1 2034 137 TEENS' PERSPECTIVES ON YOGA AS A TREATMENT FOR STRESS AND DEPRESSION. OBJECTIVE: TO UNDERSTAND ADOLESCENTS' EXPERIENCES AND ATTITUDES TOWARD YOGA, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON ACCEPTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR DEPRESSED ADOLESCENTS. DESIGN: QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM THREE FOCUS GROUPS AND EIGHT INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS, FOR A TOTAL OF 22 TEEN PARTICIPANTS. SETTING: OUTPATIENT SETTING IN A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL IN THE U.S. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: TEENS WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR OWN AND THEIR PEERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD, AND EXPERIENCES WITH, HATHA YOGA; REACTIONS TO A STUDY-CREATED YOGA VIDEO; AND OPINIONS ON CLASS LOGISTICS. RESULTS: TEENS HAD BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD, AND EXPERIENCES WITH, HATHA YOGA. THEY COMMENTED ON "WHO DOES YOGA;" MANY RESPONSES SUGGESTED A LIMITED GROUP (E.G., MOMS; PEOPLE WITH MONEY AND TIME). PARTICIPANTS AGREED THAT YOGA COULD BE POTENTIALLY BENEFICIAL FOR DEPRESSED OR STRESSED TEENS. SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS WHILE BEING IN A YOGA CLASS WAS A MAJOR CONCERN. OVERALL, TEENS REACTED FAVORABLY TO THE STUDY-CREATED YOGA VIDEO. TEENS HAD VARIED OPINIONS ABOUT CLASS LOGISTICS INCLUDING CLASS DURATION AND SIZE. TEENS CITED BARRIERS TO CLASS, SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION, AS WELL AS BARRIERS TO HOME YOGA PRACTICE. CONCLUSIONS: KEY POINTS FOR DEVELOPING A YOGA CLASS THAT MIGHT BE APPEALING TO DEPRESSED OR STRESSED TEENS INCLUDE: CREATING A CLASS WITH VARIETY THAT TEENS WILL FIND INTERESTING; TAKING CONCRETE STEPS TO DECREASE TEEN SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS; INCORPORATING MESSAGES RELEVANT FOR TEENS AND CONSISTENT WITH YOGA PHILOSOPHY; AND ACTIVELY COUNTERING STEREOTYPES ABOUT WHO PRACTICES YOGA. LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY INCLUDE THE LACK OF DATA FROM MALE TEENS. 2021 2 1715 35 PERCEIVED MECHANISMS OF CHANGE IN THERAPEUTIC YOGA TARGETING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. INTRODUCTION: THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO INVESTIGATE YOGA TEACHERS' AND YOGA THERAPISTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE WAYS YOGA IS APPLIED TO TREAT SYMPTOMS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, AND IDENTIFY THE DEFINING FEATURES, MAIN COMPONENTS, AND MECHANISMS OF CHANGE IN THERAPEUTIC PRACTICE. METHODS: A QUALITATIVE DESIGN WAS EMPLOYED. SIX YOGA TEACHERS WHO HAD SPECIFIC TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING THERAPEUTIC YOGA OR PRACTICING 'YOGA THERAPY' TOOK PART IN ONE-TO-ONE INTERVIEWS DURING WHICH THEY GAVE ACCOUNTS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES OF HELPING PEOPLE COPE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS THROUGH YOGA. PARTICIPANTS' INTERVIEWS WERE TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM AND WERE ANALYSED USING AN INTEGRATIVE INDUCTIVE-DEDUCTIVE THEMATIC ANALYSIS. RESULTS: FOUR KEY THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED IN RELATION TO THE BENEFITS OF THERAPEUTIC YOGA: AWARENESS, CHOICE, RELATIONSHIPS, AND TAILORING. CONCLUSIONS: THE FINDINGS SUPPORT PREVIOUS RESEARCH WHICH SUGGESTS THAT INDIVIDUALISED YOGA THERAPY IS A PROMISING INTERVENTION, AND MAY HELP TO FORM A THEORETICAL RATIONALE FOR THE FUTURE TREATMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS WITH YOGA. 2020 3 1431 48 IMPROVING ACCESS TO YOGA: BARRIERS TO AND MOTIVATORS FOR PRACTICE AMONG HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENTS. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS GAINING MOMENTUM AS A POPULAR AND EVIDENCE-BASED, INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CARE AND SELF-CARE PRACTICE. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS ARE NOT PROPORTIONAL TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE GENERAL POPULATION, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO GENDER AND ETHNICITY. SEVERAL ACCESS BARRIERS HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED (EG, TIME, COST, AND ACCESS TO TEACHERS). NO STUDIES HAVE EXPLORED THE BARRIERS TO PRACTICE AMONG HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENTS. THEIR PARTICIPATION IN YOGA IS DEEMED IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY ARE FUTURE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO WILL MAKE REFERRALS TO OTHER SERVICES. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT PROVIDERS WHO PRACTICE YOGA REFER MORE PATIENTS TO YOGA. OBJECTIVE: TO INCREASE YOGA PRACTICE AMONG HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENTS, AN UNDERSTANDING MUST BE DEVELOPED OF FACTORS THAT INTERFERE WITH OR FACILITATE A REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. THE CURRENT STUDY INTENDED TO IDENTIFY SUCH BARRIERS AND MOTIVATORS. DESIGN: THIS STUDY WAS A SMALL POPULATION SURVEY. SETTING: THE SETTING WAS A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN THE NORTHWESTERN UNITED STATES, INCLUDING STUDENTS IN 3 OF ITS COLLEGES AND 10 PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS. PARTICIPANTS: ALL STUDENTS (N = 1585) IN THE PROGRAMS OF THE 10 HEALTH PROFESSIONS RECEIVED E-MAIL REQUESTS FOR PARTICIPATION. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE ACCEPTABILITY OF YOGA SURVEY WAS DEVELOPED FOR PURPOSES OF A LARGER YOGA PERCEPTIONS STUDY AND IMPLEMENTED WITH HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENTS. PARTICIPANTS WERE SOLICITED VIA E-MAIL; THE SURVEY WAS ADMINISTERED ONLINE. THE CURRENT STUDY USED DATA FROM THAT SURVEY. RESULTS: OF THE 498 USABLE, COMPLETED SURVEYS (IE, A RESPONSE RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 30%), 478 WERE RELEVANT TO THE CURRENT STUDY. THE SAMPLE'S DEMOGRAPHICS--78% WOMEN AND 79% WHITE--DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE POPULATION'S DEMOGRAPHICS. THE FINDINGS REVEALED THE EXISTENCE OF COMMON BARRIERS THAT WERE RELATED TO (1) TIME; (2) COST; (3) LACK OF PRAGMATIC INFORMATION ABOUT ACCESS TO YOGA CLASSES AND TEACHERS; AND (4) STEREOTYPES RELATED TO FLEXIBILITY, ATHLETICISM, AND TYPICAL YOGA PRACTITIONERS. MOTIVATORS INCLUDED ATHLETICISM, HEALTH PROMOTION, AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AS WELL AS THE SEEKING OF PAIN RELIEF AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. A REFERRAL BY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WAS THE LEAST-FREQUENTLY CITED MOTIVATOR. CONCLUSIONS: THE FINDINGS HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR STRATEGIES THAT MAY HELP MOTIVATE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TOWARD A YOGA PRACTICE, BECAUSE HAVING DONE YOGA PERSONALLY MAY BE RELATED TO A WILLINGNESS TO PERCEIVE THE BENEFITS OF AND TO REFER PATIENTS TO YOGA AS A VIABLE INTEGRATIVE TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS. IMPROVED ACCESS CAN BE DEVELOPED IN 3 WAYS: (1) INTEGRATION OF YOGA RESEARCH INTO HEALTH CURRICULA TO ACQUAINT CARE PROVIDERS WITH YOGA'S BENEFITS TO PATIENTS AND CARE GIVERS; (2) HAVE YOGA AVAILABLE AS CLOSE TO THE WORKPLACE AS POSSIBLE TO OBVIATE SOME OF THE LARGER ACCESS BARRIERS; AND (3) SOCIETALLY, PROJECT YOGA AS A HEALING ART AND SCIENCE, NOT SIMPLY AS A WEIGHT LOSS STRATEGY OR ATHLETIC ENDEAVOR. 2015 4 1723 50 PERCEPTIONS OF HATHA YOGA AMONGST PERSISTENTLY DEPRESSED INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN A TRIAL OF YOGA FOR DEPRESSION. OBJECTIVES: TO UNDERSTAND DEPRESSED INDIVIDUALS' EXPERIENCES IN A 10-WEEK HATHA YOGA PROGRAM. DESIGN: IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL, PARTICIPANTS WERE ASSIGNED TO EITHER 10 WEEKS OF HATHA YOGA CLASSES OR A HEALTH EDUCATION CONTROL GROUP. THIS REPORT INCLUDES RESPONSES FROM PARTICIPANTS IN YOGA CLASSES. AT THE START OF CLASSES, AVERAGE DEPRESSION SYMPTOM SEVERITY LEVEL WAS MODERATE. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: AFTER 10 WEEKS OF YOGA CLASSES, WE ASKED PARTICIPANTS (N=50) TO PROVIDE WRITTEN RESPONSES TO OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY LIKED ABOUT CLASSES, WHAT THEY DID NOT LIKE OR DID NOT FIND HELPFUL, AND WHAT THEY LEARNED. WE ANALYZED QUALITATIVE DATA USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: ELEMENTS OF YOGA CLASSES THAT MAY INCREASE ACCEPTABILITY FOR DEPRESSED INDIVIDUALS INCLUDE HAVING INSTRUCTORS WHO PROMOTE A NON-COMPETITIVE AND NON-JUDGMENTAL ATMOSPHERE, WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND ABLE TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION, AND WHO ARE KIND AND WARM. INCLUDING DEPRESSION-RELATED THEMES IN CLASSES, TEACHING MINDFULNESS, TEACHING BREATHING EXERCISES, AND PROVIDING GUIDANCE FOR TRANSLATING CLASS INTO HOME PRACTICE MAY HELP TO MAKE YOGA EFFECTIVE FOR TARGETING DEPRESSION. PARTICIPANTS' COMMENTS REINFORCED THE IMPORTANCE OF ASPECTS OF MINDFULNESS, SUCH AS ATTENTION TO THE PRESENT MOMENT AND ACCEPTANCE OF ONE'S SELF AND ONE'S EXPERIENCE, AS POTENTIAL MECHANISMS OF ACTION. OTHER POTENTIAL MECHANISMS INCLUDE USE OF BREATHING PRACTICES IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND THE BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS THAT UNDERLIE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF YOGIC BREATHING. THE MOST SERIOUS CONCERN HIGHLIGHTED BY A FEW PARTICIPANTS WAS THE CONCERN THAT THE YOGA CLASSES WERE TOO DIFFICULT GIVEN THEIR PHYSICAL ABILITIES. 2017 5 2259 39 THE PRACTICABILITY AND RELEVANCE OF DEVELOPING A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVES OF MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS, STAFF, AND YOGA TEACHERS ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION TO BE DEVELOPED FOR CONSUMERS WITH A LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION, IN ADDITION TO ANXIETY AND/OR DEPRESSION. TWO FOCUS GROUPS WERE HELD WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS (N = 8), TWO FOCUS GROUPS WITH MENTAL HEALTH STAFF (N = 13) FROM A METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SETTING, AND FIVE ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS WITH YOGA TEACHERS. PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY AND APPROPRIATENESS OF A RANGE OF YOGA PRACTICE FEATURES TO BE TESTED AS A NEWLY DEVELOPED YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION. THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS USED TO IDENTIFY THEMES. FINDINGS INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING CONSUMER THEMES: MENTAL HEALTH UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS AND PARTICIPANTS IS IMPORTANT, CREATING A SAFE SPACE AND YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS. STAFF