1 2146 182 THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS MEDITATION AND GENTLE YOGA ON SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING IN CANCER SURVIVORS: A PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND: CANCER SURVIVORS FACE COUNTLESS PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES THAT AFFECT THEIR ABILITIES AND NEGATIVELY IMPACT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND GENERAL WELL-BEING. A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL-SPIRITUAL APPROACH TO HEALTH MANAGEMENT MAY BE BENEFICIAL. PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE: TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF GENTLE YOGA AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION ON SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING IN CANCER SURVIVORS. METHODS/DESIGN: THIS IS A MIXED METHODS, QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL PILOT STUDY PROVIDING 10 WEEKS OF GENTLE YOGA AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION TWICE PER WEEK TO CANCER SURVIVORS. SETTING: THE INTERVENTION WAS PROVIDED AT A SOUTH FLORIDA UNIVERSITY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. PARTICIPANTS: TEN CANCER SURVIVORS SELF-SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 10-WEEK STUDY; 2 PARTICIPANTS DID NOT COMPLETE THE POST-TEST DATA COLLECTION. INTERVENTION: EACH CLASS OPENED AND CLOSED WITH 5 TO 6 MINUTES OF NONMOVING MINDFULNESS MEDITATION. THE MINDFULNESS MEDITATION TECHNIQUES INCLUDED BODY SCAN, BREATH AWARENESS, VISUALIZATION, AFFIRMATION, AND COMPASSION MEDITATIONS. THE GENTLE YOGA PRACTICE WAS A SERIES OF BEGINNER YOGA POSTURES AND STRETCHES. THE MINDFULNESS MEDITATION TECHNIQUES OF BREATH AND BODY AWARENESS DURING YOGA CREATED WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS A "MOVING MEDITATION" WITH YOGA POSTURES ENCOMPASSING THE MOVEMENT PORTION. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: THE FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS THERAPY - SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING 12 ITEM SCALE (FACIT-SP-12) AND 2 OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS. RESULTS: THE FACIT-SP-12 PRE- AND POST-TEST DATA WERE ANALYZED USING A PAIRED SAMPLES T TEST. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN OVERALL SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING FROM PRETEST (MU = 34.25, SD = 7.28) TO POST-TEST (MU = 39.50, SD = 7.91); T (7) = -4.02, P = 0.003. QUALITATIVE DATA: THE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF SPIRITUALITY, FITNESS, EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, STRESS MANAGEMENT, SLEEP, AND A SENSE OF SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS. CONCLUSION: THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL-SPIRITUAL APPROACH TO HEALTH CARE MAY PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE WELL-BEING OF THE WHOLE PERSON. GENTLE YOGA AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION CAN RESULT IN IMPROVEMENT IN MEASURES OF SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING AMONG CANCER SURVIVORS AND MAY BE FURTHER UTILIZED AS AN ACCESSIBLE INTERVENTION FOR THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING THROUGHOUT ALL SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY. 2021 2 2495 31 YOGA AS PALLIATION IN WOMEN WITH ADVANCED CANCER: A PILOT STUDY. OBJECTIVE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE PALLIATIVE POTENTIAL OF HOME-BASED YOGA SESSIONS PROVIDED TO WOMEN WITH ADVANCED CANCER. METHOD: PERSONALISED 45-MINUTE YOGA SESSIONS WERE OFFERED TO THREE WOMEN WITH ADVANCED CANCER BY AN EXPERIENCED YOGA TEACHER. EACH WOMAN TOOK PART IN A ONE-TO-ONE INTERVIEW AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE YOGA PROGRAMME AND WAS ASKED TO DESCRIBE HER EXPERIENCES OF THE PROGRAMME'S IMPACT. RESULTS: THE PERSONALISED NATURE OF THE YOGA SESSIONS RESULTED IN SIMILAR POSITIVE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS COMPARABLE TO THOSE DEMONSTRATED IN OTHER STUDIES WITH CANCER PATIENTS. PARTICIPANTS DESCRIBED PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL BENEFITS AS WELL AS THE ALLEVIATION OF ILLNESS IMPACTS. THE ENHANCEMENT OF MIND-BODY AND BODY-SPIRIT CONNECTIONS WERE ALSO NOTED. CONCLUSION: PERSONALISED HOME-BASED YOGA PROGRAMMES FOR PEOPLE WITH ADVANCED CANCER MAY PRODUCE SIMILAR BENEFITS, INCLUDING PALLIATION, AS THOSE INSTITUTIONALLY-BASED PROGRAMMES FOR PEOPLE WITH NON-ADVANCED CANCER. 