1 1851 122 RAJA YOGA MEDITATION AND MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT FOR RELAPSE PREVENTION: A PILOT STUDY. THE CONTINUED NEED FOR ADVANCEMENT IN EVIDENCE-BASED SUD TREATMENT, AS WELL AS INCREASES IN TREATMENT EXPENSE AND DECLINE IN SUPPORT FROM INSURANCE PROVIDERS, SUGGEST THAT BRIEF, INNOVATIVE, AND AFFORDABLE TREATMENTS ARE NEEDED. MEDITATION, SPIRITUALITY, AND ADHERENCE TO MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENTS HAVE ALL BEEN SHOWN TO SUPPORT ABSTINENCE. THE CURRENT TRIAL ASSESSED EFFECTS OF SPIRITUALLY-BASED MEDITATION, VERSUS RELAXATION OR STANDARD TREATMENT, ON SUBSTANCE ABSTINENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND DYSFUNCTION IN A PARTIALLY BUPRENORPHINE-SUPPORTED (41.5%) TREATMENT SAMPLE. PARTICIPANTS (N=40) WERE RECRUITED FROM AN INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAM, IN WHICH THREE TREATMENT LOCATIONS ACTED AS SEPARATE EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS. ABSTINENCE WAS MEASURED THROUGH URINALYSES AT BASELINE AND WEEKLY THEREAFTER FOR THE DURATION OF THE INTERVENTION. PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND DYSFUNCTION WERE ASSESSED WITH A LIKERT-SCALED QUESTIONNAIRE MEASURING SYMPTOMS TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SUD. CO-VARYING FOR BUPRENORPHINE USE, PARTICIPANTS IN THE MEDITATION CONDITION HAD BETTER ODDS OF REMAINING ABSTINENT THAN PARTICIPANTS IN THE TREATMENT-AS-USUAL (TAU) AND RELAXATION CONDITIONS. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN SUBSTANCE ABSTINENCE BETWEEN THE RELAXATION AND TAU CONDITIONS. FURTHER, CO-VARYING OUT BASELINE THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES AT POST-COURSE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND DYSFUNCTION BETWEEN THE THREE CONDITIONS. RESULTS FROM THIS PILOT TRIAL SUGGEST THAT THIS SPIRITUALLY-INFORMED APPROACH MAY OFFER ADDITIVE SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS IN SUD TREATMENT, AS AN AID TO THE MEDITATIVE ASPECT OF THE 12 STEPS, OR A NON-12-STEP ALTERNATIVE SPIRITUAL SUPPLEMENT TO STANDARD SUD TREATMENT. 2019 2 1663 38 NATURALISTIC EVALUATION OF AN ADJUNCTIVE YOGA PROGRAM FOR WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN INPATIENT TREATMENT: WITHIN-TREATMENT EFFECTS ON CRAVINGS, SELF-EFFICACY, PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS, IMPULSIVITY, AND MINDFULNESS. ADDICTION CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN, AND RATES OF RELAPSE FOLLOWING CURRENTLY-AVAILABLE TREATMENTS REMAIN HIGH. THERE IS INCREASING INTEREST IN THE ADJUNCTIVE USE OF MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS, SUCH AS YOGA, TO IMPROVE TREATMENT OUTCOMES. THE CURRENT STUDY WAS A PRELIMINARY NATURALISTIC INVESTIGATION OF A NOVEL TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA INTERVENTION IN AN INPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD). CHANGES AND DIFFERENCES IN SOMATIC SYMPTOMS, PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS WERE EVALUATED IN WOMEN RECEIVING TREATMENT-AS-USUAL (N = 36) AND TREATMENT-AS-USUAL PLUS THE YOGA INTERVENTION (N = 42). FOR BOTH GROUPS, STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-SUBJECTS CHANGES WERE PRESENT FOR SOMATIC AND PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS, CRAVINGS, SELF-EFFICACY, AND MULTIPLE FACETS OF IMPULSIVITY AND MINDFULNESS. COMPARED TO STANDARD TREATMENT ALONE, PARTICIPANTS IN THE TREATMENT PLUS YOGA CONDITION SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED IN RANGE OF MOTION AND THE LACK OF PREMEDITATION FACET OF IMPULSIVITY. ALTHOUGH MOST DOMAINS WERE NOT SELECTIVELY AFFECTED, THESE INITIAL WITHIN-TREATMENT FINDINGS IN THIS NATURALISTIC EVALUATION SUGGEST SOME PROMISE FOR ADJUNCTIVE YOGA AND A NEED FOR FURTHER EVALUATION, ESPECIALLY USING LARGER SAMPLES AND LONGER TERM FOLLOW-UP. 2021 3 2477 45 YOGA AS AN ADJUNCTIVE INTERVENTION TO MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT WITH BUPRENORPHINE+NALOXONE. OBJECTIVE: ACCORDING TO THE CDC, 2.6 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE AN OPIOID USE DISORDER AND DRUG OVERDOSE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. OPIOIDS ARE INVOLVED IN 63% OF OVERDOSE DEATHS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE IDENTIFY EVIDENCE BASED TREATMENTS TO STEM THE TIDE OF THIS EPIDEMIC. THIS PILOT STUDY SERVES TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS AN ADJUNCTIVE INTERVENTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH OPIOID USE DISORDER IN ACTIVE MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT). METHODS: PARTICIPANTS (N=26) WERE RECRUITED FROM A BUPRENORPHINE/NALOXONE MAT PROGRAM TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS STUDY. 