEEP DISORDER, GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS AND BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS SEEN IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER CHILDREN AND YOGA AS THERAPY: A DESCRIPTIVE REVIEW. AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) IS A COMPLEX NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER WITH DEFICIENCIES IN MANY DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES DURING THE INFANTILE CHILDHOOD. RECENT RESEARCHES HAVE SHOWN THAT APART FROM BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS, THE ASD CHILDREN ALSO SUFFER FROM PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS DISTURBED SLEEP AND GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS THAT COULD BE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THEIR DAYTIME BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS. LOTS OF PARENTS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT, LACK OF SLEEP AMONG THE CHILDREN HAVE RESULTED IN HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS AMONG THE FAMILY MEMBERS PARTICULARLY AMONG THE IMMEDIATE CARETAKERS WHICH ARE IN MOST CASES THE MOTHER OF THE CHILD. EARLY BEHAVIOUR INTERVENTION IS A NORM FOR ASD CHILDREN WHICH MAINLY AFFECT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL. THROUGH THIS PAPER, AN EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO STUDY THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY YOGA IN ORDER TO MITIGATE SUCH PROBLEMS. YOGA IS A NON-INVASIVE AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPY THAT BRINGS CHANGE IN BOTH PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL OF AN INDIVIDUAL. HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS AMONG THE CARETAKERS OF THESE CHILDREN COULD MAKE THEM SUSCEPTIBLE TO NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES SUCH AS HYPERTENSION, DIABETES, ARTHRITIS ETC. PARENTAL BASED YOGA INTERVENTION CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND PARENTS AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY. 2016 6 2255 11 THE PATH FROM YOGA THERAPY IN A MEDICAL SCHOOL TO A SCHOOL OF YOGA THERAPY IN AN INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE DEPARTMENT. WE DESCRIBE HOW YOGA THERAPY WAS ESTABLISHED WITHIN A MEDICAL SCHOOL. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PAPER OUTLINES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A YOGA THERAPY POSITION AS WELL AS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A SCHOOL OF YOGA THERAPY IN A UNIVERSITY-BASED TEACHING HOSPITAL. 2015 7 853 13 EFFECT OF YOGA ON THE MOTOR PROFICIENCY OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND THE FEASIBILITY OF ITS INCLUSION IN SPECIAL SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS. YOGA AS A MOVEMENT-BASED INTERVENTION IS INCREASINGLY CONSIDERED TO IMPROVE THE MOTOR SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD). HOWEVER, THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE OF THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON THEIR MOTOR SKILLS. THE CURRENT STUDY AIMS TO EXPLORE THE EFFECT OF GROUP YOGA PROGRAM ON MOTOR PROFICIENCY OF CHILDREN WITH ASD AND FEASIBILITY OF ITS INCLUSION IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS. FORTY-THREE CHILDREN WITH ASD FROM FOUR SPECIAL SCHOOLS WERE RANDOMIZED INTO YOGA (N = 23) AND CONTROL (N = 20) GROUP. A STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAM OF 45 MIN FOR 12 WEEKS WAS DELIVERED BY TRAINED YOGA TEACHERS WHO ALSO TRACKED THEIR DAILY RESPONSES. THE BRUININKS-OSERETSKY TEST OF MOTOR PROFICIENCY. SECOND EDITION WAS USED TO ASSESS BOTH THE GROUPS PRE- AND POSTINTERVENTION. IN CONCLUSION, THE STUDY HIGHLIGHTED THAT YOGA APPEARS TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE GROSS MOTOR RATHER THAN FINE MOTOR PROFICIENCY OF CHILDREN WITH ASD AND IS FEASIBLE TO BE DELIVERED AS GROUP INTERVENTION IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS. 2022 8 1652 17 MULTIMODAL BEHAVIOR PROGRAM FOR ADHD INCORPORATING YOGA AND IMPLEMENTED BY HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS: A PILOT STUDY. A LOW-COST RESOURCE APPROACH TO ADHD THERAPY WOULD BE A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO TREATING CHILDREN IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT ADHD IS PREVALENT IN ALL AREAS OF THE