THEMES INCLUDED MENTAL HEALTH UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS IS IMPORTANT, ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, AND YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS. YOGA TEACHER THEMES INCLUDED ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS. MENTAL HEALTH UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF THE YOGA TEACHER, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE WERE CONSISTENTLY EMPHASIZED BY CONSUMERS AND STAFF. TEACHERS FOCUSED LESS ON SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS, WHICH MAY BE REFLECTIVE OF A BROADER KNOWLEDGE GAP. RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS, INCLUDING PRE-INFORMATION, REGULAR AND CONSISTENT PRACTICE, MODIFICATIONS, BREATHWORK, MINDFULNESS AND GUIDED PRACTICE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN FEATURES, WERE CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA RESEARCH. FINDINGS WILL BE USED TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR CONSUMERS WITH A LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION, IN ADDITION TO ANXIETY AND/OR DEPRESSION. 2020 6 2204 43 THE EXPERIENCE OF MINDFUL YOGA FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH DEPRESSION. WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: MINDFUL YOGA COMBINES YOGA TECHNIQUES WITH THE MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION APPROACH. PREVIOUS STUDIES ON MINDFUL YOGA HAVE REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN DEPRESSION FOR WORKING-AGE ADULTS, BUT NO STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED WITH OLDER PEOPLE. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: MINDFUL YOGA MAY BE A SAFE AND ACCEPTABLE INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF OLDER ADULTS WITH DEPRESSION. THE BENEFICIAL THERAPEUTIC INGREDIENTS OF MINDFUL YOGA, INCLUDED CALMNESS, BEING NON-JUDGMENTAL, LETTING GO AND SEIZING THE DAY. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: SINGLE-SEX MINDFUL YOGA GROUPS MAY BE MORE ACCEPTABLE FOR SOME PEOPLE. WELL-CONDUCTED FEASIBILITY STUDIES COMPARING MINDFUL YOGA WITH AN ALTERNATIVE GROUP-BASED APPROACH ARE NECESSARY. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION MINDFUL YOGA COMBINES YOGA TECHNIQUES WITH THE MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION APPROACH. PREVIOUS STUDIES ON MINDFUL YOGA HAVE REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN DEPRESSION FOR WORKING-AGE ADULTS, BUT NO STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED WITH OLDER PEOPLE. AIMS TO EXPLORE THE EXPERIENCES OF OLDER ADULTS WITH DEPRESSION PARTICIPATING IN A MINDFUL YOGA GROUP TO ESTABLISH WHETHER THE APPROACH HAS POTENTIAL AS A FUTURE INTERVENTION FOR THIS CLIENT GROUP. METHOD THIS STUDY ADOPTED A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE METHOD AND USED INDUCTIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS. EIGHTEEN IN-DEPTH INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH NINE PARTICIPANTS (EACH PARTICIPANT HAD ONE INTERVIEW FOLLOWING THE PROGRAMME AND ANOTHER FOUR WEEKS LATER). RESULTS SIX MAIN THEMES EMERGED: "IMPROVED PHYSICAL STATUS," "ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY," "POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS," "PERCEIVED THERAPEUTIC INGREDIENTS," "FACILITATORS OF PRACTISING MINDFUL YOGA" AND "BARRIERS TO PRACTISING MINDFUL YOGA.". DISCUSSION MOST PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BENEFITTING FROM THE PROGRAMME. TWO MALE PARTICIPANTS EXPRESSED THAT EXERCISES WERE TOO CHALLENGING AND MORE SUITED TO WOMEN, SUGGESTING SINGLE-SEX GROUPS MAY BE MORE ACCEPTABLE. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE MINDFUL YOGA MAY BE AN ACCEPTABLE/USEFUL INTERVENTION FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH DEPRESSION, BUT FUTURE STUDIES ARE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH ITS FEASIBILITY AND POTENTIAL EFFICACY. 2019 7 2659 36 YOGA IN ADULT CANCER: AN EXPLORATORY, QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE. BACKGROUND: SOME PATIENTS RECEIVING TREATMENT IN CONVENTIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ACCESS THERAPEUTIC YOGA OUTSIDE THEIR MAINSTREAM CARE TO IMPROVE CANCER SYMPTOMS. GIVEN THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE GAP AROUND PATIENT PREFERENCES AND DOCUMENTED EXPERIENCES OF YOGA IN ADULT CANCER, THIS STUDY AIMED TO DESCRIBE PATIENT-REPORTED BENEFITS, BARRIERS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRAMMING FOR YOGA PRACTICE DURING CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT. METHODS: IN DEPTH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS (N=10) WERE CONDUCTED IN MEN AND WOMEN RECRUITED FROM CANCER CARE CLINICS IN VANCOUVER, CANADA USING A PURPOSIVE SAMPLING TECHNIQUE. THE EXPLORATORY INTERVIEWS WERE AUDIO-RECORDED, TRANSCRIBED AND ANALYZED USING INTERPRETIVE DESCRIPTION METHODOLOGY AND CONSTANT COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS METHODS. RESULTS: FOUR THEMES EMERGED FROM THE DATA TO ADDRESS OUR RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: PATIENT-PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA, REASONS AND MOTIVATIONS FOR PRACTISING YOGA, HURDLES AND BARRIERS TO PRACTISING YOGA, AND ADVICE FOR EFFECTIVE YOGA PROGRAM DELIVERY IN ADULT CANCER. SEVERAL PATIENTS REPORTED YOGA REDUCED STRESS