13 PARTICIPANTS ENGAGED IN A 12 WEEK ADJUNCTIVE YOGA INTERVENTION WHILE REMAINING IN TREATMENT AS USUAL (TAU) MAT. 13 MATCHED CONTROLS WERE RECRUITED AND REMAINED IN TAU MAT. BOTH GROUPS WERE EVALUATED AT BASELINE, 45 DAYS AND 90 DAYS FOR CHANGES IN CRAVING FOR OPIOIDS, TREATMENT RETENTION, RELAPSE RATES, SLEEP, AND SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY AND PERCEIVED STRESS. RESULTS: A TWO-WAY TREATMENT BY TIME ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE WAS PERFORMED USING A MIXED EFFECTS MODEL. THE TREATMENT BY FOLLOW-UP TIME INTERACTION EFFECT WAS SIGNIFICANT FOR PERCEIVED STRESS (P=0.026) INDICATING THAT THE YOGA INTERVENTION HAD A LARGER EFFECT THAN TAU (MAT). CHANGES IN PERCEIVED STRESS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER TIME IN BOTH THE YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP AND THE TAU MAT MATCHED CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSION: THIS PILOT STUDY INDICATED STRONG EVIDENCE FOR YOGA BEING AN EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT TO MAT TAU IN REDUCING PERCEIVED STRESS. FURTHER RESEARCH WITH A LARGER POPULATION IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE IMPACT ON OTHER MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS AND RELAPSE AND RETENTION RATES. 2018 4 115 29 A PILOT STUDY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR THE TREATMENT OF ANXIETY IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH EARLY PSYCHOSIS. BACKGROUND: ANXIETY IS COMMON IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH EARLY PSYCHOSIS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR THIS CO-MORBIDITY REMAIN LIMITED. YOGA IS A PROMISING ADJUNCT INTERVENTION THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE ANXIETY FOR ADULTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA, THEREFORE THIS PILOT STUDY EVALUATED THE ACCEPTABILITY AND POTENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA FOR ANXIETY IN EARLY PSYCHOSIS. METHODS: A PROSPECTIVE SINGLE ARM PILOT STUDY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION WAS CONDUCTED WITHIN AN EARLY INTERVENTION FOR PSYCHOSIS SERVICE. RATES OF ATTENDANCE, AS WELL AS SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY PRE AND POST YOGA SESSION WERE MEASURED. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 14 YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY AND OVER 70% ATTENDED HALF OR MORE OF THE YOGA SESSIONS OFFERED. SIGNIFICANT TRANSIENT REDUCTION IN STATE ANXIETY AFTER A SINGLE SESSION OF YOGA WAS OBSERVED (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: YOGA WAS FOUND TO BE AN ACCEPTABLE AND POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY IN EARLY PSYCHOSIS AND THE RESULTS WARRANT FURTHER CLINICAL TRIALS. 2022 5 1701 36 PARTICIPATION IN A YOGA STUDY DECREASES STRESS AND DEPRESSION SCORES FOR INCARCERATED WOMEN. INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS EXHIBIT A HIGH INCIDENCE OF STRESS-RELATED DISORDERS, INCLUDING ADDICTION AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD), AS WELL AS THE ADDED STRESS OF CAPTIVITY. ACCESS TO STRESS-REDUCTION TOOLS IS LIMITED FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS. ONE POSSIBLE APPROACH MAY BE REGULAR STRUCTURED YOGA CLASSES. USING TWO APPROACHES, WE TESTED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A BRIEF, INTENSIVE YOGA INTERVENTION IN A POPULATION OF INCARCERATED WOMEN IN A COUNTY JAIL. THE FIRST APPROACH WAS AN EXAMINATION OF ARCHIVAL