WORLD, AND YET TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN IN MORE IMPOVERISHED COUNTRIES IS STILL LACKING. THE APPROACH TAKEN WAS TO COMBINE YOGA AND MEDITATION COMBINED WITH MULTIMODAL BEHAVIORAL THERAPY PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AGEING 6 TO 11. THE PROGRAM WAS KEPT LOW COST BY USING TRAINED HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS AND INTEGRATING THE PROGRAM WITHIN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL. AFTER 6 WEEKS OF THE PROGRAM, 90.5% OF CHILDREN SHOWED IMPROVEMENT AS MEASURED BY THEIR PERFORMANCE IMPAIRMENT SCORE, A MEASUREMENT OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. PARENT AND TEACHER EVALUATIONS OF BEHAVIOR ALSO FOUND IMPROVEMENT AS 25 OF THE 64 CHILDREN (39.1%) IMPROVED INTO THE NORMAL RANGE AS MEASURED BY THE VANDERBILT QUESTIONNAIRE. MOREOVER, CHILDREN COULD SUCCESSFULLY LEARN BOTH YOGA AND MEDITATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR AGE, ADHD TYPE, OR INITIAL PERFORMANCE IMPAIRMENT. THE RESULTS DEMONSTRATE EFFICACY OF A MULTIMODAL BEHAVIORAL PROGRAM INCORPORATING YOGA AND MEDITATION. THE USE OF HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS FROM SCHOOLS IN THE AREA DEMONSTRATES AN EFFECTIVE LOW-COST AND UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE APPROACH. 2011 9 1908 23 REVIEW: YOGA AND MINDFULNESS FOR YOUTH WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: REVIEW OF THE CURRENT EVIDENCE. BACKGROUND: YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED PROGRAMS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR AS A SUPPLEMENTAL INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (ASD). INCREASING NUMBERS OF CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND SCHOOLS ARE PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH AN ENTHUSIASM THAT FAR EXCEEDS THE RESEARCH SUPPORT FOR THEIR EFFICACY. THERAPIES THAT ARE SAFE BUT NOT EFFECTIVE MAY NOT CAUSE IMMEDIATE HARM. NEVERTHELESS, THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF LIMITED TIME AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES MAY RESULT IN MISSED OPPORTUNITIES. THE NEED FOR CLEARLY DEFINED, EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPIES FOR YOUTH WITH ASD IS ESSENTIAL. METHOD: ELECTRONIC DATABASES WERE SEARCHED FOR PEER-REVIEWED INTERVENTION RESEARCH STUDIES USING THE KEY WORDS AUTISTIC OR AUTISM IN COMBINATION WITH YOGA, MINDFULNESS, OR MEDITATION. EIGHT STUDIES MET INCLUSION CRITERIA. RESULTS: THE FINDINGS ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS CRITICAL REVIEW OF EIGHT EMPIRICAL RESEARCH STUDIES THAT IMPLEMENTED YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH ASD. ALTHOUGH FEW STUDIES REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN CORE SYMPTOMS OF ASD, PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS ARE FEASIBLE AND MAY IMPROVE A VARIETY OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS, INCLUDING COMMUNICATION AND IMITATIVE BEHAVIORS; INCREASED TOLERANCE OF SITTING AND OF ADULT PROXIMITY; SELF-CONTROL; QUALITY OF LIFE; AND SOCIAL RESPONSIVENESS, SOCIAL COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL COGNITION, PREOCCUPATIONS, AND SOCIAL MOTIVATION. REDUCTIONS IN AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS, IRRITABILITY, LETHARGY, SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL, AND NONCOMPLIANCE WERE ALSO REPORTED. CONCLUSIONS: BASED ON THE AVAILABLE LITERATURE, THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE EFFICACY OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ASD IS INCONCLUSIVE. THE CURRENT BODY OF RESEARCH HAS SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS, INCLUDING SMALL SAMPLE SIZES, NO FIDELITY MEASURES, AND NO CONTROL GROUPS. EACH OF THE EIGHT STUDIES, HOWEVER, REPORTED SOME POSITIVE EFFECTS ON SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, OR BEHAVIORAL METRICS. THESE EARLY RESULTS ARE PROMISING AND SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT SUPPORT FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. 2019 10 1127 16 EFFICACY OF THE GET READY TO LEARN YOGA PROGRAM AMONG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS: A PRETEST-POSTTEST CONTROL GROUP DESIGN. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS USE SCHOOL-BASED YOGA PROGRAMS, BUT THESE INTERVENTIONS TYPICALLY LACK MANUALIZATION AND EVIDENCE FROM WELL-DESIGNED STUDIES. USING AN EXPERIMENTAL PRETEST-POSTTEST CONTROL GROUP DESIGN, WE EXAMINED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE GET READY TO LEARN (GRTL) CLASSROOM YOGA PROGRAM AMONG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (ASD). THE INTERVENTION GROUP RECEIVED THE MANUALIZED YOGA PROGRAM DAILY FOR 16 WK, AND THE CONTROL GROUP ENGAGED IN THEIR STANDARD MORNING ROUTINE. WE ASSESSED CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS WITH STANDARDIZED MEASURES AND BEHAVIOR CODING BEFORE AND AFTER INTERVENTION. WE COMPLETED A BETWEEN-GROUPS ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TO ASSESS DIFFERENCES IN GAIN SCORES ON THE DEPENDENT VARIABLES. STUDENTS IN THE GRTL PROGRAM SHOWED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES (P < .05) IN TEACHER RATINGS OF MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR, AS MEASURED WITH THE ABERRANT BEHAVIOR CHECKLIST, COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL PARTICIPANTS. THIS STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT USE OF DAILY CLASSROOMWIDE YOGA INTERVENTIONS HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON KEY CLASSROOM BEHAVIORS AMONG CHILDREN WITH ASD. 2012 11 2903 15 [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 12 1411 13 IMPACT OF YOGA WAY OF LIFE ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE. BACKGROUND: ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS, THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF WHICH CAN DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THE ORGANIZATION. THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH ORGANIZATIONS TRY TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE BY WORKING ON SUCH FACTORS. IN THE RESEARCH PRESENTED IN THIS ARTICLE, AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO FIND OUT WHETHER ADOPTION OF THE YOGA WAY OF LIFE BY MANAGERS CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON SUCH ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS. AIMS: TO MEASURE EFFECT OF YOGA WAY OF LIFE ON FIVE DIFFERENT INDICATORS THROUGH AN EMPIRICAL STUDY. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THE FIVE INDICATORS ARE JOB SATISFACTION, JOB INVOLVEMENT, GOAL ORIENTATION, AFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR. STATISTICS ANALYSIS: PRE- AND POST-DATA WAS MEASURED USING SELF-REPORTED QUESTIONNAIRE. INDEPENDENT T-TEST (PAIRED) AND PEARSON'S CORRELATION TEST WERE CONDUCTED USING SPSS. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY SHOW THAT YOGA HAS A SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT ON FOUR OUT OF FIVE OF THESE INDICATORS. ONLY JOB INVOLVEMENT DOES NOT SHOW SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT. THE CONSTRUCT USED FOR MEASURING JOB INVOLVEMENT HAD A CHRONBACH ALPHA OF 0.613, WHICH IS AN INDICATOR OF MODERATE RELIABILITY, WHICH COULD BE THE MAIN REASON FOR NOT GETTING POSITIVE RESULT. 2010 13 1587 9 MEDICAL YOGA THERAPY. MEDICAL YOGA IS DEFINED AS THE USE OF YOGA PRACTICES FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS. BEYOND THE PHYSICAL ELEMENTS OF YOGA, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT AND EFFECTIVE FOR STRENGTHENING THE BODY, MEDICAL YOGA ALSO INCORPORATES APPROPRIATE BREATHING TECHNIQUES, MINDFULNESS, AND MEDITATION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE MAXIMUM BENEFITS. MULTIPLE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA CAN POSITIVELY IMPACT THE BODY IN MANY WAYS, INCLUDING HELPING TO REGULATE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS, IMPROVE MUSCULOSKELETAL AILMENTS AND KEEPING THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM IN TUNE. IT ALSO HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE IMPORTANT PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS, AS THE PRACTICE OF YOGA CAN HELP TO INCREASE MENTAL ENERGY AND POSITIVE FEELINGS, AND DECREASE NEGATIVE FEELINGS OF AGGRESSIVENESS, DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. 