2016 3 1512 32 IS THERE MORE TO YOGA THAN EXERCISE? CONTEXT: YOGA IS INCREASING IN POPULARITY, WITH AN ESTIMATED 15 MILLION PRACTITIONERS IN THE UNITED STATES, YET THERE IS A DEARTH OF EMPIRICAL DATA ADDRESSING THE HOLISTIC BENEFITS OF YOGA. OBJECTIVE: TO COMPARE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BENEFITS OF AN EXERCISE-BASED YOGA PRACTICE TO THAT OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE YOGA PRACTICE (ONE WITH AN ETHICAL/SPIRITUAL COMPONENT). DESIGN: STUDENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, OR STRESS AND WHO AGREED TO PARTICIPATE WERE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THREE GROUPS: INTEGRATED YOGA, YOGA AS EXERCISE, CONTROL. PARTICIPANTS: A TOTAL OF 81 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS 18 YEARS AND OLDER AT A UNIVERSITY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, STRESS, HOPE, AND SALIVARY CORTISOL. RESULTS: OVER TIME, PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH THE INTEGRATED AND EXERCISE YOGA GROUPS EXPERIENCED DECREASED DEPRESSION AND STRESS, AN INCREASED SENSE OF HOPEFULNESS, AND INCREASED FLEXIBILITY COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. HOWEVER, ONLY THE INTEGRATED YOGA GROUP EXPERIENCED DECREASED ANXIETY-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DECREASED SALIVARY CORTISOL FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA, PRACTICED IN A MORE INTEGRATED FORM, IE, WITH AN ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL COMPONENT, MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OVER YOGA PRACTICED AS AN EXERCISE REGIMEN. 2011 4 1714 37 PERCEIVED HEALTH BENEFITS FROM YOGA AMONG BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO DESCRIBE THE HEALTH BENEFITS REPORTED BY BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS FOLLOWING AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION. DESIGN: THIS PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY EMPLOYED THREE FOCUS GROUPS WITH SIX BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS EACH (N = 18) FOLLOWING THE YOGA INTERVENTION. SETTING: THE FOCUS GROUPS AND YOGA CLASSES WERE CONDUCTED IN A LARGE HOSPITAL IN A MIDSIZED TOWN IN THE MIDWEST. SUBJECTS: EIGHTEEN FEMALE BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS WHO WERE AT LEAST 9 MONTHS POSTTREATMENT PARTICIPATED IN THE FOCUS GROUPS FOLLOWING THE 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION. INTERVENTION: AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS POPULATION WAS LED BY A YOGA THERAPIST. MEASURES: A SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEW GUIDE WAS UTILIZED TO GUIDE EACH FOCUS GROUP. ANALYSIS: INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS METHODS WERE EMPLOYED TO EXPLORE BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS' EXPERIENCES AFTER PARTICIPATING IN AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION. RESULTS: THE FINDINGS REVEALED THAT THE WOMEN IN THE STUDY FOUND HEALTH PROMOTING BENEFITS IN THE AREAS OF PHYSICAL HEALTH AND HEALING, MENTAL HEALTH AND HEALING, AND SOCIAL HEALTH AND HEALING. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA MAY BE AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN THE HEALING PROCESS FOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS. 2013 5 1414 44 IMPLEMENTING YOGA THERAPY ADAPTED FOR OLDER VETERANS WHO ARE CANCER SURVIVORS. OBJECTIVES: THIS GOAL OF THIS PAPER IS TO DESCRIBE THE REACH, APPLICATION, AND EFFECTIVENESS OF AN 8-WEEK YOGA THERAPY PROTOCOL WITH OLDER CANCER SURVIVORS WITHIN A VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION SETTING. METHODS: TO DOCUMENT THE REACH OF THIS INTERVENTION, RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, ATTENDANCE, AND