DATA COLLECTED AS PART OF A PROGRAM ANALYSIS. INDIVIDUALS SHOWED CONSIDERABLE REDUCTION IN SELF-REPORTED STRESS FOLLOWING A SINGLE YOGA SESSION. THE SECOND APPROACH WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY USING A WEEK-LONG YOGA INTERVENTION. THIRTY-FOUR PARTICIPANTS WERE ASSIGNED TO EITHER THE YOGA OR CONTROL GROUP FOR THE FIRST WEEK. IN THE SECOND WEEK, THE CONDITIONS WERE REVERSED. PARTICIPANTS WERE ASSESSED WEEKLY, BEFORE AND AFTER INTERVENTION. BASELINE SCORES REVEALED HIGH RATES OF DEPRESSION, STRESS, AND EXPOSURE TO TRAUMATIC LIFE EVENTS COMPARED TO NORMATIVE DATA. STRESS AND DEPRESSION WERE ASSESSED USING THE PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE AND BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY, RESPECTIVELY. COMPARED TO CONTROLS, PARTICIPANTS REPORTED LESS DEPRESSION AFTER A WEEK OF DAILY YOGA SESSIONS. PERCEIVED STRESS DECLINED UNDER BOTH CONTROL AND YOGA CONDITIONS. DUE TO THE TRANSIENT NATURE OF THE JAIL INSTITUTION, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE INTERVENTIONS THAT CAN BE PROVIDED ON A SHORT-TERM BASIS. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE LIMITATIONS IN THIS STUDY, THE RESULTS SUPPORT THE CONCLUSION THAT THE BRIEF YOGA INTERVENTION HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT ON PARTICIPANTS' WELL-BEING. 2021 6 1770 34 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 1183 38 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 8 1684 33 OPEN TRIAL OF VINYASA YOGA FOR PERSISTENTLY DEPRESSED INDIVIDUALS: EVIDENCE OF FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ASSESS THE ACCEPTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF VINYASA YOGA AS AN ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSED PATIENTS WHO WERE NOT RESPONDING ADEQUATELY TO ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATION. THE AUTHORS ALSO PLANNED TO ASK PARTICIPANTS FOR QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK ON THEIR EXPERIENCE OF THE CLASS AND TO ASSESS CHANGE OVER TIME IN DEPRESSION AND IN POSSIBLE MEDIATING VARIABLES. THE AUTHORS RECRUITED 11 PARTICIPANTS IN 1 MONTH FOR AN 8-WEEK OPEN TRIAL OF YOGA CLASSES. THEY FOUND THAT 10 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENTS, 9 OF 10 WERE POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND ALL PROVIDED FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT WAS AND WAS NOT HELPFUL ABOUT YOGA, AS WELL AS BARRIERS TO CLASS ATTENDANCE. OVER THE 2-MONTH PERIOD, PARTICIPANTS EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN AN ASPECT OF MINDFULNESS AND IN BEHAVIOR ACTIVATION. THIS PILOT STUDY PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE VINYASA YOGA AS AN ADJUNCT TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION. THE NEXT STEP REQUIRED IS A RIGOROUS RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL. 2010 9 2903 36 [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 10 1512 26 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 11 2383 27 YOGA & CANCER INTERVENTIONS: A REVIEW OF THE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PATIENT REPORTED OUTCOMES FOR CANCER SURVIVORS. LIMITED RESEARCH SUGGESTS YOGA MAY BE A VIABLE GENTLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OPTION WITH A VARIETY OF HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, PSYCHOSOCIAL AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT BENEFITS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW WAS TO DETERMINE THE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES FROM YOGA INTERVENTIONS CONDUCTED WITH CANCER SURVIVORS. A TOTAL OF 25 PUBLISHED YOGA INTERVENTION STUDIES FOR CANCER SURVIVORS FROM 2004-2011 HAD PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES, INCLUDING QUALITY OF LIFE, PSYCHOSOCIAL OR SYMPTOM MEASURES. THIRTEEN OF THESE STUDIES MET THE NECESSARY CRITERIA TO ASSESS CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR EACH OF THE OUTCOMES OF INTEREST WAS EXAMINED BASED ON 1 STANDARD ERROR OF THE MEASUREMENT, 0.5 STANDARD DEVIATION, AND RELATIVE COMPARATIVE EFFECT SIZES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE CONFIDENCE INTERVALS. THIS REVIEW DESCRIBES IN DETAIL THESE PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES, HOW THEY WERE OBTAINED, THEIR RELATIVE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR BOTH CLINICAL AND RESEARCH SETTINGS. OVERALL, CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES SUGGEST THAT YOGA INTERVENTIONS HOLD PROMISE FOR IMPROVING CANCER SURVIVORS' WELL-BEING. THIS RESEARCH OVERVIEW PROVIDES NEW DIRECTIONS FOR EXAMINING HOW CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE CAN PROVIDE A UNIQUE CONTEXT FOR DESCRIBING CHANGES IN PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES FROM YOGA INTERVENTIONS. RESEARCHERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO EMPLOY INDICES OF CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN THE INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS FROM YOGA STUDIES. 2012 12 719 38 EFFECT OF IYENGAR YOGA ON MENTAL HEALTH OF INCARCERATED WOMEN: A FEASIBILITY STUDY. BACKGROUND: INCARCERATED WOMEN SHARE A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN OF MENTAL ILLNESS. ALTHOUGH PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO WOMEN IN PRISON, ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT MODALITIES, SUCH AS IYENGAR YOGA, MAY INCREASE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. OBJECTIVES: THE PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY WERE (A) TO ADDRESS THE FEASIBILITY OF PROVIDING A GENDER-RESPONSIVE EXERCISE INTERVENTION WITHIN A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AND (B) TO OBSERVE THE EFFECT OF A GROUP-FORMAT IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM THAT MET TWO SESSIONS A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS ON LEVELS OF DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS, ANXIETY SYMPTOMS, AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONG INCARCERATED WOMEN. METHODS: A REPEATED MEASURES DESIGN, IN WHICH EACH PARTICIPANT SERVED AS HER OWN CONTROL, WAS USED. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THREE SELF-ADMINISTERED INSTRUMENTS: THE BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY, THE BECK ANXIETY INVENTORY, AND THE PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE BEFORE TREATMENT (BASELINE) AND DURING TREATMENT (WEEKS 4, 8, AND 12). LINEAR MIXED EFFECTS MODELS WERE USED TO EXAMINE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN MENTAL HEALTH MEASURES OVER TIME, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL AVAILABLE DATA. RESULTS: ALTHOUGH 21 WOMEN INITIALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE INTERVENTION, 6 WOMEN COMPLETED THE 12-WEEK INTERVENTION. A SIGNIFICANT LINEAR DECREASE WAS DEMONSTRATED IN SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION OVER TIME, WITH MEAN VALUES CHANGING FROM 24.90 AT BASELINE TO 5.67 AT WEEK 12. THERE WAS A MARGINALLY SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN ANXIETY OVER TIME (12.00 AT BASELINE TO 7.33 AT WEEK 12) AND A NONLINEAR CHANGE IN STRESS OVER TIME, WITH DECREASES FROM BASELINE TO WEEK 4 AND SUBSEQUENT INCREASES TO WEEK 12. DISCUSSION: WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM EXPERIENCED FEWER SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY OVER TIME. FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY MAY BE USED TO IMPROVE FUTURE INTERVENTIONS FOCUSING ON THE HEALTH OUTCOMES OF INCARCERATED WOMEN. 2010 13 246 32 A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS: A PRELIMINARY RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL. YOGA MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN THE REDUCTION OF PTSD SYMPTOMOLOGY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF A KUNDALINI YOGA (KY) TREATMENT ON PTSD SYMPTOMS AND OVERALL WELLBEING. TO SUPPLEMENT THE CURRENT FIELD OF INQUIRY, A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL (RCT) WAS CONDUCTED COMPARING AN 8-SESSION KY INTERVENTION WITH A WAITLIST CONTROL GROUP. 