2017 14 2062 16 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 15 1512 14 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 16 1709 14 PEACEFUL PLAY YOGA: SERENITY AND BALANCE FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND THEIR PARENTS. CHILDREN WITH A CANCER DIAGNOSIS EXPERIENCE SYMPTOM DISTRESS, INCLUDING ANXIETY, BECAUSE OF THE DISEASE AND ITS TREATMENT. PARENTS EXPERIENCE STRESS AND ANXIETY BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE DISEASE AS WELL AS THE SUFFERING OF THEIR CHILDREN. YOGA IS A COMPLEMENTARY INTERVENTION THAT HAS PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS IN HEALTHY CHILDREN AND HEALTHY AND CHRONICALLY ILL ADULTS. ON AN INPATIENT HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY UNIT, 11 CHILDREN AGED 6 TO 12 YEARS, 5 ADOLESCENTS AGED 13 TO 18 YEARS, AND 33 PARENTS PARTICIPATED IN A SINGLE YOGA SESSION TAILORED TO THE NEEDS AND ABILITIES OF THE PATIENTS AND PARENTS. SENSE OF WELL-BEING PRE- AND POSTCLASS WAS MEASURED WITH THE SPIELBERGER STATE ANXIETY SCALE. CHILDREN HAD NORMAL ANXIETY SCORES PRECLASS THAT DID NOT CHANGE. ADOLESCENTS AND PARENTS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN ANXIETY SCORES, AND ALL COHORTS GAVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT YOGA IS A FEASIBLE INTERVENTION FOR THIS POPULATION AND IS BENEFICIAL TO ADOLESCENTS AND PARENTS. 2010 17 562 16 CREATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION IMPROVES MOTOR AND IMITATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. BACKGROUND: THERE IS GROWING EVIDENCE FOR MOTOR IMPAIRMENTS IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD), INCLUDING POOR GROSS AND FINE MOTOR PERFORMANCE, POOR BALANCE, AND INCOORDINATION. HOWEVER, THERE IS LIMITED EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTS OF MOTOR INTERVENTIONS FOR THIS POPULATION. OBJECTIVE: IN THE PRESENT STUDY, THE EFFECTS OF A PHYSICAL THERAPY INTERVENTION USING CREATIVE YOGA ON THE MOTOR AND IMITATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD WERE EVALUATED. DESIGN: THIS STUDY HAD A PRETEST-POSTTEST CONTROL GROUP DESIGN. METHODS: TWENTY-FOUR CHILDREN WITH ASD AGED BETWEEN 5 AND 13 YEARS RECEIVED 8 WEEKS OF A PHYSICAL THERAPIST-DELIVERED YOGA OR ACADEMIC INTERVENTION. CHILDREN WERE TESTED BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION USING A STANDARDIZED MOTOR MEASURE, THE BRUININKS-OSERETSKY TEST OF MOTOR PERFORMANCE-2ND EDITION (BOT-2). THE IMITATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN USING FAMILIAR TRAINING-SPECIFIC ACTIONS (IE, POSES FOR THE YOGA GROUP AND BUILDING ACTIONS FOR THE ACADEMIC GROUP) WERE ALSO ASSESSED. RESULTS: AFTER THE INTERVENTION, CHILDREN IN THE YOGA GROUP IMPROVED GROSS MOTOR PERFORMANCE ON THE BOT-2 AND DISPLAYED FEWER IMITATION/PRAXIS ERRORS WHEN COPYING TRAINING-SPECIFIC YOGA POSES. IN CONTRAST, CHILDREN IN THE ACADEMIC GROUP IMPROVED THEIR FINE MOTOR PERFORMANCE ON THE BOT-2 AND PERFORMED FEWER IMITATION ERRORS WHILE COMPLETING THE TRAINING-SPECIFIC BUILDING ACTIONS. LIMITATIONS: THE STUDY LIMITATIONS INCLUDE SMALL SAMPLE SIZE AND LACK OF LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP. CONCLUSIONS: OVERALL, CREATIVE INTERVENTIONS, SUCH AS YOGA, ARE PROMISING TOOLS FOR ENHANCING THE MOTOR AND IMITATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD. 2019 18 2453 14 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: A GUIDE FOR CLINICIANS. YOGA IS BEING USED BY A GROWING NUMBER OF YOUTH AND ADULTS AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING OVERALL HEALTH AND FITNESS. THERE IS ALSO A PROGRESSIVE TREND TOWARD USE OF YOGA AS A MIND-BODY COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE SPECIFIC PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. TO PROVIDE CLINICIANS WITH THERAPEUTICALLY USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT YOGA, THE EVIDENCE EVALUATING YOGA AS AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS IS REVIEWED AND SUMMARIZED. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOGA AND YOGA THERAPY IS PRESENTED ALONG WITH YOGA RESOURCES AND PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR CLINICAL PRACTITIONERS TO USE WITH THEIR PATIENTS. THE MAJORITY OF AVAILABLE STUDIES WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS SUGGEST BENEFITS TO USING YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION AND SHOW VERY FEW ADVERSE EFFECTS. THESE RESULTS MUST BE INTERPRETED AS PRELIMINARY FINDINGS BECAUSE MANY OF THE STUDIES HAVE METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS THAT PREVENT STRONG CONCLUSIONS FROM BEING DRAWN. YOGA APPEARS PROMISING AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO APPLY IT MOST EFFECTIVELY AND MORE COORDINATED RESEARCH EFFORTS ARE NEEDED. 