PRACTICE RATES WERE TRACKED. TO EXPLORE THE APPLICATION OF THE PROTOCOL TO THIS POPULATION, PHYSICAL THERAPY PRE-ASSESSMENT AND OBSERVATIONS BY THE YOGA THERAPIST WERE RECORDED TO ASCERTAIN NECESSARY POSE MODIFICATIONS. EFFECTIVENESS WAS MEASURED THROUGH PRE- AND POST-COURSE STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, TRACKING SELF-REPORTED SYMPTOMS OF COMBAT-RELATED POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, FATIGUE, INSOMNIA, AND PAIN. RESULTS: REGARDING REACH, 15% OF ELIGIBLE VETERANS (N = 14) ENROLLED, PARTICIPATED IN 3-16 CLASSES (M+/-SD = 11.64+/-3.39), AND PRACTICED AT HOME FOR 0-56 DAYS (M+/-SD = 26.36+/-17.87). PARTICIPANTS WERE PRIMARILY CAUCASIAN (N = 13), MALE (N = 13), RANGED IN AGE FROM 55 TO 78 YEARS (M+/-SD = 65.64+/-5.15), AND HAD MULTIPLE MEDICAL PROBLEMS. DURING APPLICATION, SUBSTANTIAL INDIVIDUALIZED MODIFICATIONS TO THE YOGA THERAPY PROTOCOL WERE NECESSARY. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTERVENTION WAS MIXED. DURING POST-COURSE INTERVIEWS, PARTICIPANTS REPORTED A VARIETY OF QUALITATIVE BENEFITS. NOTABLY, THE MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT BREATHING AND RELAXATION TECHNIQUES WERE THE MOST USEFUL TO LEARN. GROUP COMPARISONS OF MEAN PRE- AND POST-COURSE SCORES ON STANDARDIZED MEASURES SHOWED NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES. CONCLUSIONS: A MINORITY OF OLDER VETERANS EXPRESS AN INTEREST IN YOGA, BUT THOSE WHO DO HAVE HIGH RATES OF CLASS ATTENDANCE AND HOME PRACTICE. CAREFUL PHYSICAL PRE-ASSESSMENT AND ATTENTIVE THERAPISTS ARE REQUIRED TO UNDERTAKE THE ADAPTATIONS REQUIRED BY PARTICIPANTS WITH MULTIPLE COMORBIDITIES. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA IN THIS SETTING REQUIRES ADDITIONAL STUDY. 2014 6 1369 29 IMPACT OF A SHORT YOGA INTERVENTION ON MEDICAL STUDENTS' HEALTH: A PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND: MEDICAL STUDENTS OFTEN EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT DISTRESS EARLY-ON IN UNDERGRADUATE TRAINING. AIMS: WE AIMED TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF A BRIEF STRUCTURED YOGA INTERVENTION ON MEDICAL STUDENTS. METHOD: FOURTEEN FIRST-YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A 16-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION PILOT STUDY. STUDENTS COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES AT BASELINE, MID-INTERVENTION AND END OF THE STUDY. RESULTS: THE STUDENTS REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN OVERALL HEALTH, PERCEIVED STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION. CONCLUSIONS: A YOGA INTERVENTION MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN DECREASING STRESS AND IMPROVING GENERAL WELL-BEING IN MEDICAL STUDENTS. 2009 7 254 41 A YOGA STRESS REDUCTION INTERVENTION FOR UNIVERSITY FACULTY, STAFF, AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. YOGA CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS AND DECREASED ABILITY TO COPE WITH PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, VOCATIONAL, OR ACADEMIC STRESS. ONE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS CHALLENGED REGARDING ADEQUATE SELF-CARE IN THE FACE OF STRESS ARE PERSONNEL IN UNIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR HELPING PROFESSIONS (E.G., PSYCHOLOGY, NURSING, NUTRITION). THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY EXPLORED ENGAGEMENT IN AND EFFECTIVENESS OF A SYSTEMATIC 10-WEEK YOGA PROGRAM AIMED AT UNIVERSITY FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS. THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF 10 WEEKLY 90-MINUTE SESSIONS THAT WERE STRUCTURED TO INCLUDE CONCEPTUAL GROUNDING, BREATHING, POSTURES, AND MEDITATION. WEEKLY CLASS OUTLINES WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS FOR HOME PRACTICE. PARTICIPANTS SIGNED INFORMED CONSENTS, LIABILITY WAIVERS, AND HEALTH SCREENINGS. SELF-REPORTS OF HOME PRACTICE, BARRIERS TO PRACTICE, PERCEIVED STRESS, AND STRESS SYMPTOMS WERE USED TO EVALUATE WHETHER THE INTERVENTION WAS SUCCESSFUL IN ENGAGING PARTICIPANTS AND REDUCING STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS. ENGAGEMENT