80 INDIVIDUALS WITH CURRENT PTSD SYMPTOMS PARTICIPATED. BOTH GROUPS DEMONSTRATED CHANGES IN PTSD SYMPTOMOLOGY BUT YOGA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED GREATER CHANGES IN MEASURES OF SLEEP, POSITIVE AFFECT, PERCEIVED STRESS, ANXIETY, STRESS, AND RESILIENCE. BETWEEN-GROUPS EFFECT SIZES WERE SMALL TO MODERATE (0.09-0.25). KY MAY BE AN ADJUNCTIVE OR ALTERNATIVE INTERVENTION FOR PTSD. FINDINGS INDICATE THE NEED FOR FURTHER YOGA RESEARCH TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISM OF YOGA IN RELATION TO MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, GENDER AND ETHNIC COMPARISONS, AND SHORT- AND LONG-TERM YOGA PRACTICE FOR PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS. 2015 14 901 36 EFFECTIVENESS OF A BRIEF ADJUNCTIVE YOGA INTERVENTION FOR SHORT-TERM MOOD AND PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOM CHANGE DURING PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION. OBJECTIVE: EVIDENCE CONCERNING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA IN PARTIAL HOSPITAL PROGRAMS IS LIMITED. YET, PARTIAL HOSPITALS PROVIDE TREATMENT AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE BY BRIDGING INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT CARE. THE PRESENT STUDY TESTED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A SINGLE-SESSION GROUP YOGA INTERVENTION FOR SHORT-TERM MOOD AND PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOM CHANGE IN PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING A 1- TO 2-WEEK PARTIAL HOSPITAL PROGRAM. METHOD: PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED 104 PARTIAL HOSPITAL PATIENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SINGLE-SESSION YOGA INTERVENTION AND COMPLETED A MEASURE OF POSITIVE/NEGATIVE AFFECT BEFORE AND AFTER THE GROUP. PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS PARTIAL HOSPITAL PATIENTS WHO DID NOT ATTEND THE YOGA INTERVENTION (N = 438), COMPLETED MEASURES OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS AT ADMISSION AND DISCHARGE FROM THE PROGRAM. AT DISCHARGE, THEY ALSO RATED THEIR PERCEIVED IMPROVEMENT AND THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THE CARE THEY RECEIVED. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS WHO ATTENDED THE YOGA INTERVENTION EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT DURING THE GROUP. THEY DID NOT SHOW GREATER IMPROVEMENTS IN SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION OVER THE COURSE OF TREATMENT COMPARED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO DID NOT ATTEND THE GROUP. YOGA INTERVENTION PARTICIPANTS NONETHELESS GAVE HIGHER RATINGS TO THE QUALITY OF THE CARE THEY RECEIVED. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: FINDINGS DEMONSTRATED THAT ATTENDING A SINGLE YOGA SESSION DURING PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SHORT-TERM MOOD BENEFITS, AND WITH ENHANCED OVERALL PERCEPTIONS OF TREATMENT. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH PARTICIPATION IN YOGA DURING PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION COULD CONTRIBUTE TO SYMPTOM CHANGE IN THIS CONTEXT. (PSYCINFO DATABASE RECORD (C) 2019 APA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED). 2019 15 1483 28 INTEGRATING YOGA WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL GROUP-TREATMENT FOR MIXED DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE: AN EXPLORATIVE PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: YOGA HAS SHOWN PROMISE AS A TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. THE PRESENT PILOT STUDY INVESTIGATED THE FEASIBILITY OF AN EIGHT-WEEK GROUPTREATMENT INTEGRATING EMOTION-FOCUSED PSYCHOEDUCATION, COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY, AND VIRYA YOGA FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PATIENTS SEEKING TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN A PRIMARY HEALTHCARE CENTRE COMPLETED EITHER AN INTEGRATIVE GROUP-TREATMENT (N = 14) OR TREATMENT AS USUAL (TAU, N = 17). OUTCOME MEASURES WERE ANALYSED PRE- AND POSTTREATMENT. CORRELATIONS IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP WERE INVESTIGATED BETWEEN TREATMENT OUTCOMES AND AMOUNT OF YOGA PRACTICE BETWEEN SESSIONS. RESULTS: LARGE