1 605 118 DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF YOGA MODULE FOR ANGER MANAGEMENT IN ADOLESCENTS. BACKGROUND: DEVELOPMENT OF ANGER MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND IN PARTICULAR, YOGA MODULE FOR ANGER MANAGEMENT HAS NOT BEEN WELL RESEARCHED. BEING A COMPLEX EMOTION, ANGER POSES SERIOUS CHALLENGES IN DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE ANGER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. WHILE VARIOUS THEORIES OF ANGER ARE DEALT IN MODERN PSYCHOLOGY, SEVERAL ANGER MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ARE SET FORTH IN INDIAN TRADITIONAL TEXTS. YOGA, WHICH IS CONSIDERED AS A HOLISTIC AND INTEGRATED APPROACH IS EXPLORED IN THIS STUDY TO DEVELOP AND VALIDATE A SCHOOL-BASED YOGA PROGRAM FOR ANGER MANAGEMENT IN ADOLESCENCE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: INTEGRATED APPROACH TO YOGA THERAPY (IAYT) PRINCIPLES AND LITERARY REVIEW FORMED THE BASIS FOR DERIVING THE CONCEPTS OF ANGER MANAGEMENT. THE METHODOLOGY INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF THE YOGA MODULE, VALIDATION OF THE MODULE BY 22 EXPERTS FOLLOWED BY A PILOT NON-RANDOMISED CONTROL STUDY (N-50) TO ASSESS FEASIBILITY AND INITIAL EFFECTIVENESS. CONTENT VALIDITY RATIO (CVR) AND PAIRED T-TEST WERE EMPLOYED TO ANALYSE THE EXPERTS' RATING AND PILOT-STUDY DATA RESPECTIVELY. RESULTS: EMERGENCE OF IAYT BASED YOGA PROGRAM FOR ANGER MANAGEMENT. BASED ON CVR RATIO, 16 OUT OF 18 YOGIC TECHNIQUES QUALIFIED FOR THE FINAL MODULE. THE PILOT STUDY REVEALED VIABILITY OF THE MODULE AND ITS RECOGNITION AS AN ANGER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF ANGER SCORES IN YOGA GROUP SUBSTANTIATES INITIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MODULE. CONCLUSION: THE DEVELOPED AND VALIDATED YOGA MODULE FOR ANGER MANAGEMENT IS RECOGNISED AS A WELL-ACCEPTED AND EFFECTIVE YOGA PROGRAM FOR ANGER MANAGEMENT IN ADOLESCENTS. 2021 2 2387 21 YOGA AMELIORATES PERFORMANCE ANXIETY AND MOOD DISTURBANCE IN YOUNG PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS. YOGA AND MEDITATION CAN ALLEVIATE STRESS, ANXIETY, MOOD DISTURBANCE, AND MUSCULOSKELETAL PROBLEMS, AND CAN ENHANCE COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE. PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS EXPERIENCE HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS, PERFORMANCE ANXIETY, AND DEBILITATING PERFORMANCE-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS (PRMDS). THE GOAL OF THIS CONTROLLED STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE BENEFITS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION FOR MUSICIANS. YOUNG ADULT PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS WHO VOLUNTEERED TO PARTICIPATE IN A 2-MONTH PROGRAM OF YOGA AND MEDITATION WERE RANDOMIZED TO A YOGA LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION GROUP (N = 15) OR TO A GROUP PRACTICING YOGA AND MEDITATION ONLY (N = 15). ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS WERE RECRUITED TO A NO-PRACTICE CONTROL GROUP (N = 15). BOTH YOGA GROUPS ATTENDED THREE KRIPALU YOGA OR MEDITATION CLASSES EACH WEEK. THE YOGA LIFESTYLE GROUP ALSO EXPERIENCED WEEKLY GROUP PRACTICE AND DISCUSSION SESSIONS AS PART OF THEIR MORE IMMERSIVE TREATMENT. ALL PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED BASELINE AND END-PROGRAM SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES THAT EVALUATED MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY, MOOD, PRMDS, PERCEIVED STRESS, AND SLEEP QUALITY; MANY PARTICIPANTS LATER COMPLETED A 1-YEAR FOLLOWUP ASSESSMENT USING THE SAME QUESTIONNAIRES. BOTH YOGA GROUPS SHOWED A TREND TOWARDS LESS MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY AND SIGNIFICANTLY LESS GENERAL ANXIETY/TENSION, DEPRESSION, AND ANGER AT END-PROGRAM RELATIVE TO CONTROLS, BUT SHOWED NO CHANGES IN PRMDS, STRESS, OR SLEEP. SIMILAR RESULTS IN THE TWO YOGA GROUPS, DESPITE PSYCHOSOCIAL DIFFERENCES IN THEIR INTERVENTIONS, SUGGEST THAT THE YOGA AND MEDITATION TECHNIQUES THEMSELVES MAY HAVE MEDIATED THE IMPROVEMENTS. OUR RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MEDITATION TECHNIQUES CAN REDUCE PERFORMANCE ANXIETY AND MOOD DISTURBANCE IN YOUNG PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS. 2009 3 390 26 BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING IN A US HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM: A PRELIMINARY RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. OBJECTIVE: TO TEST FEASIBILITY OF YOGA WITHIN A HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND EVALUATE PREVENTIVE EFFICACY FOR PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING. METHODS: GRADE 11 OR 12 STUDENTS (N = 51) WHO REGISTERED FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE) WERE CLUSTER-RANDOMIZED BY CLASS 2:1 YOGA:PE-AS-USUAL. A KRIPALU-BASED YOGA PROGRAM OF PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING EXERCISES, RELAXATION, AND MEDITATION WAS TAUGHT 2 TO 3 TIMES A WEEK FOR 10 WEEKS. SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO STUDENTS 1 WEEK BEFORE AND AFTER. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING WERE PROFILE OF MOOD STATES-SHORT FORM AND POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT SCHEDULE FOR CHILDREN. ADDITIONAL MEASURES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING INCLUDED PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE AND INVENTORY OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL ATTITUDES. SECONDARY MEASURES OF SELF-REGULATORY SKILLS INCLUDED RESILIENCE SCALE, STATE TRAIT ANGER EXPRESSION INVENTORY-2, AND CHILD ACCEPTANCE MINDFULNESS MEASURE. TO ASSESS FEASIBILITY, YOGA STUDENTS COMPLETED A PROGRAM EVALUATION. ANALYSES OF COVARIANCE WERE CONDUCTED BETWEEN GROUPS WITH BASELINE AS THE COVARIATE. RESULTS: ALTHOUGH PE-AS-USUAL STUDENTS SHOWED DECREASES IN PRIMARY OUTCOMES, YOGA STUDENTS MAINTAINED OR IMPROVED. TOTAL MOOD DISTURBANCE IMPROVED IN YOGA STUDENTS AND WORSENED IN CONTROLS (P = .015), AS DID PROFILE OF MOOD STATES-SHORT FORM (POMS-SF) TENSION-ANXIETY SUBSCALE (P = .002). ALTHOUGH POSITIVE AFFECT REMAINED UNCHANGED IN BOTH, NEGATIVE AFFECT SIGNIFICANTLY WORSENED IN CONTROLS WHILE IMPROVING IN YOGA STUDENTS (P = .006). SECONDARY OUTCOMES WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT. STUDENTS RATED YOGA FAIRLY HIGH, DESPITE MODERATE ATTENDANCE. CONCLUSIONS: IMPLEMENTATION WAS FEASIBLE AND STUDENTS GENERALLY FOUND IT BENEFICIAL. ALTHOUGH NOT CAUSAL DUE TO SMALL, UNEVEN SAMPLE SIZE, THIS PRELIMINARY STUDY SUGGESTS PREVENTIVE BENEFITS IN PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING FROM KRIPALU YOGA DURING HIGH SCHOOL PE. THESE RESULTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED STUDIES OF YOGA IN SCHOOL SETTINGS. 2012 4 661 25 EFFECT OF 12 WEEKS OF YOGA TRAINING ON THE SOMATIZATION, PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS, AND STRESS-RELATED BIOMARKERS OF HEALTHY WOMEN. BACKGROUND: PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA REDUCES PERCEIVED STRESS AND NEGATIVE FEELINGS AND THAT IT IMPROVES PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS. OUR PREVIOUS STUDY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT LONG-TERM YOGA TRAINING IMPROVES STRESS-RELATED PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS SUCH AS ANXIETY AND ANGER. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICE ON SOMATIZATION, THE MOST COMMON STRESS-RELATED PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS, AND STRESS-RELATED BIOMARKERS. WE PERFORMED A PROSPECTIVE, SINGLE ARM STUDY TO EXAMINE THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF 12 WEEKS OF YOGA TRAINING ON SOMATIZATION, PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS, AND STRESS-RELATED BIOMARKERS. METHODS: WE RECRUITED HEALTHY WOMEN WHO HAD NO EXPERIENCE WITH YOGA. THE DATA OF 24 PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE FOLLOWED DURING 12 WEEKS OF YOGA TRAINING WERE ANALYZED. SOMATIZATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS WERE ASSESSED BEFORE AND AFTER 12 WEEKS OF YOGA TRAINING USING THE PROFILE OF MOOD STATE (POMS) AND THE SYMPTOM CHECKLIST-90-REVISED (SCL-90-R) QUESTIONNAIRES. URINARY 8-HYDROXYDEOXYGUANOSINE (8-OHDG), BIOPYRRIN, AND CORTISOL LEVELS WERE MEASURED AS STRESS-RELATED BIOMARKERS. THE WILCOXON SIGNED-RANK TEST WAS USED TO COMPARE THE STRESS-RELATED BIOMARKERS AND THE SCORES OF QUESTIONNAIRES BEFORE AND AFTER 12 WEEKS OF YOGA TRAINING. RESULTS: AFTER 12 WEEKS OF YOGA TRAINING, ALL NEGATIVE SUBSCALE SCORES (TENSION-ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, ANGER-HOSTILITY, FATIGUE, AND CONFUSION) FROM THE POMS AND SOMATIZATION, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND HOSTILITY FROM THE SCL-90-R WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED COMPARED WITH THOSE BEFORE STARTING YOGA TRAINING. CONTRARY TO OUR EXPECTATION, THE URINARY 8-OHDG CONCENTRATION AFTER 12 WEEKS OF YOGA TRAINING SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE COMPARED WITH THAT BEFORE STARTING YOGA TRAINING. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE OBSERVED IN THE LEVELS OF URINARY BIOPYRRIN AND CORTISOL AFTER THE 12 WEEKS OF YOGA TRAINING. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA TRAINING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE THE SOMATIZATION SCORE AND THE SCORES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH INDICATORS, SUCH AS ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, ANGER, AND FATIGUE. THE PRESENT FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA CAN IMPROVE SOMATIZATION AND MENTAL HEALTH STATUS AND HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PREVENTION OF PSYCHOSOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN HEALTHY WOMEN. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL MEDICAL INFORMATION NETWORK (UMIN CTR) UMIN000007868. 2014 5 1179 31 EVALUATION OF THE BENEFITS OF A KRIPALU YOGA PROGRAM FOR POLICE ACADEMY TRAINEES: A PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND: LAW ENFORCEMENT RANKS AS ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL OCCUPATIONS IN THE WORLD. YOGA IS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE COMPOSED OF POSTURES, BREATHING, AND MEDITATION TECHNIQUES, AND IS KNOWN FOR ITS BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON STRESS AND MOOD DISTURBANCE. OBJECTIVES: THIS PILOT STUDY EVALUATED THE EFFECTS OF KRIPALU YOGA ON PERCEIVED STRESS, MOOD, AND MINDFULNESS DURING POLICE ACADEMY TRAINING. METHOD: FORTY-TWO RECRUITS PARTICIPATED IN A 6-CLASS YOGA INTERVENTION. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THE PROFILE OF MOOD STATES-SHORT FORM, PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE, AND THE FIVE FACET MINDFULNESS QUESTIONNAIRE PRIOR TO AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE YOGA PROGRAM, AS WELL AS AN EXIT SURVEY. RESULTS: PAIRED SAMPLES T-TESTS REVEALED SIGNIFICANT POSTINTERVENTION CHANGES IN PERCEIVED STRESS AND MOOD, REDUCTIONS IN TENSION AND FATIGUE, AND A TREND TOWARD REDUCED ANGER. CHANGES IN MINDFULNESS WERE NOT DETECTED. THE EXIT SURVEY INDICATED PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR SOME PARTICIPANTS. CONCLUSIONS: THIS PRELIMINARY STUDY SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY BE BENEFICIAL FOR REDUCING STRESS, TENSION, AND FATIGUE AMONG POLICE ACADEMY TRAINEES. FUTURE LONGITUDINAL RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO EVALUATE ITS FULL POTENTIAL AS A PERMANENT COMPONENT OF POLICE ACADEMY TRAINING. 2013 6 2177 14 THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MOOD IN PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENTS. THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MOOD WERE EXAMINED IN 13 PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENTS AT NEW HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THE PROFILE OF MOOD STATES (POMS) PRIOR TO AND FOLLOWING PARTICIPATION IN A YOGA CLASS. ANALYSES INDICATED THAT PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS ON ALL FIVE OF THE NEGATIVE EMOTION FACTORS ON THE POMS, INCLUDING TENSION-ANXIETY, DEPRESSION-DEJECTION, ANGER-HOSTILITY, FATIGUE-INERTIA, AND CONFUSION-BEWILDERMENT. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE ON THE SIXTH POMS FACTOR, VIGOR-ACTIVITY. IMPROVEMENTS IN MOOD WERE NOT RELATED TO GENDER OR DIAGNOSIS. THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA WAS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED MOOD, AND MAY BE A USEFUL WAY OF REDUCING STRESS DURING INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT. 2005 7 1642 18 MOOD ALTERATION WITH YOGA AND SWIMMING: AEROBIC EXERCISE MAY NOT BE NECESSARY. THE MOOD BENEFITS OF HATHA YOGA AND SWIMMING, TWO ACTIVITIES THAT DIFFER GREATLY IN AEROBIC TRAINING BENEFITS, WERE EXAMINED. COLLEGE STUDENTS (N = 87) IN TWO SWIMMING CLASSES, A YOGA CLASS, AND A LECTURE-CONTROL CLASS COMPLETED MOOD AND PERSONALITY INVENTORIES BEFORE AND AFTER CLASS ON THREE OCCASIONS. A MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE INDICATED THAT BOTH YOGA PARTICIPANTS (N = 22) AND SWIMMERS (N = 37) REPORTED GREATER DECREASES IN SCORES ON ANGET, CONFUSION, TENSION, AND DEPRESSION THAN DID THE CONTROL STUDENTS (N = 28). THE CONSISTENT MOOD BENEFITS OF YOGA SUPPORTED OUR EARLIER OBSERVATION THAT THE EXERCISE NEED NOT BE AEROBIC TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH MOOD ENHANCEMENT. HOWEVER, UNDERLYING AND CAUSAL MECHANISMS REMAIN UNCERTAIN. AMONG THE MEN, THE ACUTE DECREASES IN TENSION, FATIGUE, AND ANGER AFTER YOGA WERE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN THOSE AFTER SWIMMING. YOGA MAY BE EVEN MORE BENEFICIAL THAN SWIMMING FOR MEN WHO PERSONALLY SELECT TO PARTICIPATE. THE WOMEN REPORTED FAIRLY SIMILAR MOOD BENEFITS AFTER SWIMMING AND YOGA. IT SEEMS THAT AEROBIC EXERCISE MAY NOT BE NECESSARY TO FACILITATE THE MOOD BENEFITS. ALSO, STUDENTS WITH GREATER MOOD CHANGES ATTENDED CLASS MORE REGULARLY THAN THOSE WHO REPORTED FEWER PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS. MAXIMIZING THE IMMEDIATE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF EXERCISE MIGHT BE ONE WAY TO ENCOURAGE ADULTS TO BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE. 1992 8 2665 33 YOGA IN CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. BACKGROUND: THE EFFECT OF YOGA IN THE REDUCTION OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, ANXIETY, STRESS, ANGER AS WELL AS IN THE INCREASED ABILITY OF BEHAVIORAL CONTROL HAS BEEN SHOWN. THESE EFFECTS OF YOGA ARE HIGHLY RELEVANT FOR PRISON INMATES WHO OFTEN HAVE POOR MENTAL HEALTH AND LOW