WAS DEMONSTRATED BY STUDY ADHERENCE IN THE FIRST 10-WEEK SERIES (88%; 44 OF 50 ENROLLED), AS WELL AS RE-ENROLLMENT FOR AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL 10-WEEK SERIES (64%; 28 OF 44). INTERVENTION SUCCESS WAS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH REPEATED MEASURE S ANOVAS OF 44 PARTICIPANTS' DATA, WHICH SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT AFTER A SINGLE 10-WEEK SERIES IN PERCEIVED STRESS, AS WELL AS SELF-REPORTED PSYCHOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS. THE STUDY DEMONSTRATES FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION IN AN ACADEMIC SETTING AND PROVIDES PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE FOR EFFICACY IN STRESS REDUCTION. IT ALSO SUPPLIES 10 DETAILED SESSION PROTOCOLS FOR INTERVENTION REPLICATION. 2015 8 2351 27 USING YOGA NIDRA TO IMPROVE STRESS IN PSYCHIATRIC NURSES IN A PILOT STUDY. GIVEN TODAY'S HURRIED AND STRESSFUL HEATHCARE SYSTEM, NURSES NEED MECHANISMS TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, PROMOTE THEIR OWN WELLNESS, AND BUILD RESILIENCE IN MANAGING SICK PATIENTS. YOGA IS ONE SUCH MECHANISM; IT CAN DECREASE ANXIETY AND IMPROVE SLEEP AND QUALITY OF LIFE. IN THIS PILOT STUDY, NINE NURSES PARTICIPATED IN 6 WEEKLY SESSIONS OF YOGA NIDRA. MEASURES OF SLEEP, STRESS, AND MUSCLE FATIGUE WERE OBTAINED TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOGA HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT UPON QUALITY OF LIFE AND STRESS. ALTHOUGH BASED ON A SMALL SAMPLE OF NURSES, RESULTS INDICATED POSITIVE FINDINGS FOR BOTH PERCEIVED STRESS LEVEL AND MUSCLE FATIGUE. THIS PILOT STUDY DEMONSTRATED THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT OF YOGA IN STRESS REDUCTION, MUSCLE TENSION, AND SELF-CARE IN NURSES. 2017 9 893 28 EFFECT OF YOGA-BASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON PERCEIVED STRESS, ANXIETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN YOUNG ADULTS. PURPOSE: THIS STUDY, CONDUCTED AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN TURKEY, SOUGHT TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA-BASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON PERCEIVED STRESS, ANXIETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN YOUNG ADULTS. DESIGN AND METHODS: THIS STUDY WAS PLANNED AS A SEMIEXPERIMENTAL NONRANDOMIZED STUDY WITH A CONTROL GROUP. FINDINGS: YOGA-BASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DECREASED THE PERCEIVED STRESS AND STATE ANXIETY LEVELS, BUT HAD NO EFFECT ON TRAIT ANXIETY LEVELS AND QUALITY OF LIFE. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOGA-BASED TREATMENT CAN BE INCLUDED IN NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR REDUCING STRESS AND ANXIETY LEVELS IN YOUNG ADULTS. 2020 10 1701 37 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 11 1751 29 PILOT STUDY: USE OF MINDFULNESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND YOGA PRACTICES WITH LOW-INCOME AND/OR UNINSURED PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION AND/OR ANXIETY. PURPOSE: THIS PILOT STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MINDFULNESS PRACTICES, INCLUDING SELF-COMPASSION AND YOGA, ON DEPRESSION AND/OR ANXIETY IN UNINSURED AND/OR LOW-INCOME PATIENTS. DESIGN: THE DESIGN WAS REPEATED MEASURES WITH ONE GROUP. METHOD: PATIENTS RECEIVED 8 WEEKS OF MINDFULNESS TRAINING INCLUDING SELF-COMPASSION AND YOGA. DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING WERE MEASURED FOUR TIMES. FINDINGS: INTERVENTIONS WERE EFFECTIVE IN HELPING UNINSURED AND LOW-INCOME PATIENTS REDUCE DEPRESSION AND/OR ANXIETY SYMPTOMS. CONCLUSION: THIS STUDY MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR A COST-EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR THESE DISORDERS. THE FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY CAN PROVIDE USEFUL INFORMATION TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. 