AND OTHER SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER TREATMENT. THEMATIC ANALYSIS FOUND THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF GROUP YOGA WAS IMPORTANT, AS WELL AS YOGA'S ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT AND AWARENESS OF PHYSICAL BODY AND SELF. BARRIERS TO YOGA ADHERENCE FROM THE PATIENT PERSPECTIVE INCLUDED LACK OF TIME, SCHEDULING CONFLICTS AND WORRIES ABOUT FINANCIAL BURDEN. CONCLUSION: THIS SMALL, DIVERSE SAMPLE OF PATIENTS REPORTED POSITIVE EXPERIENCES AND NO ADVERSE EFFECTS FOLLOWING YOGA PRACTICE FOR MANAGEMENT OF CANCER AND ITS SYMPTOMS. RESULTS OF THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY IDENTIFIED PATIENT-REPORTED PREFERENCES, BARRIERS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA INTERVENTION OPTIMAL DURING ADULT CANCER TREATMENT. 2015 8 2249 35 THE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND PATIENT-REPORTED BENEFITS OF YOGA PARTICIPATION IN AN INPATIENT BRAIN INJURY REHABILITATION SETTING. CONTEXT: THE MULTIFACTORIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA HAVE BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED IN THE LITERATURE, WITH THE INTEGRATION OF YOGA THERAPY INTO HEALTHCARE BEING AN EMERGING FIELD. IN GENERAL, YOGA THERAPY PROGRAMS ARE UTILIZED IN THE COMMUNITY AS AN ADJUNCT TO OTHER THERAPY. AT PRESENT, LIMITED REHABILITATION UNITS ROUTINELY INCORPORATE INTEGRATIVE THERAPY OPTIONS WITHIN A HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT. AIMS: THE AIM OF THIS STUDY IS TO EXPLORE THE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND PATIENT-REPORTED BENEFITS OF YOGA IN AN INPATIENT BRAIN INJURY REHABILITATION SETTING. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: THIRTY-ONE PARTICIPANTS WERE RECRUITED TO THE STUDY AFTER VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATING IN A YOGA CLASS WITHIN AN INPATIENT BRAIN INJURY REHABILITATION UNIT OF A MAJOR METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL. YOGA SESSIONS WERE HELD WEEKLY FOR 60 MIN AND CONSISTED OF A MODIFIED HATHA YOGA STYLE. THIS WAS A MIXED-METHODS, QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL ONE-GROUP PRETEST-POSTTEST STUDY. METHODOLOGY: QUANTITATIVE DATA WERE COLLECTED TO MEASURE PERCEPTIONS OF RELAXATION AND WELL-BEING BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA CLASSES, ALONG WITH THE SATISFACTION OF THE CLASS. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WERE UTILIZED TO COLLECT QUALITATIVE DATA OF EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA PARTICIPATION. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED FOR QUALITATIVE DATA. QUANTITATIVE DATA WERE ANALYZED USING NONPARAMETRIC STATISTICAL METHODS, AND DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS WERE ALSO PROVIDED. RESULTS: THE BENEFITS DESCRIBED BY PARTICIPANTS ARE REPORTED IN THIS PAPER. THESE INCLUDE IMPROVED RELAXATION, PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, BEING PRESENT, AND SELF-AWARENESS. CONCLUSIONS: THIS STUDY DESCRIBES THE PERSONAL BENEFITS EXPERIENCED FROM REGULAR YOGA PARTICIPATION WITHIN AN INPATIENT REHABILITATION SETTING. 2020 9 2563 35 YOGA FOR CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION. OBJECTIVE: TO EXPLORE PATIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR PAIN WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A WEEKLY YOGA PROGRAM. METHODS: A CONSECUTIVE CONVENIENCE SAMPLE WAS RECRUITED FROM A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PAIN CENTRE. SEVEN ADULT PATIENTS (SIX WOMEN), AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN 8-WEEK HATHA YOGA PROGRAM, INCLUDING WEEKLY GROUP SESSIONS AND AT-HOME PRACTICE. DATA WERE GATHERED FROM PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AND IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS. INTERVIEWS EXPLORED THE EXPERIENCE OF PRACTICING YOGA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE PARTICIPANT'S PAIN EXPERIENCE. AN INDUCTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE INTERVIEWS EXPLORED EMERGENT THEMES FROM PARTICIPANTS' DESCRIPTIONS OF THEIR EXPERIENCE. RESULTS: ANALYSES IDENTIFIED THREE THEMES: RENEWED AWARENESS OF THE BODY; TRANSFORMED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BODY IN PAIN; AND ACCEPTANCE. DISCUSSION: PARTICIPANTS' DATA SUGGESTED THAT THEY REFRAMED WHAT IT MEANT TO LIVE WITH CHRONIC PAIN. SOME PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT THE SENSORY ASPECTS OF PAIN DID NOT CHANGE BUT THAT PAIN BECAME LESS BOTHERSOME. THEY WERE BETTER ABLE TO CONTROL THE DEGREE TO WHICH PAIN INTERFERED WITH THEIR DAILY LIFE. OTHER PARTICIPANTS REPORTED LESS FREQUENT OR LESS INTENSE PAIN EPISODES BECAUSE THEY COULD RECOGNIZE BODY SIGNALS AND ADJUST THEMSELVES TO ALLEVIATE PAINFUL SENSATIONS. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT PATIENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM YOGA MAY DO SO IN PART BECAUSE YOGA ENABLES CHANGES IN COGNITIONS AND BEHAVIOURS TOWARDS PAIN. 2011 10 376 29 BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO YOGA USE IN A POPULATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SELF-REPORTED CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: A QUALITATIVE APPROACH. YOGA HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE EFFICACIOUS IN TREATING CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN, YET BIOMEDICAL TREATMENTS ARE MOST COMMONLY USED FOR PAIN. PROMOTING YOGA AS PART OF INTEGRATIVE CARE WOULD REDUCE EXCLUSIVE RELIANCE ON HIGH-COST, HIGHER-RISK BIOMEDICAL TREATMENTS. ATTITUDES TOWARD YOGA PLAY A ROLE IN CONSIDERATION OF IT AS A TREATMENT. THE CURRENT STUDY EXAMINED ATTITUDES TOWARD YOGA IN ADULTS WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN AND COMPARED THESE RESULTS TO THOSE FOUND IN A 2009 GENERAL POPULATION STUDY. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED A SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW WHERE THEY RESPONDED TO ITEMS ABOUT PERCEPTIONS OF POTENTIAL BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO TRYING YOGA. PARTICIPANT RESPONSES WERE ANALYZED QUALITATIVELY AND SEVERAL COMMON THEMES EMERGED. THEMES IDENTIFIED BY PARTICIPANTS INDICATED THERE IS MIXED INFORMATION ABOUT YOGA IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND THAT CLARIFICATION OF WHAT YOGA IS, HOW IT CAN BE BENEFICIAL, AND WHAT IT REQUIRES ONE TO DO PHYSICALLY MAY HELP PROMOTE ITS USE. 2014 11 151 39 A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION TO INFORM YOGA INTERVENTION RECRUITMENT PRACTICES FOR RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY ADOLESCENTS IN OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. OBJECTIVE: YOGA IS RECOGNIZED AS AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO IMPROVING OVERALL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH; HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO YOGA PARTICIPATION, PARTICULARLY AMONG POPULATIONS MOST AT RISK FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. WE CONDUCTED QUALITATIVE FORMATIVE RESEARCH TO HELP INFORM RECRUITMENT PRACTICES FOR A FUTURE STUDY AND TO SPECIFICALLY UNDERSTAND THE BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO ENGAGEMENT IN YOGA PRACTICE AMONG RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY ADOLESCENTS, AS WELL AS ADOLESCENTS IN OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. METHODS: QUALITATIVE DATA WERE COLLECTED AT A COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC THAT SERVES LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA. USING SEMI STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WITH RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY ADOLESCENTS BETWEEN 12 AND 17 YEARS OLD, PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED ABOUT BELIEFS AND PERCEPTIONS ABOUT YOGA, AS WELL AS RECOMMENDATIONS ON RECRUITING PEERS. A THEMATIC ANALYSIS APPROACH WAS USED TO IDENTIFY AND EXAMINE COMMON THEMES. RESULTS: TWENTY INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED AND EIGHT MAJOR THEMES EMERGED FROM THE DATA. THEMES WERE GROUPED AS (1) FACILITATORS TO RECRUITMENT AND (2) BARRIERS TO RECRUITMENT. INTERPRETATION: ADVERTISING FREE YOGA THAT EMPHASIZES THE SOCIAL, PHYSICAL, AND MENTAL BENEFITS CAN HELP ASSUAGE NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS OF YOGA AND PROMOTE THE ADVANTAGES OF YOGA AMONG TEENAGERS. HAVING RECRUITMENT MATERIALS AND MODALITIES THAT HIGHLIGHT INCLUSIVITY OF ALL GENDERS AND PHYSICAL ABILITIES IN THE YOGA CLASSES ARE ALSO IMPORTANT IN FACILITATING PARTICIPATION. UNDERSTANDING PERCEPTIONS OF YOGA, AS WELL AS PERCEIVED BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS, AMONG RACIALLY/ETHNICALLY DIVERSE ADOLESCENTS IN OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, CAN ASSIST RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, INCREASE YOGA INTERVENTION PARTICIPATION, AND ULTIMATELY, IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. 2020 12 1155 34 ENHANCING YOGA PARTICIPATION: A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION OF BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO YOGA AMONG PREDOMINANTLY RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY, LOW-INCOME ADULTS. YOGA IS UNDERUTILIZED AMONG RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIES AND LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS. TO ENHANCE PARTICIPATION AMONG THESE DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS AND TO INFORM A FUTURE CLINICAL TRIAL, WE CONDUCTED A QUALITATIVE FORMATIVE INVESTIGATION, INFORMED BY THE SOCIAL CONTEXTUAL MODEL OF HEALTH BEHAVIOR CHANGE, TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO YOGA THAT COULD IMPACT STUDY PARTICIPATION. WE RECRUITED TWENTY-FOUR RACIALLY/ETHNICALLY DIVERSE ADULTS, WITH AND WITHOUT PRIOR YOGA EXPERIENCE, FROM A LOW-INCOME, URBAN HOUSING COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN EITHER AN INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW OR FOCUS GROUP. A THEMATIC DATA ANALYSIS APPROACH WAS EMPLOYED. BARRIERS TO YOGA ENGAGEMENT INCLUDED THE PERCEPTION THAT YOGA LACKS PHYSICALITY AND WEIGHT LOSS BENEFITS, FEAR OF INJURY, LACK OF ABILITY/SELF-EFFICACY TO PERFORM THE PRACTICES, PREFERENCE FOR OTHER PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, AND SCHEDULING DIFFICULTIES. FACILITATORS OF YOGA ENGAGEMENT INCLUDED A QUALITY YOGA INSTRUCTOR WHO PROVIDES INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION, BEGINNER LEVEL CLASSES, AND PROMOTIONAL MESSAGING THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA, SUCH AS STRESS REDUCTION. 