2010 19 2369 17 WHAT ARE THE KNOWN EFFECTS OF YOGA ON THE BRAIN IN RELATION TO MOTOR PERFORMANCES, BODY AWARENESS AND PAIN? A NARRATIVE REVIEW. OBJECTIVE: THE CURRENT BODY OF LITERATURE WAS REVIEWED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON THE BRAIN IN RELATION TO MOTOR PERFORMANCE, BODY AWARENESS AND PAIN. BACKGROUND: YOGA HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE WESTERN COUNTRIES ESPECIALLY FOR ITS UNIQUE INTEGRATION OF THE MIND AND BODY. YOGA HAS BEEN STUDIED MORE INTENSELY IN THE LAST DECADE. ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS, FEW STUDIES HAVE LOOKED INTO THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON IMPROVING MOTOR PERFORMANCE, BODY AWARENESS OR PAIN AND THE POSSIBLE UNDERLYING BRAIN MECHANISMS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. METHODS: A SEARCH OF THE CURRENT LITERATURE WAS MADE USING KEYWORDS SUCH AS: "YOGA BRAIN MOTOR", "YOGA BRAIN PAIN", "EFFECTS YOGA BRAIN" AND "EFFECTS YOGA BRAIN MOTOR PERFORMANCE". THE FINDINGS WERE THEN DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO MOTOR PERFORMANCE, BODY AWARENESS AND PAIN AND THEIR REPORTED MECHANISMS OF ACTION ON THE BRAIN. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 61 ARTICLES WERE SELECTED, OUT OF WHICH 29 WERE EXCLUDED BECAUSE THEY DID NOT MEET OUR CRITERIA. A TOTAL OF THIRTY-TWO ARTICLES WERE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW, WHICH WE FURTHER SUBDIVIDED BY FOCUS: MOTOR PERFORMANCE (N=10), BODY AWARENESS (N=14) AND PAIN (N=8). DISCUSSION: OUR REVIEW SHOWS THAT YOGA HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON LEARNING RATE, SPEED AND ACCURACY OF A MOTOR TASK BY INCREASING ATTENTION AND DECREASING STRESS THROUGH A BETTER CONTROL OF SENSORIMOTOR RHYTHMS. YOGA ALSO SEEMS TO IMPROVE SENSORY AWARENESS AND INTEROCEPTION, REGULATE AUTONOMIC INPUT, INCREASE PARASYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY AND PROMOTE SELF-REGULATION. YOGA WAS ALSO SHOWN TO REDUCE THE THREAT SIGNAL, INCREASE PAIN TOLERANCE, DECREASE PAIN UNPLEASANTNESS AND DECREASE THE ANXIETY AND DISTRESS ASSOCIATED WITH PAIN. THOSE CHANGES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECRUITMENT OF SPECIFIC BRAIN AREAS SUCH AS THE INSULA, THE AMYGDALA AND THE HIPPOCAMPUS. CONCLUSION: BASED ON THE STUDIES REVIEWED IN THIS REPORT, WE FOUND THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA SEEMS TO FACILITATE MOTOR LEARNING, TO INCREASE BODY AWARENESS AND TO DECREASE PAIN. THESE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF CHANGES IN TERMS OF BRAIN ACTIVITY AND STRUCTURE. FURTHER STUDIES ARE NECESSARY TO REVEAL ITS PRECISE MECHANISM OF ACTION ON THE BRAIN AND TO VALIDATE ITS WIDER APPLICATION IN CLINICAL SETTINGS. 2019 20 1218 14 EXPLORING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND ITS ABILITY TO INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO ASSESS THE FINDINGS OF SELECTED ARTICLES REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. AS PARTICIPATION RATES IN MIND-BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS SUCH AS YOGA CONTINUE TO INCREASE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE NATURE OF YOGA AND THE EVIDENCE OF ITS MANY THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS. THUS, THIS MANUSCRIPT PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AS IT HAS BEEN STUDIED IN VARIOUS POPULATIONS CONCERNING A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT AILMENTS AND CONDITIONS. THERAPEUTIC YOGA IS DEFINED AS THE APPLICATION OF YOGA POSTURES AND PRACTICE TO THE TREATMENT OF HEALTH CONDITIONS AND INVOLVES INSTRUCTION IN YOGIC PRACTICES AND TEACHINGS TO PREVENT REDUCE OR ALLEVIATE STRUCTURAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL PAIN, SUFFERING OR LIMITATIONS. RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY SHOW THAT YOGIC PRACTICES ENHANCE MUSCULAR STRENGTH AND BODY FLEXIBILITY, PROMOTE AND IMPROVE RESPIRATORY AND CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION, PROMOTE RECOVERY FROM AND TREATMENT OF ADDICTION, REDUCE STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND CHRONIC PAIN, IMPROVE SLEEP PATTERNS, AND ENHANCE OVERALL WELL-BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE. 2011