2015 12 2673 37 YOGA IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY TO ACCESS THE EFFECTS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. BACKGROUND: AND PURPOSE: YOGA IS GROWING IN POPULARITY, BUT ITS BENEFITS AND INTEGRATION INTO PRIMARY CARE REMAIN UNCERTAIN. HERE, WE DETERMINE YOGA EFFECTS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, AND EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF INTRODUCING YOGA AT PRIMARY CARE LEVEL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THIS IS A PROSPECTIVE, LONGITUDINAL, QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY, WITH AN INTERVENTION (N=49) AND A CONTROL GROUP (N=37). YOGA GROUP UNDERWENT 24-WEEKS PROGRAM OF ONE-HOUR SESSIONS. OUR PRIMARY ENDPOINT WAS QUALITY OF LIFE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, AS WELL AS SATISFACTION LEVEL AND ADHERENCE RATE. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS REPORTED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ALL DOMAINS OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND A REDUCTION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. LINEAR REGRESSION ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT YOGA SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES PSYCHOLOGICAL QUALITY OF LIFE (P=0.046). CONCLUSION: YOGA IN PRIMARY CARE IS FEASIBLE, SAFE AND HAS A SATISFACTORY ADHERENCE, AS WELL AS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON PSYCHOLOGICAL QUALITY OF LIFE OF PARTICIPANTS. 2019 13 1230 44 FEASIBILITY AND OUTCOME OF AN ONLINE STREAMED YOGA INTERVENTION ON STRESS AND WELLBEING OF PEOPLE WORKING FROM HOME DURING COVID-19. BACKGROUND: THE OUTBREAK OF COVID-19 AND ITS ASSOCIATED MEASURES HAS RESULTED IN A SIZEABLE WORKING POPULATION TRANSITIONING TO WORKING FROM HOME (WFH), BRINGING ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES, AND INCREASING WORK-RELATED STRESS. RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT YOGA HAS PROMISING POTENTIAL IN REDUCING STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE VERY FEW STUDIES EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF ONLINE STREAMED YOGA ON STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR PEOPLE-WFH. OBJECTIVE: TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY AND OUTCOME OF AN ONLINE STREAMED YOGA INTERVENTION ON STRESS AND WELLBEING OF PEOPLE-WFH DURING COVID-19. METHODS: A SIX-WEEK PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (RCT) YOGA INTERVENTION WAS DESIGNED WITH YOGA (N = 26) AND A WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUP (N = 26). A MIXED TWO-WAY ANOVA WAS USED TO ASSESS CHANGES IN STANDARDISED OUTCOME MEASURES AT BASELINE AND POST-INTERVENTION. LIKERT AND OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ASSESSED ENJOYMENT, ACCEPTABILITY AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH WERE ANALYSED THEMATICALLY. RESULTS: COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL, THE YOGA GROUP REPORTED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN PERCEIVED STRESS, MENTAL WELLBEING, DEPRESSION AND COPING SELF-EFFICACY, BUT NOT STRESS AND ANXIETY. PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS AND REPORTED HIGH ACCEPTABILITY AND ENJOYMENT OF THE INTERVENTION. CONCLUSIONS: AN ONLINE YOGA INTERVENTION CAN HELP PEOPLE WFH MANAGE STRESS AND ENHANCE WELLBEING AND COPING ABILITIES. 2021 14 1753 44 PILOTING YOGA AND ASSESSING OUTCOMES IN A RESIDENTIAL BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH UNIT. THIS STUDY EXAMINED IF ADOLESCENTS ON A RESIDENTIAL BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH UNIT WOULD PARTICIPATE IN A YOGA INTERVENTION. YOGA HAS BEEN USED AS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE FOR MORE THAN 2000 YEARS; HOWEVER, STUDIES ARE LIMITED REGARDING ITS EFFECTS ON ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS ON AN INPATIENT UNIT. YOGA WAS ADDED, TWICE WEEKLY, TO THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE. TRAIT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE QUESTIONNAIRE-ADOLESCENT SHORT FORM (TEIQUE-ASF) SCORES WERE MEASURED OVER 8 WEEKS. ADDITIONAL MEASURES INCLUDED DAILY NUMBERS OF QUIET TIMES, TIME OUTS, AND POINT CARD SCORES. TWENTY-TWO ADOLESCENTS COMPLETED THE STUDY. THE TEIQUE-ASF