2017 13 1711 29 PERCEIVED BENEFITS AND BARRIERS TO YOGA PARTICIPATION AFTER STROKE: A FOCUS GROUP APPROACH. BACKGROUND: AND PURPOSE: THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST YOGA CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO HEALTH AND WELLBEING AFTER STROKE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY PERCEIVED BENEFITS AND BARRIERS TO YOGA PARTICIPATION AMONG ADULTS WITH CHRONIC STROKE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TWENTY-SIX COMMUNITY DWELLING ADULTS (14 FEMALE, 12 MALE) WHO WERE AT LEAST 6-MONTHS POST-STROKE PARTICIPATED IN FOUR FOCUS GROUPS HELD AT LOCAL STROKE RECOVERY MEETINGS. DATA WAS RECORDED AND TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYSED THEMATICALLY. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFIED WHOLE BODY BENEFITS, THE RETURN OF CONNECTION AND FEELING HEALTH IN MIND AS THE PRIMARY BENEFITS OF YOGA. PERCEIVED BARRIERS INCLUDED PHYSICAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION, COGNITIVE CHALLENGES, ENVIRONMENTAL ACCESS, AND FINANCIAL LIMITATIONS. CONCLUSION: STROKE SURVIVORS PERCEIVE YOGA PRACTICE PROVIDES BENEFITS IN 'CONNECTEDNESS'. FUTURE INTERVENTIONS SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF YOGA INSTRUCTOR TRAINING, FOCUS ON THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION ASPECTS OF YOGA, AND MODIFYING ACTIVITIES TO SAFELY ACCOMMODATE THE PHYSICAL ABILITIES OF THE PARTICIPANTS. 2019 14 6 42 "I JUST START CRYING FOR NO REASON": THE EXPERIENCE OF STRESS AND DEPRESSION IN PREGNANT, URBAN, AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADOLESCENTS AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF YOGA AS A MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. PURPOSE: PERINATAL HEALTH DISPARITIES ARE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN WITH PREGNANT, URBAN, AFRICAN-AMERICAN (AA) ADOLESCENTS, WHO HAVE HIGH RATES OF STRESS AND DEPRESSION DURING PREGNANCY, HIGHER RATES OF ADVERSE PREGNANCY AND NEONATAL OUTCOMES, AND MANY BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE PREGNANT, URBAN, AA TEENAGERS' EXPERIENCE OF STRESS AND DEPRESSION AND EXAMINE THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF ADJUNCTIVE NONPHARMACOLOGIC MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, SUCH AS YOGA. METHODS: THIS COMMUNITY-BASED, QUALITATIVE STUDY USED NONTHERAPEUTIC FOCUS GROUPS TO ALLOW FOR EXPLORATION OF ATTITUDES, CONCERNS, BELIEFS, AND VALUES REGARDING STRESS AND DEPRESSION IN PREGNANCY AND NONPHARMACOLOGIC MANAGEMENT APPROACHES, SUCH AS MIND-BODY THERAPIES AND OTHER PRENATAL ACTIVITIES. FINDINGS: THE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF PREGNANT, AA, LOW-INCOME ADOLESCENTS (N=17) WHO RESIDED IN A LARGE URBAN AREA IN THE UNITED STATES. THE THEMES THAT AROSE IN THE FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS WERE THAT 1) STRESS AND DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS ARE PERVASIVE IN DAILY LIFE, 2) PARTICIPANTS FELT A GENERALIZED SENSE OF ISOLATION, 3) STRESS/DEPRESSION MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES SHOULD BE GROUP BASED, INTERACTIVE, AND FOCUSED ON THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF TEENAGERS, AND 4) YOGA IS AN APPEALING STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE TO THIS POPULATION. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY SUGGEST THAT PREGNANT, URBAN, ADOLESCENTS ARE HIGHLY STRESSED; THEY INTERPRET DEPRESSION-LIKE SYMPTOMS TO BE SIGNS OF STRESS; THEY DESIRE GROUP-BASED, INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES; AND THEY ARE INTERESTED IN YOGA CLASSES FOR STRESS/DEPRESSION MANAGEMENT AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON THESE NEEDS, PARTICULARLY WHEN DESIGNING PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES. 2015 15 2800 31 YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE: PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCES. MINDFULNESS-BASED THERAPIES ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMMON IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. WHILE THE POPULARITY OF YOGA CONTINUES TO RISE IN WESTERN CULTURE, LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE TO EXPLORE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA FROM A QUALITATIVE, CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE. THIS STUDY EXPLORES PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCES OF THE "YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE" (YTFTM), AN INTERNATIONAL, MANUALIZED YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. EIGHT FEMALE PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, AND TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYZED USING AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS, WITH FOUR MASTER THEMES EMERGING: "PERSONAL JOURNEY OF CHANGE," "AMBIVALENCE," "MIND/BODY CONNECTION," AND "GROUP EXPERIENCE." THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL CHALLENGES OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPORT IN OVERCOMING THESE. FINDINGS ALSO REVEAL THAT PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS FROM THE PRACTICE OF YOGA ASANA IN ADDITION TO MINDFULNESS, SUCH AS A MORE HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, ADAPTIVE COPING STRATEGIES, AND ENHANCED WELL-BEING. 