IMPULSE CONTROL. WHILE IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT YOGA AND MEDITATION CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN IMPROVING SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING, MENTAL HEALTH, AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING WITHIN PRISON POPULATIONS, ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE PROVED THIS, USING RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED SETTINGS. METHODS: A TOTAL OF 152 PARTICIPANTS FROM NINE SWEDISH CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A 10-WEEK YOGA GROUP (ONE CLASS A WEEK; N = 77) OR A CONTROL GROUP (N = 75). BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD, PARTICIPANTS ANSWERED QUESTIONNAIRES MEASURING STRESS, AGGRESSION, AFFECTIVE STATES, SLEEP QUALITY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND COMPLETED A COMPUTERIZED TEST MEASURING ATTENTION AND IMPULSIVITY. RESULTS: AFTER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD, SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WERE FOUND ON 13 OF THE 16 VARIABLES WITHIN THE YOGA GROUP (E.G., LESS PERCEIVED STRESS, BETTER SLEEP QUALITY, AN INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, LESS AGGRESSIVE, AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR) AND ON TWO WITHIN THE CONTROL GROUP. COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP, YOGA CLASS PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AND LESS ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR AFTER 10 WEEKS OF YOGA. THEY ALSO SHOWED IMPROVED PERFORMANCE ON THE COMPUTERIZED TEST THAT MEASURES ATTENTION AND IMPULSE CONTROL. CONCLUSION: IT CAN BE CONCLUDED THAT THE YOGA PRACTICED IN SWEDISH CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES HAS POSITIVE EFFECTS ON INMATES' WELL-BEING AND ON CONSIDERABLE RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH RECIDIVISM, SUCH AS IMPULSIVITY AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. ACCORDINGLY, THE RESULTS SHOW THAT YOGA PRACTICE CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE REHABILITATION OF PRISON INMATES. 2017 9 2535 25 YOGA ENHANCES POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES IN YOUNG ADULT MUSICIANS. ALTHOUGH YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE A VIABLE TECHNIQUE FOR IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MIND AND BODY, LITTLE ATTENTION HAS BEEN DIRECTED TO STUDYING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES OF FLOW AND MINDFULNESS. MUSICIANS ENROLLED IN A 2-MONTH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IN 2005, 2006 AND 2007 WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A YOGA AND MEDITATION PROGRAM. FELLOWS NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE YOGA PROGRAM WERE RECRUITED SEPARATELY AS CONTROLS. ALL PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED BASELINE AND END-PROGRAM QUESTIONNAIRES EVALUATING DISPOSITIONAL FLOW, MINDFULNESS, CONFUSION, AND MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY. COMPARED TO CONTROLS, YOGA PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN CONFUSION AND INCREASES IN DISPOSITIONAL FLOW. YOGA PARTICIPANTS IN THE 2006 SAMPLE ALSO REPORTED SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE MINDFULNESS SUBSCALE OF AWARENESS. CORRELATIONAL ANALYSES REVEALED THAT INCREASES IN PARTICIPANTS' DISPOSITIONAL FLOW AND MINDFULNESS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASES IN CONFUSION AND MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY. THIS STUDY DEMONSTRATES THE COMMONALITIES BETWEEN POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND YOGA, BOTH OF WHICH ARE FOCUSED ON ENHANCING HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND PROMOTING BENEFICIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES. THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MEDITATION MAY ENHANCE THE STATES OF FLOW AND MINDFUL AWARENESS, AND REDUCE CONFUSION. 2016 10 2675 22 YOGA IN PUBLIC SCHOOL IMPROVES ADOLESCENT MOOD AND AFFECT. THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO DIRECTLY COMPARE THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF PARTICIPATING IN A SINGLE YOGA CLASS VERSUS A SINGLE STANDARD PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE) CLASS ON STUDENT MOOD. FORTY-SEVEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPLETED SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESSING MOOD AND AFFECT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER PARTICIPATING IN A SINGLE YOGA CLASS AND A SINGLE PE CLASS ONE WEEK LATER. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING PAIRED-SAMPLES T TESTS AND WILCOXON-SIGNED RANKS TESTS AND BY COMPARING EFFECT SIZES BETWEEN THE TWO CONDITIONS. PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER DECREASES IN ANGER, DEPRESSION, AND FATIGUE FROM BEFORE TO AFTER PARTICIPATING IN YOGA COMPARED TO PE. SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN NEGATIVE AFFECT OCCURRED AFTER YOGA BUT NOT AFTER PE; HOWEVER, THE CHANGES WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT BETWEEN CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, AFTER PARTICIPATING IN BOTH YOGA AND PE, PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN CONFUSION AND TENSION, WITH NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROUPS. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT SCHOOL-BASED YOGA MAY PROVIDE UNIQUE BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS ABOVE AND BEYOND PARTICIPATION IN PE. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD CONTINUE TO ELUCIDATE THE DISTINCT PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PARTICIPATING IN YOGA COMPARED TO PE ACTIVITIES. 2015 11 1182 24 EVALUATION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA IN A SECONDARY SCHOOL: A PRELIMINARY RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. THE GOAL OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE POTENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR ADOLESCENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL. STUDENTS WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO EITHER REGULAR PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES OR TO 11 WEEKS OF YOGA SESSIONS BASED UPON THE YOGA ED PROGRAM OVER A SINGLE SEMESTER. STUDENTS COMPLETED BASELINE AND END-PROGRAM SELF-REPORT MEASURES OF MOOD, ANXIETY, PERCEIVED STRESS, RESILIENCE, AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH VARIABLES. INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL OUTCOME MEASURES REVEALED THAT YOGA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES OVER TIME RELATIVE TO CONTROLS ON MEASURES OF ANGER CONTROL AND FATIGUE/INERTIA. MOST OUTCOME MEASURES EXHIBITED A PATTERN OF WORSENING IN THE CONTROL GROUP OVER TIME, WHEREAS CHANGES IN THE YOGA GROUP OVER TIME WERE EITHER MINIMAL OR SHOWED SLIGHT IMPROVEMENTS. THESE PRELIMINARY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF YOGA IS ACCEPTABLE AND FEASIBLE IN A SECONDARY SCHOOL SETTING AND HAS THE POTENTIAL OF PLAYING A PROTECTIVE OR PREVENTIVE ROLE IN MAINTAINING MENTAL HEALTH. 2012 12 1811 29 PROFILE OF MOOD STATES AND STRESS-RELATED BIOCHEMICAL INDICES IN LONG-TERM YOGA PRACTITIONERS. BACKGROUND: PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THE SHORT-TERM OR INTERMEDIATE-TERM PRACTICE OF YOGA TO BE USEFUL FOR AMELIORATING SEVERAL MENTAL DISORDERS AND PSYCHOSOMATIC DISORDERS. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE LONG-TERM INFLUENCES OF YOGA ON THE MENTAL STATE OR STRESS-RELATED BIOCHEMICAL INDICES. IF YOGA TRAINING HAS A STRESS-REDUCTION EFFECT AND ALSO IMPROVES AN INDIVIDUAL'S MENTAL STATES FOR A LONG TIME, LONG-TERM YOGA PRACTITIONERS MAY HAVE A BETTER MENTAL STATE AND LOWER STRESS-RELATED BIOCHEMICAL INDICES IN COMPARISON TO NON-EXPERIENCED PARTICIPANTS. THIS STUDY SIMULTANEOUSLY EXAMINED THE DIFFERENCES IN MENTAL STATES AND URINARY STRESS-RELATED BIOCHEMICAL INDICES BETWEEN LONG-TERM YOGA PRACTITIONERS AND NON-EXPERIENCED PARTICIPANTS. METHODS: THE PARTICIPANTS WERE 38 HEALTHY FEMALES WITH MORE THAN 2 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH YOGA (LONG-TERM YOGA GROUP) AND 37 AGE-MATCHED HEALTHY FEMALES WHO HAD NOT PARTICIPATED IN YOGA (CONTROL GROUP). THEIR MENTAL STATES WERE ASSESSED USING THE PROFILE OF MOOD STATES (POMS) QUESTIONNAIRE. THE LEVEL OF CORTISOL, 8-HYDROXYDEOXYGUANOSINE (8-OHDG) AND BIOPYRRIN IN URINE WERE USED AS STRESS-RELATED BIOCHEMICAL INDICES. RESULTS: THE AVERAGE SELF-RATED MENTAL DISTURBANCE, TENSION-ANXIETY, ANGER-HOSTILITY, AND FATIGUE SCORES OF THE LONG-TERM YOGA GROUP WERE LOWER THAN THOSE OF THE CONTROL GROUP. THERE WAS A TREND TOWARD A HIGHER VIGOR SCORE IN THE LONG-TERM YOGA GROUP THAN THAT IN THE CONTROL GROUP. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE SCORES FOR DEPRESSION AND CONFUSION IN THE POMS BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS. THE URINE 8-OHDG CONCENTRATION SHOWED A TREND TOWARD TO BEING LOWER IN THE LONG-TERM YOGA GROUP IN COMPARISON TO THE CONTROL GROUP. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE LEVELS OF URINE BIOPYRRIN OR CORTISOL. CONCLUSIONS: THE PRESENT FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT LONG-TERM YOGA TRAINING CAN REDUCE THE SCORES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH INDICATORS SUCH AS SELF-RATED ANXIETY, ANGER, AND FATIGUE. 