ASSESSMENT WAS ABLE TO DETECT CHANGES IN TOTAL SCORES OVER 8 WEEKS. INCREASED YOGA PARTICIPATION WAS RELATED TO HIGHER VALUES OF THE TEIQUE-ASF SUBDOMAIN OF SOCIABILITY, INCREASE IN WEEKLY POINT CARD TOTALS, A DECREASE IN BEHAVIOURAL TIME OUTS, AND A DECREASE IN COMBINED BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS AT VARIOUS TIME POINTS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAMME. THIS STUDY WAS RELEVANT BECAUSE IT WAS CONDUCTED ON AN ADOLESCENT INPATIENT UNIT. IT PROVIDES SUPPORT THAT YOGA, AS PART OF A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMME, IS A FEASIBLE INTERVENTION FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. CHANGES IN THE VARIOUS MEASURES CANNOT BE DIRECTLY LINKED TO YOGA BECAUSE OF LACK OF A COMPARISON GROUP. ADDITIONAL STUDIES WITH A LARGER SAMPLE, AND RANDOMIZATION, ARE NEEDED TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA AND TO DETERMINE IF CHANGES TO THE TEIQUE-ASF CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO YOGA OR OTHER BEHAVIOURAL-BASED INTERVENTIONS. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW YOGA WILL IMPACT BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN AN INPATIENT SETTING. THIS STUDY EXAMINED IF ADOLESCENTS ON A RESIDENTIAL BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH UNIT WOULD PARTICIPATE IN A YOGA INTERVENTION TO ADDRESS EMOTIONAL REGULATION. A SINGLE COHORT STUDY DESIGN WAS USED. YOGA WAS ADDED TO THE PROGRAMME SCHEDULE TWICE WEEKLY. TRAIT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE QUESTIONNAIRE-ADOLESCENT SHORT FORM (TEIQUE-ASF) SCORES AND ADDITIONAL BEHAVIOURAL MEASURES WERE TRACKED OVER 8 WEEKS. ADOLESCENTS PARTICIPATED IN YOGA, WITH A HIGHER PARTICIPATION RATE FOR GIRLS COMPARED WITH BOYS. THE TEIQUE-ASF ASSESSMENT DETECTED CHANGES IN TOTAL SCORE OVER 8 WEEKS. INCREASED YOGA PARTICIPATION WAS RELATED TO HIGHER VALUES OF THE TEIQUE-ASF SUBDOMAIN OF SOCIABILITY, INCREASE IN WEEKLY POINT CARD TOTALS, AND A DECREASE IN COMBINED BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS AT VARIOUS TIME POINTS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAMME. THIS STUDY WAS RELEVANT BECAUSE IT WAS CONDUCTED ON AN ADOLESCENT INPATIENT UNIT. FURTHER STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO DETERMINE IF CHANGES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO YOGA OR OTHER BEHAVIOURAL-BASED INTERVENTIONS. IF SUPPORTED BY FURTHER STUDIES, YOGA HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A COMPLIMENTARY THERAPY THAT CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TREATMENT APPROACH FOR MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS. 2015 15 719 51 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 16 14 49 "NOW I SEE A BRIGHTER DAY": EXPECTATIONS AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF AN IYENGAR YOGA INTERVENTION FOR YOUNG PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) IS A CHRONIC DISEASE CHARACTERIZED BY INFLAMMATION OF JOINTS AND ASSOCIATED FATIGUE, DETERIORATED RANGE OF MOTION, AND IMPAIRED PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING. YOUNG ADULTS WITH RA ARE AT A PARTICULAR RISK FOR COMPROMISED HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THERE IS A NEED FOR SAFE, EFFECTIVE COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT IN ADDITION TO TRADITIONAL MEDICAL APPROACHES. THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO USE FACE-TO-FACE PARTICIPANT INTERVIEWS, CONDUCTED BEFORE AND AFTER AN IYENGAR YOGA (IY) PROGRAM, TO EXAMINE MECHANISMS THROUGH WHICH YOGA MAY BE BENEFICIAL TO YOUNG ADULTS WITH RA.THIS PILOT STUDY UTILIZED A SINGLE-ARM DESIGN WHERE ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED THE INTERVENTION. CLASSES WERE TAUGHT TWICE PER WEEK (1.5 HOURS EACH) FOR 6 WEEKS BY AN IY TEACHER QUALIFIED IN THERAPEUTICS. INTERVIEW THEMES INCLUDED PARTICIPANTS' BASELINE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT YOGA AND VIEWPOINTS AS TO HOW THEIR FUNCTIONING HAD BEEN IMPACTED BY THE IY INTERVENTION WERE EXAMINED. FIVE YOUNG ADULTS WITH RA AGED 24-31 YEARS (MEAN = 28; 80% FEMALE) COMPLETED