WITHIN-GROUP EFFECT SIZES ON ALL OUTCOME MEASURES WERE FOUND AT POSTTREATMENT. SYMPTOM REDUCTION DID NOT DIFFER BETWEEN GROUPS (P = 0.155). IMPROVEMENT IN ALEXITHYMIA CORRELATED SIGNIFICANTLY (P < 0.05) WITH AMOUNT OF YOGA PRACTICE BETWEEN SESSIONS. CONCLUSION: INTEGRATING YOGA WITH A PSYCHOLOGICAL GROUP-TREATMENT IS A SOMEWHAT FEASIBLE APPROACH TO TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE. 2020 16 1254 29 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 17 1707 30 PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOLLOWING A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. BACKGROUND: THE CURRENT STUDY DESCRIBED PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE AND EXAMINED DIFFERENCES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES WHO COMPLETED AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION COMPARED WITH CONTROLS. METHODS: A LONGITUDINAL COMPARATIVE DESIGN MEASURED THE EFFECT OF A YOGA INTERVENTION ON YOGA PRACTICE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, USING DATA AT BASELINE AND POSTINTERVENTION MONTHS 3, 6, AND 15. RESULTS: DISPARATE PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE OCCURRED BETWEEN INTERVENTION AND CONTROL PARTICIPANTS OVER TIME, BUT THE SUBJECTIVE DEFINITION OF YOGA PRACTICE LIMITS INTERPRETATION. MULTILEVEL MODEL ESTIMATES INDICATED THAT TREATMENT GROUP DID NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE IN THE RATE OF CHANGE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER THE STUDY PERIOD. WHILE AGE AND EDUCATION WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUAL PREDICTORS, THE INCLUSION OF THESE VARIABLES IN THE MODEL DID IMPROVE FIT. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS INDICATE THAT AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NECESSARY TO EXPLORE THE INFLUENCE OF YOGA ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. 2012 18 1469 27 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 19 1 29 "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 20 1239 32 FEASIBILITY OF A MANUALIZED MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS. CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS POSE AN IMPORTANT MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM. INDIVIDUALS WITH THESE DISORDERS EXPERIENCE A SIGNIFICANT IMPAIRMENT, OFTEN FAIL TO SEEK HELP, AND THEIR ILLNESSES FREQUENTLY DO NOT RESPOND TO TREATMENT. IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE AND ATTRACTIVE TREATMENTS FOR THESE DISORDERS. MINDFUL YOGA REPRESENTS A PROMISING TREATMENT APPROACH. THIS PILOT STUDY TESTED THE FEASIBILITY OF A 9-WEEK MANUALIZED MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS. ELEVEN PATIENTS RECEIVING STANDARD TREATMENT WERE RECRUITED TO COMPLETE A 9-WEEK MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION. QUALITATIVE METHODS WERE USED TO ASSESS PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF THE INTERVENTION AND QUANTITATIVE METHODS WERE USED TO ASSESS PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND MECHANISMS THAT PLAY A ROLE IN CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS. EIGHT PATIENTS COMPLETED THE INTERVENTION AND RATED THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THE INTERVENTION WITH A MEAN SCORE OF 8.8 (RANGE OF 8 TO 9, USING A SCALE OF 1 TO 10). ALL PARTICIPANTS REPORTED A REDUCTION IN PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND NO ADVERSE EVENTS. AMONG THE MECHANISMS THAT PLAY A ROLE IN CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS, THE MOST POTENTIALLY PROMISING EFFECTS FROM THE INTERVENTION WERE FOUND FOR WORRY, FEAR OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, RUMINATION, AND AREAS RELATED TO BODY AWARENESS, SUCH AS TRUSTING BODILY EXPERIENCES AND NOT DISTRACTING FROM SENSATIONS OF DISCOMFORT. A 9-WEEK MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION APPEARS TO BE A FEASIBLE AND ATTRACTIVE TREATMENT WHEN ADDED TO TREATMENT AS USUAL FOR A GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS. A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF MINDFUL YOGA IS RECOMMENDED. 2021