2017 16 2520 38 YOGA COMPLEMENTS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY AS AN ADJUNCT TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION: QUALITATIVE FINDINGS FROM A MIXED-METHODS STUDY. OBJECTIVES: COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (CBT) IS RECOMMENDED FOR TREATING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, DEMONSTRATING GOOD EFFICACY AND MODERATE RATES OF ENGAGEMENT. TO FURTHER IMPROVE OUTCOMES AND ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENTS, RESEARCHERS HAVE SOUGHT TO ENHANCE CBT PROTOCOLS WITH MINDFULNESS-BASED APPROACHES, SUCH AS YOGA. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXAMINE WHETHER YOGA IS AN ACCEPTABLE AND COMPLEMENTARY ADJUNCT TO CBT THROUGH EXPLORING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WHO ENGAGED IN AN ADJUNCT THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME ALONGSIDE GROUP CBT. DESIGN: SINGLE-GROUP QUALITATIVE DESIGN WITH POST-INTERVENTION AND FOLLOW-UP TIMEPOINTS. METHODS: THIRTY-SIX ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SELF-SELECTED INTO A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME AS AN ADJUNCT TO GROUP CBT. QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 27 PARTICIPANTS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EIGHT-WEEK PROGRAMME AND AGAIN THREE MONTHS LATER. THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS USED TO IDENTIFY COMMON THEMES FROM THE LIVED EXPERIENCES. RESULTS: THREE PRIMARY THEMES, WITH NINE SUBTHEMES, WERE IDENTIFIED WHICH REFLECT THE EXPERIENCES OF THE COMBINED THERAPIES, THE COMPLEMENTARY ELEMENTS, AND PROCESS OF ENGAGEMENT OVER TIME. THE ADJUNCT YOGA PROGRAMME WAS HIGHLY ACCEPTABLE TO ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, ENHANCING ENGAGEMENT AND PERCEIVED OUTCOMES. YOGA WAS IDENTIFIED AS PROVIDING A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS THAT COMPLEMENTED PROCESSES OF CBT, SUCH AS BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION AND THOUGHT DISPUTATION. YOGA PRACTICES REPRESENTED MENTAL HEALTH SELF-MANAGEMENT TOOLS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE AS RELAPSE PREVENTION STRATEGIES. CONCLUSIONS: THERAPEUTIC YOGA WARRANTS CONSIDERATION AS AN ADJUNCT TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AS IT OFFERS UNIQUE AND COMPLEMENTARY ELEMENTS TO CBT AND CAN ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT AND PERCEIVED CLINICAL OUTCOMES. PRACTITIONER POINTS: ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION EXPERIENCED A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME AS A SUITABLE AND APPEALING ADJUNCT THAT ENHANCED ENGAGEMENT WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT. YOGA OFFERS A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS, INCLUDING A VALUES SYSTEM, BODY-BASED MINDFULNESS PRACTICES, AND BREATHING TECHNIQUES, THAT COMPLEMENT CBT PROCESSES, SUCH AS BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION, AWARENESS OF MALADAPTIVE PATTERNS, AND THOUGHT DISPUTATION. A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME PROVIDES ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WITH AN ACCESSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE MENTAL HEALTH SELF-MANAGEMENT TOOL. THERAPEUTIC YOGA CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR INTEGRATION TO MODELS OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVISION TO ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. 2021 17 4 31 "I COULD MOVE MOUNTAINS": ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES REFLECT ON THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA PRACTICE. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DESCRIBE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA AS SHARED BY ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES AND TO EXAMINE THEIR BELIEFS REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF YOGA PRACTICE OVER TIME. METHODS: IN THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY, 13 ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES DESCRIBED THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA AND THEIR BELIEFS REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF YOGA PRACTICE OVER TIME. SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS OCCURRED 16 TO 20 MONTHS AFTER COMPLETION OF AN 8-WEEK YOGA-BASED CLINICAL TRIAL. RESULTS: THEMES OF READINESS FOR CONTINUING YOGA, ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORT FOR YOGA, AND INTEGRATING YOGA EMERGED THROUGH DATA ANALYSIS. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS INDICATE THAT YOGA IS APPEALING TO SOME INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES, BUT MAINTAINING YOGA PRACTICE OVER TIME IS A CHALLENGE. DIABETES EDUCATORS MAY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT MAINTENANCE BY DISCUSSING SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO EXPRESS INTEREST IN YOGA PRACTICE. 