THE YOGA INTERVENTION. PARTICIPANTS CONSISTENTLY REPORTED THAT YOGA HELPED WITH ENERGY, RELAXATION AND MOOD AND THEY DISCUSSED PERCEIVED MECHANISMS FOR HOW YOGA IMPACTED WELL-BEING. MECHANISMS INCLUDED PHYSICAL CHANGES SUCH AS RANGE OF MOTION AND PHYSIOLOGICAL AWARENESS, AND PSYCHOSPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS ACCEPTANCE, COPING, SELF-EFFICACY AND MINDFULNESS. THOUGH THE STUDY IS LIMITED, PARTICIPANTS' RESPONSES PROVIDE COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT IY FOR RA PATIENTS IS AN INTERVENTION WORTHY OF FURTHER EXPLORATION. THE MECHANISMS AND OUTCOMES REPORTED BY PARTICIPANTS SUPPORT A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL, WHICH PROPOSES THAT YOGA BENEFITS PATIENTS THROUGH BOTH PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOSPIRITUAL CHANGES. 2011 17 28 54 'JOINING A GROUP WAS INSPIRING': A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF SERVICE USERS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA ON SOCIAL PRESCRIPTION. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR HOLISTIC APPROACH IN THE WEST TO MANAGE LONG-TERM HEALTH CONDITIONS. THIS STUDY PRESENTS THE EVALUATION OF A PILOT YOGA INTERVENTION, YOGA4HEALTH, THAT WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE NHS TO BE SOCIALLY PRESCRIBED TO PATIENTS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING SPECIFIC HEALTH CONDITIONS (RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, PRE-DIABETES, ANXIETY/DEPRESSION OR EXPERIENCING SOCIAL ISOLATION). THE AIM OF THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE SERVICE USERS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA4HEALTH AND THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE PROGRAMME. METHODS: QUALITATIVE DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM THREE SOURCES: 1. OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ON QUESTIONNAIRES COMPLETED BY SERVICES USERS AT THREE DIFFERENT TIME-POINTS (BASELINE, POST INTERVENTION AND 3 MONTHS); 2. INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUPS WITH A SUBSET OF PARTICIPANTS (N = 22); 3. INTERVIEWS WITH YOGA TEACHERS DELIVERING YOGA4HEALTH (N = 7). EACH DATA SOURCE WAS ANALYSED THEMATICALLY, THEN FINDINGS WERE COMBINED. RESULTS: OF PARTICIPANTS COMPLETING BASELINE QUESTIONNAIRES (N = 240), 82.5% WERE FEMALE, 50% WHITE, WITH A MEAN AGE OF 53 (RANGE 23-82) YEARS. BASELINE QUESTIONNAIRES REVEALED KEY MOTIVATIONS TO ATTEND YOGA4HEALTH WERE TO IMPROVE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND BELIEVING YOGA4HEALTH WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH THEIR HEALTH CONDITION. POST-INTERVENTION, PARTICIPANTS REPORTED A RANGE OF BENEFITS ACROSS PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL DOMAINS FROM YOGA4HEALTH. INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN SELF-MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH WAS ALSO REPORTED, AND A NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS DESCRIBED MAKING POSITIVE LIFESTYLE CHANGES AFTER ATTENDING THE PROGRAMME. UNANTICIPATED BENEFITS OF YOGA EMERGED FOR PARTICIPANTS, SUCH AS ENJOYMENT AND SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS, WHICH FACILITATED ONGOING ATTENDANCE AND PRACTICE. ALSO KEY TO FACILITATING PRACTICE (DURING AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION) WERE SUITABILITY OF THE CLASSES FOR THOSE WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS, PRACTISING WITH A GROUP AND QUALITIES OF THE YOGA TEACHER. HOME PRACTICE WAS SUPPORTED BY COURSE MATERIALS (MANUAL, VIDEOS), AS WELL AS THE TEACHING OF TECHNIQUES FOR EVERYDAY APPLICATION THAT OFFERED IMMEDIATE BENEFITS, SUCH AS BREATHING PRACTICES. FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONNAIRES REVEALED A KEY CHALLENGE WAS CONTINUATION OF PRACTICE ONCE THE INTERVENTION HAD FINISHED, WITH THE STRUCTURE OF A CLASS IMPORTANT IN SUPPORTING PRACTICE. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA4HEALTH WAS A HIGHLY ACCEPTABLE INTERVENTION TO SERVICES USERS, WHICH BROUGHT A RANGE OF BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL IMPROVEMENTS, SUGGESTING YOGA IS AN APPROPRIATE INTERVENTION TO OFFER ON SOCIAL PRESCRIPTION. 