2011 13 960 28 EFFECTS OF A YOGA LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON PERFORMANCE-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS OF MUSICIANS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY. BACKGROUND: PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS SUGGESTED THAT YOGA AND MEDITATION PRACTICES ARE EFFECTIVE IN STRESS MANAGEMENT, ALLEVIATING ANXIETY AND MUSCULOSKELETAL PROBLEMS AND IMPROVING MOOD AND COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE. MUSICIANS EXPERIENCE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES IN THEIR PROFESSION INCLUDING HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS, PERFORMANCE ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS. YOGA AND MEDITATION TECHNIQUES ARE THEREFORE POTENTIALLY USEFUL PRACTICES FOR PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS. MATERIAL/METHODS: MUSICIANS ENROLLED IN A PRESTIGIOUS 2-MONTH SUMMER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A REGULAR YOGA AND MEDITATION PROGRAM AT A YOGA CENTER DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM. THE 10 PARTICIPANTS IN THE YOGA PROGRAM COMPLETED BASELINE AND END-PROGRAM QUESTIONNAIRES EVALUATING PERFORMANCE-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS, PERFORMANCE ANXIETY, MOOD AND FLOW EXPERIENCE. FELLOWS NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE YOGA PROGRAM WERE RECRUITED TO SERVE AS CONTROLS AND COMPLETED THE SAME ASSESSMENTS (N=8). RESULTS: THE YOGA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED SOME IMPROVEMENTS RELATIVE TO CONTROL SUBJECTS ON MOST MEASURES, WITH THE RELATIVE IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE ANXIETY BEING THE GREATEST. CONCLUSIONS: THE RESULTS FROM THIS PRELIMINARY STUDY SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MEDITATION MAY BE BENEFICIAL AS A ROUTINE PRACTICE TO REDUCE PERFORMANCE ANXIETY IN MUSICIANS. 2006 14 2458 26 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION: EFFECTS OF TRAITS AND MOODS ON TREATMENT OUTCOME. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL OF YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT OF DEPRESSED PATIENTS WHO ARE TAKING ANTI-DEPRESSANT MEDICATIONS BUT WHO ARE ONLY IN PARTIAL REMISSION. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO PRESENT FURTHER DATA ON THE INTERVENTION, FOCUSING ON INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES AFFECTING TREATMENT OUTCOME. TWENTY-SEVEN WOMEN AND 10 MEN WERE ENROLLED IN THE STUDY, OF WHOM 17 COMPLETED THE INTERVENTION AND PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION ASSESSMENT DATA. THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF 20 CLASSES LED BY SENIOR IYENGAR YOGA TEACHERS, IN THREE COURSES OF 20 YOGA CLASSES EACH. ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE DIAGNOSED WITH UNIPOLAR MAJOR DEPRESSION IN PARTIAL REMISSION. PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS WERE ASSESSED PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION, AND PARTICIPANTS RATED THEIR MOOD STATES BEFORE AND AFTER EACH CLASS. SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS WERE SHOWN FOR DEPRESSION, ANGER, ANXIETY, NEUROTIC SYMPTOMS AND LOW FREQUENCY HEART RATE VARIABILITY IN THE 17 COMPLETERS. ELEVEN OUT OF THESE COMPLETERS ACHIEVED REMISSION LEVELS POST-INTERVENTION. PARTICIPANTS WHO REMITTED DIFFERED FROM THE NON-REMITTERS AT INTAKE ON SEVERAL TRAITS AND ON PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES INDICATIVE OF A GREATER CAPACITY FOR EMOTIONAL REGULATION. MOODS IMPROVED FROM BEFORE TO AFTER THE YOGA CLASSES. YOGA APPEARS TO BE A PROMISING INTERVENTION FOR DEPRESSION; IT IS COST-EFFECTIVE AND EASY TO IMPLEMENT. IT PRODUCES MANY BENEFICIAL EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS, AS SUPPORTED BY OBSERVATIONS IN THIS STUDY. THE PHYSIOLOGICAL METHODS ARE ESPECIALLY USEFUL AS THEY PROVIDE OBJECTIVE MARKERS OF THE PROCESSES AND EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENT. THESE OBSERVATIONS MAY HELP GUIDE FURTHER CLINICAL APPLICATION OF YOGA IN DEPRESSION AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, AND FUTURE RESEARCH ON THE PROCESSES AND MECHANISMS. 2007 15 294 22 AFFECT AND MINDFULNESS AS PREDICTORS OF CHANGE IN MOOD DISTURBANCE, STRESS SYMPTOMS, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN A COMMUNITY-BASED YOGA PROGRAM FOR CANCER SURVIVORS. LITTLE ATTENTION HAS BEEN PAID TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS BY WHICH BENEFITS ARE ACCRUED VIA YOGA PRACTICE IN CANCER-RELATED CLINICAL SETTINGS. USING A LONGITUDINAL MULTILEVEL MODELING APPROACH, ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN AFFECT, MINDFULNESS, AND PATIENT-REPORTED MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES, INCLUDING MOOD DISTURBANCE, STRESS SYMPTOMS, AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQL), WERE EXAMINED IN AN EXISTING SEVEN-WEEK YOGA PROGRAM FOR CANCER SURVIVORS. PARTICIPANTS (N = 66) WERE ASSESSED BEFORE AND AFTER THE YOGA PROGRAM AND AT THREE- AND SIX-MONTH FOLLOW-UPS. DECREASES IN MOOD DISTURBANCE AND STRESS SYMPTOMS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN HRQL WERE OBSERVED UPON PROGRAM COMPLETION. IMPROVEMENTS IN MOOD DISTURBANCE AND STRESS SYMPTOMS WERE MAINTAINED AT THE THREE- AND SIX-MONTH FOLLOW-UPS. HRQL EXHIBITED FURTHER IMPROVEMENT AT THE THREE-MONTH FOLLOW-UP, WHICH WAS MAINTAINED AT THE SIX-MONTH FOLLOW-UP. IMPROVEMENTS IN MEASURES OF WELL-BEING WERE PREDICTED BY INITIAL POSITIVE YOGA BELIEFS AND CONCURRENTLY ASSESSED AFFECTIVE AND MINDFULNESS PREDICTOR VARIABLES. PREVIOUS YOGA EXPERIENCE, AFFECT, MINDFULNESS, AND HRQL WERE RELATED TO YOGA PRACTICE MAINTENANCE OVER THE COURSE OF THE STUDY. 