2010 18 440 27 CASE REPORT: THE USE OF MEDICAL YOGA FOR ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH. MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE EPIDEMIC AMONG YOUTH IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY. RECENT STUDIES SUGGEST THAT UP TO 50% OF ALL TEENAGERS HAVE COMPLAINTS RELATED TO STRESS, ANXIETY, AND/OR DEPRESSION. THIS PROBLEM IS ACCOMPANIED BY AN UNPRECEDENTED RISE IN THE RATES OF CHILD AND TEEN SUICIDE IN THE UNITED STATES. IN RESPONSE TO THIS EPIDEMIC, THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS IS RECOMMENDING UNIVERSAL DEPRESSION SCREENING FOR ALL TEENS. MEDICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO AMELIORATE MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, AND MANY CAN BE SAFELY USED IN THE PRIMARY CARE SETTING. HOWEVER, MANY OF THESE MEDICATIONS HAVE UNWANTED SIDE EFFECTS OR MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR TO THE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. FOR THESE REASONS AND OTHERS, PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS REQUIRE ADDITIONAL APPROACHES TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES IMPOSED BY A GROWING NUMBER OF PATIENTS REQUIRING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. MEDICAL YOGA THERAPY, PRESCRIBED BY A PHYSICIAN WITH SPECIAL YOGA THERAPY TRAINING, OFFERS A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO SERVE THE PATIENT WITH PHYSICAL OR MENTAL CHALLENGES DISABILITIES. MEDICAL YOGA THERAPY IS AN INDIVIDUALIZED AND PERSONAL APPROACH TO THE PATIENT, AND IT MAY BE INTEGRATED WITH ANY CURRENT THERAPY OR MEDICAL REGIMEN. HERE, EVIDENCE FOR MEDICAL YOGA IS REVIEWED IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ADOLESCENT PATIENT WITH A COMMON DISORDER. YOGA PRACTICES, WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON MINDFULNESS, OFFER A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR A GROWING NUMBER OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS. 2019 19 1812 29 PROGRAM EVALUATION OF TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. BACKGROUND: TRAUMA IS HIGHLY PREVALENT AMONG VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE INCARCERATED, IN TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE USE, OR SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA SEEKS TO CREATE A SAFER YOGA PRACTICE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A TRAUMA HISTORY AND MAY IMPROVE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING. THUS, WE CONDUCTED AN EVALUATION OF A TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA PROGRAM TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCES. METHODS: TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA CLASSES WERE LED BY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS AND HELD IN THREE SECTORS THAT WORK WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS: CORRECTIONS AND REENTRY, SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY, AND COMMUNITY AND MENTAL HEALTH. DATA WERE COLLECTED VIA ANONYMOUS SURVEY USING A RETROSPECTIVE PRE-POST DESIGN. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT CAPTURED REASONS FOR STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF YOGA ON EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING. RESULTS: STUDENTS WERE MOTIVATED TO PARTICIPATE IN YOGA CLASSES BY EXPECTATIONS OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL BENEFIT. STUDENTS REPORTED PERCEIVED IMPROVEMENTS IN EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING AND GREATER USE OF SELF-REGULATION SKILLS AFTER STARTING YOGA. CONCLUSION: OUR FINDINGS SUGGEST TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA IS PERCEIVED AS BENEFICIAL BY VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM OR RECOVERING FROM SUBSTANCE USE. OUR RESULTS SUPPORT THE VALUE OF OFFERING TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA IN INSTITUTIONALIZED AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS. IMPROVEMENTS IN EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING WARRANT FORMAL STUDY. 2021 20 11 47 "MAYBE BLACK GIRLS DO YOGA": A FOCUS GROUP STUDY WITH PREDOMINANTLY LOW-INCOME AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN. OBJECTIVE: TO EXPLORE AFRICAN AMERICAN (AA) WOMEN'S USE OF MIND-BODY THERAPIES, SUCH AS YOGA AND MINDFULNESS, AND FACTORS THAT IMPACT THEIR EXPERIENCES, OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS. DESIGN: FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW AA WOMEN PERCEIVE MIND-BODY THERAPIES AND HOW TO BEST BRING THESE INTERVENTIONS INTO THEIR COMMUNITY. INTERVIEWS WERE AUDIOTAPED AND TRANSCRIBED. SETTING: THE URBAN MIDWEST. OUTCOME MEASURES: IN ADDITION TO QUALITATIVE OUTCOMES, DESCRIPTIVE MEASURES INCLUDED THE PERCEIVED STRESSOR SCALE, BELIEFS ABOUT YOGA SCALE, AND DETERMINANTS OF MEDITATION PRACTICE INVENTORY (DOMPI). RESULTS: TWENTY-TWO, PREDOMINANTLY LOW-INCOME (75% REPORTED INCOME <$50,000) AND SINGLE (82%) WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN THREE AGE STRATIFIED FOCUS GROUPS (18-34 YEARS, 35-65 YEARS, 66 YEARS AND OLDER). PARTICIPANTS ACKNOWLEDGED LIFE STRESS AND SHARED COMMON COPING MECHANISMS. THEY RECOGNIZED THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS COULD BE BENEFICIAL AND DISCUSSED BARRIERS TO PRACTICE (INCLUDING PERSONAL AND STRUCTURAL). YOUNGER WOMEN REPORTED MORE TIME CONSTRAINTS AS BARRIERS, MIDDLE AGED WOMEN HAD MORE EXPERIENCE WITH YOGA, AND OLDER WOMEN IDENTIFIED THE SPIRITUAL COMPONENT TO YOGA/MINDFULNESS AS POTENTIALLY CONFLICTING WITH CURRENT COPING STRATEGIES. PARTICIPANTS SUGGESTED WAYS TO SHARE MIND-BODY THERAPIES WITHIN THE AA COMMUNITY ALONG WITH SOLUTIONS FOR ENGAGEMENT. CONCLUSIONS: AA WOMEN ACKNOWLEDGED STRESS IN THEIR LIVES AND RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL COPING MEASURES. ALTHOUGH WOMEN REPORTED INTEREST IN YOGA/MINDFULNESS THEY IDENTIFIED BARRIERS, INCLUDING LIMITED ACCESS TO CONVENIENT CLASSES, AND OFFERED SUGGESTIONS FOR BRINGING YOGA AND MINDFULNESS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. 2018