2022 18 2062 43 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 19 1363 64 IMPACT AND OUTCOMES OF AN IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM IN A CANCER CENTRE. BACKGROUND: INDIVIDUALS HAVE INCREASINGLY SOUGHT COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES TO ENHANCE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING DURING CANCER, ALTHOUGH LITTLE EVIDENCE OF THEIR EFFECT IS AVAILABLE. OBJECTIVES: WE INVESTIGATED HOW AN IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM AFFECTS THE SELF-IDENTIFIED WORST SYMPTOM IN A GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS. WHETHER QUALITY OF LIFE, SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING, AND MOOD DISTURBANCE CHANGE OVER THE IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM AND AT 6 WEEKS AFTER THE PROGRAM. HOW, FROM A PARTICIPANT'S PERSPECTIVE, THE IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS CONVENTIONAL CANCER TREATMENT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: THIS PRE-POST INSTRUMENTAL COLLECTIVE CASE STUDY USED A MIXED METHODS DESIGN AND WAS CONDUCTED AT A PRIVATE IYENGAR YOGA STUDIO. THE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 24 VOLUNTEERS (23 WOMEN, 1 MAN; 88% CAUCASIAN; MEAN AGE: 49 YEARS) WHO WERE CURRENTLY ON TREATMENT OR WHO HAD BEEN TREATED FOR CANCER WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 6 MONTHS, AND WHO PARTICIPATED IN TEN 90-MINUTE WEEKLY IYENGAR YOGA CLASSES. THE MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES WERE MOST-BOTHERSOME SYMPTOM (MEASURE YOUR MEDICAL OUTCOME PROFILE 2 INSTRUMENT), QUALITY OF LIFE AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING (FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS THERAPY-GENERAL SUBSCALE AND SPIRITUAL SUBSCALE), AND MOOD DISTURBANCE (PROFILE OF MOOD STATES-SHORT FORM). PARTICIPANT PERSPECTIVES WERE OBTAINED IN QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS. RESULTS: STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WERE REPORTED IN MOST-BOTHERSOME SYMPTOM (T((23)) = 5.242; P < 0.001), QUALITY OF LIFE (F((2,46)) = 14.5; P < 0.001), SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING (F((2,46)) = 14.4; P < 0.001), AND MOOD DISTURBANCE (F((2,46)) = 10.8; P < 0.001) DURING THE PROGRAM. AT FOLLOW-UP, QUALITY OF LIFE (T((21)) = -3.7; P = 0.001) AND MOOD DISTURBANCE (T((21)) = 2.4; P = 0.025) SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED OVER TIME. CATEGORICAL AGGREGATION OF THE INTERVIEW DATA SHOWED THAT PARTICIPANTS FELT THE PROGRAM PROVIDED THEM WITH VARIOUS BENEFITS NOT INCLUDED ON THE OUTCOMES QUESTIONNAIRES. CONCLUSIONS: OVER THE COURSE OF THE IYENGAR YOGA FOR CANCER PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS REPORTED AN IMPROVEMENT IN OVERALL WELL-BEING. THE PROGRAM WAS ALSO FOUND TO PRESENT PARTICIPANTS WITH A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CARE AND TO PROVIDE TOOLS TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE DEMANDS OF LIVING WITH CANCER AND ITS TREATMENT. 2008 20 114 29 A PILOT STUDY OF A YOGA AND MEDITATION INTERVENTION FOR DEMENTIA CAREGIVER STRESS. TWELVE OLDER FEMALE DEMENTIA PATIENT FAMILY CAREGIVERS (EIGHT LATINAS AND FOUR CAUCASIANS) PARTICIPATED IN A SIX-SESSION MANUALIZED YOGA-MEDITATION PROGRAM (CALLED INNER RESOURCES) DESIGNED TO HELP CAREGIVERS COPE WITH STRESS. PRE/POST COMPARISONS REVEALED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AND IMPROVEMENTS IN PERCEIVED SELF-EFFICACY. AVERAGE MINUTES OF WEEKLY YOGA-MEDITATION PRACTICE WERE SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVEMENTS IN DEPRESSION. THE MAJORITY OF CAREGIVERS FOUND THE INTERVENTION USEFUL AND REPORTED SUBJECTIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL FUNCTIONING. THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT INNER RESOURCES MAY BE A FEASIBLE AND EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS AND MAY IMPROVE AFFECT, COPING, PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, AND STRESS MANAGEMENT. 2004