2013 16 2588 19 YOGA FOR IMPROVING SLEEP QUALITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OLDER ADULTS. CONTEXT: THE AGING PROCESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT AFFECT SLEEP. IN OLDER ADULTS, UNDIAGNOSED AND UNTREATED INSOMNIA MAY CAUSE IMPAIRED DAILY FUNCTION AND REDUCED QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL). INSOMNIA IS ALSO A RISK FACTOR FOR ACCIDENTS AND FALLS THAT ARE THE MAIN CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATHS IN OLDER ADULTS AND, THEREFORE, IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY RATES IN OLDER POPULATIONS. OBJECTIVES: THE RESEARCH TEAM AIMED TO (1) EXAMINE THE EFFICACY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION (YI) FOR THE TREATMENT OF INSOMNIA IN OLDER ADULTS, (2) DETERMINE THE ABILITY OF YOGA TO ENHANCE THE QOL OF OLDER ADULTS, AND (3) ESTABLISH THE APPLICABILITY OF YOGA PRACTICE FOR OLDER PEOPLE IN A WESTERN CULTURAL SETTING. DESIGN: A WAITING-LIST CONTROLLED TRIAL. SETTINGS * THE STUDY TOOK PLACE IN JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, FROM 2008-2009. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS WERE OLDER MEN AND WOMEN (AGE >/= 60 Y) WITH INSOMNIA. INTERVENTION: THE YI GROUP PARTICIPATED IN 12 WK OF CLASSES, HELD 2 X/WK, INCORPORATING YOGA POSTURES, MEDITATIVE YOGA, AND DAILY HOME PRACTICE OF MEDITATIVE YOGA. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE STUDY USED SELF-REPORT ASSESSMENTS OF SLEEP QUALITY USING THE FOLLOWING: (1) SLEEP QUALITY-THE KAROLINSKA SLEEPINESS SCALE (KSS), THE EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE (ESS), AND THE PITTSBURGH SLEEP QUALITY INDEX (PSQI), AND DAILY SLEEP AND PRACTICE LOGS; (2) MOOD STATES-THE DEPRESSION ANXIETY STRESS SCALE LONG FORM (DASS-42) AND THE PROFILE OF MOOD STATES SHORT FORM (POMS-SF); (3) A HEALTH SURVEY (SF-36); AND (4) MOBILE AT-HOME SLEEP STUDIES. RESULTS: COMPARED WITH CONTROLS, THE YI GROUP SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN A RANGE OF SUBJECTIVE FACTORS, INCLUDING OVERALL SLEEP QUALITY; SLEEP EFFICIENCY; SLEEP LATENCY AND DURATION; SELF-ASSESSED SLEEP QUALITY; FATIGUE; GENERAL WELL-BEING; DEPRESSION; ANXIETY; STRESS; TENSION; ANGER; VITALITY; AND FUNCTION IN PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SOCIAL ROLES. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA WAS SHOWN TO BE SAFE AND IMPROVED SLEEP AND QOL IN A GROUP OF OLDER ADULTS WITH INSOMNIA. OUTCOMES DEPENDED ON PRACTICE COMPLIANCE. 2014 17 252 25 A YOGA PROGRAM FOR THE SYMPTOMS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN VETERANS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF A YOGA PROGRAM AS AN ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR IMPROVING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) SYMPTOMS IN VETERANS WITH MILITARY-RELATED PTSD. VETERANS (N = 12) PARTICIPATED IN A 6 WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION HELD TWICE A WEEK. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PTSD HYPERAROUSAL SYMPTOMS AND OVERALL SLEEP QUALITY AS WELL AS DAYTIME DYSFUNCTION RELATED TO SLEEP. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TOTAL PTSD, ANGER, OR QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOME SCORES. THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THIS YOGA PROGRAM MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR IMPROVING HYPERAROUSAL SYMPTOMS OF PTSD INCLUDING SLEEP QUALITY. THIS STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT THE YOGA PROGRAM IS ACCEPTABLE, FEASIBLE, AND THAT THERE IS GOOD ADHERENCE IN A VETERAN POPULATION. 2013 18 1193 26 EXAMINING MECHANISMS OF CHANGE IN A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN: THE INFLUENCE OF MINDFULNESS, PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY, AND EMOTION REGULATION ON PTSD SYMPTOMS. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY EXPLORED POSSIBLE MECHANISMS THROUGH WHICH SYMPTOMS OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) WERE REDUCED IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL COMPARING THE EFFECT OF A YOGA INTERVENTION WITH AN ASSESSMENT CONTROL. METHOD: WE EXAMINED WHETHER CHANGES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY, MINDFULNESS, AND EMOTION REGULATION STRATEGIES (EXPRESSIVE SUPPRESSION AND REAPPRAISAL) WERE ASSOCIATED WITH POSTTREATMENT PTSD SYMPTOMS FOR 38 WOMEN WITH DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS FOURTH EDITION FULL OR SUBTHRESHOLD PTSD. RESULTS: HIERARCHICAL LINEAR REGRESSION MODELS REVEALED THAT EXPRESSIVE SUPPRESSION SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED FOR THE YOGA GROUP RELATIVE TO THE ASSESSMENT CONTROL. PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FOR THE CONTROL BUT NOT YOGA GROUP. HOWEVER, INCREASES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASES IN PTSD SYMPTOMS FOR THE YOGA BUT NOT CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSION: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY REDUCE EXPRESSIVE SUPPRESSION AND MAY IMPROVE PTSD SYMPTOMS BY INCREASING PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY. MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO REPLICATE AND EXTEND THESE FINDINGS. 2014 19 894 28 EFFECT OF YOGA-NIDRA ON ADOLESCENTS WELL-BEING: A MIXED METHOD STUDY. CONTEXT: ADOLESCENT WELL-BEING IS A PRIORITY AREA FOR HEALTH-CARE INTERVENTIONS IN THE 21(ST) CENTURY. YOGA-NIDRA IS AN ANCIENT INDIAN METHOD OF ENABLING INDIVIDUALS TO ATTAIN A POSITIVE STATE OF DEEP PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL RELAXATION. THE PRACTICE PRODUCES A STATE OF SIMULTANEOUS RELAXATION AND DETACHMENT RESULTING IN INNER AWARENESS AND RELEASE OF STRESS ON ALL PLANES OF ONE'S BEING. AIM: THIS MIXED METHOD STUDY WAS CARRIED OUT IN ADOLESCENT STUDENTS AGED 13-15 YEARS WITH AN AIM TO ASSESS EFFECTS OF YOGA-NIDRA ON VARIOUS DIMENSIONS OF WELL-BEING. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THIRTY-SIX STUDENTS RECEIVED YOGA-NIDRA SESSIONS 30 MIN DAILY FOR 3 DAYS IN A WEEK FOR 1 MONTH. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES WERE HAPPINESS, PERCEIVED STRESS, OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL GENERAL WELL-BEING. THESE AND OTHER EXPERIENTIAL DIMENSIONS OF WELL-BEING COMPRISING OF ENTHUSIASM, ALERTNESS, QUIETUDE, CLARITY OF THOUGHT, CONTROL OVER ANGER, SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND SELF-AWARENESS WERE EVALUATED BEFORE AND AFTER INTERVENTION. QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS WERE RECORDED FROM PARTICIPANTS, THEIR TEACHERS, AND PARENTS. RESULTS OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE METHODS WERE ANALYZED AND COMPARED. RESULTS: YOGA-NIDRA INTERVENTION RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ALL PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES. PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE FEELINGS OF HAPPINESS, ENTHUSIASM, QUIETUDE, BEING MORE INSPIRED AND ALERT, ACTIVE, HAVING CLARITY OF THOUGHT, CONTROL OVER ANGER, AND SELF-CONFIDENCE AT THE END OF THE STUDY PERIOD. MIXED METHOD DESIGN OF THE STUDY PROVIDED CROSS-VALIDATION AND CONVERGENCE OF RESULTS OBTAINED FROM QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT TOOLS. CONCLUSION: YOGA-NIDRA IS BENEFICIAL IN IMPROVING MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS OF ADOLESCENT WELL-BEING. 2018 20 1827 26 PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR FEMALE INMATES. FEMALE INMATES INVOLVED IN THE YOGA PRISON PROJECT AT TWO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA SERVED AS SUBJECTS. INMATES WERE SELECTED FROM THOSE WHO APPLIED TO PARTICIPATE IN A TEN-WEEK TRAUMA-FOCUSED YOGA PROGRAM. TO CREATE CONTROL AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS, INMATES WHO REQUESTED TO PARTICIPATE WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO BE IN THE CLASS (TREATMENT GROUP, N = 33) OR A WAITLIST (CONTROL GROUP, N = 17). INMATES ON THE WAITLIST SUBSEQUENTLY JOINED THE NEXT CLASS, SO ALL WHO APPLIED AND WERE ELIGIBLE PARTICIPATED IN A YOGA CLASS. MEASURES OF STRESS, DEPRESSION, SELF CONTROL, ANXIETY, SELF AWARENESS AND RUMINATION WERE USED AND DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM BOTH GROUPS BEFORE THE INITIAL YOGA CLASS BEGAN AND AGAIN AT THE END, TEN WEEKS LATER. TO ASSESS THE CHANGES FROM PRE-INTERVENTION TO POST-INTERVENTION, MIXED DESIGN ANOVA TESTS WERE CONDUCTED. INMATES IN THE YOGA GROUP REPORTED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN DEPRESSION AND STRESS AND IMPROVED SELF-AWARENESS. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE FOUND ON MEASURES OF ANXIETY, RUMINATION AND SELF-CONTROL IN THE YOGA GROUPS. ALTHOUGH NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, ANXIETY SCORES DID DECREASE AND SELF-CONTROL SCORES IMPROVED FOR THE YOGA GROUP, WHILE INMATES IN THE CONTROL GROUP REPORTED A WORSENING OR NO CHANGE ON THESE TWO MEASURES. NO CHANGES WERE FOUND IN RUMINATION LEVELS. THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA IS A RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE INTERVENTION THAT COULD BENEFIT BOTH INMATES AND PRISON STAFF BY REDUCING SOME NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS AND POSSIBLY MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. 2017