1 2244 143 THE INFLUENCE OF TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA (TIY) ON EMOTION REGULATION AND SKILLED AWARENESS IN SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS. THIS STUDY EXAMINED A TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA (TIY) INTERVENTION CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS AND DELIVERED IN A COMMUNITY-BASED GROUP SETTING. MUCH OF THE EXISTING RESEARCH ON THIS TYPE OF INTERVENTION HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IN CLINICAL TRIALS AS OPPOSED TO COMMUNITY-BASED VENUES. AS SEXUAL ASSAULT IS A COMMON TYPE OF TRAUMA AND RESULTS MORE COMMONLY IN POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD), THE CURRENT STUDY AIMED TO SHED LIGHT ON THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A TRAUMA-SENSITIVE YOGA AND MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE NATURAL SETTING OF A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION. THE INTERVENTION WAS DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED BY LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS AND REGISTERED YOGA TEACHERS AND MODELED ON THE EVIDENCE-BASED WORK OF THE TRAUMA CENTER AT THE JUSTICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE. THE STUDY EMPLOYED A TRADITIONAL QUANTITATIVE ONE-SAMPLE, PRE- AND POSTTEST DESIGN. SURVEY ITEMS WERE DRAWN FROM TWO EXISTING MEASURES: (1) FIVE FACET MINDFULNESS QUESTIONNAIRE AND (2) DIFFICULTIES IN EMOTION REGULATION SCALE. THE MAJORITY OF THE SAMPLE (N = 37) IDENTIFIED AS WHITE (67.6%), FOLLOWED BY LATINA (13.5%), AFRICAN AMERICAN (8.1%), MULTIRACIAL (5.4%), AND OTHER (2.7%). THE MEAN AGE OF PARTICIPANTS WAS 29 YEARS (STANDARD DEVIATION 8 YEARS, RANGE 18-56 YEARS). ALL PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFIED AS FEMALE. FINDINGS DEMONSTRATED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN PARTICIPANTS' EMOTION REGULATION AND SKILLED AWARENESS, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE PTSD SYMPTOMATOLOGY. THE PRESENT DISCUSSION CONSIDERS THE RESULTS IN LIGHT OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH AND PRESENTS STUDY LIMITATIONS. 2020 2 1167 35 EVALUATING THE USE OF MINDFULNESS AND YOGA TRAINING ON FORENSIC INPATIENTS: A PILOT STUDY. FORENSIC INPATIENTS (I. E., INDIVIDUALS FOUND NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A CRIMINAL OFFENSE ON ACCOUNT OF MENTAL ILLNESS) REPRESENT AN OFTEN MARGINALIZED AND DIFFICULT-TO-TREAT POPULATION. THIS HAS LED TO THE NEED FOR RESEARCH EXPLORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NOVEL INTERVENTIONS. A CANADIAN FORENSIC HOSPITAL HAS DEVELOPED AN 8-WEEKS MINDFULNESS AND YOGA TRAINING PROGRAM (MTP). THIS PILOT STUDY EXAMINED THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF THIS PROGRAM ON PATIENTS' MINDFULNESS, STRESS, AND USE OF COGNITIVE AND EMOTION REGULATION STRATEGIES. A SAMPLE OF 13 FORENSIC INPATIENTS (MALE = 92%) PARTICIPATING IN THE MTP PROGRAM COMPLETED SELF-REPORT MEASURES ASSESSING DISPOSITIONAL MINDFULNESS, PERCEIVED STRESS, AND USE OF COGNITIVE EMOTION REGULATION STRATEGIES AT BASELINE, POST-INTERVENTION, AND A 3-MONTHS FOLLOW-UP. REPEATED MEASURE ANOVAS FOUND A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE DESCRIBE FACET OF MINDFULNESS (P = 0.03) WITH A LARGE EFFECT SIZE (ETAP (2) = 0.26) AND A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN STRESS (P = 0.003) WITH A LARGE EFFECT SIZE (ETAP (2) = 0.39). PAIRWISE COMPARISONS REVEALED MEDIUM TO LARGE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BETWEEN BASELINE AND POST-INTERVENTION FOR BOTH THE DESCRIBE FACET (P = 0.03, HEDGE'S G = 0.55) AND STRESS (P = 0.003, HEDGE'S G = 0.70). HOWEVER, COMPARISONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT BETWEEN BASELINE AND FOLLOW-UP. NO SIGNIFICANT MAIN EFFECTS WERE FOUND ON THE USE OF COGNITIVE EMOTION REGULATION STRATEGIES. THIS PILOT STUDY OFFERS PRELIMINARY SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF THE MTP AS AN ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY IN FORENSIC INPATIENT TREATMENT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS NEEDED INTO THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF THIS TRAINING. 2020 3 1371 39 IMPACT OF A YIN YOGA AND MEDITATION INTERVENTION ON PHARMACY FACULTY AND STUDENT WELL-BEING. BACKGROUND: STUDENT PHARMACISTS AND FACULTY EXHIBIT HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS, INDEPENDENT OF THE CURRENT CORONAVIRUS 2019 PANDEMIC, AND THEIR PATH TOWARD WELLNESS, INCLUDING A REDUCTION IN STRESS AND ANXIETY, IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. YOGA AND MEDITATION ARE PROVEN INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY AND INCREASE WELLNESS. YIN YOGA IS AN ADAPTABLE, QUIET PRACTICE IDEAL FOR THOSE LACKING PREVIOUS YOGA EXPERIENCE, FLEXIBILITY, AND TIME. OBJECTIVE: TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF A 6-WEEK YIN YOGA AND MEDITATION INTERVENTION ON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY FACULTY AND STUDENTS' STRESS PERCEPTION, ANXIETY LEVELS, AND MINDFULNESS SKILLS. METHODS: FACULTY AND STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A 6-WEEK PILOT PROGRAM COMPRISING A ONCE-WEEKLY YIN YOGA CLASS FOLLOWED BY GUIDED MEDITATION. YIN YOGA WAS SELECTED FOR ITS QUIET MEDITATIVE STYLE. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED A PRE- AND POSTQUESTIONNAIRE AT 6 WEEKS AND 3 AND 6 MONTHS TO EVALUATE POTENTIAL CHANGES IN PERCEIVED STRESS SCORES, ANXIETY SCORES, AND MINDFULNESS SKILLS. THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS COMPOSED OF 3 SELF-REPORTING TOOLS: BECK ANXIETY INVENTORY (BAI), PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE, AND THE FIVE FACET MINDFULNESS QUESTIONNAIRE. RESULTS: TWENTY PARTICIPANTS, 12 STUDENTS AND 8 FACULTY (AGES 18-66 YEARS), COMPLETED THE STUDY. ANXIETY AND STRESS SCORES DECREASED, AND MINDFULNESS INCREASED AT 6 WEEKS, 3 MONTHS AND 6 MONTHS, WITH ALL CHANGES REACHING STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE. NO PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BEING IN THE "HIGH" CATEGORY OF ANXIETY AFTER INTERVENTION USING BAI CATEGORICAL DATA, ALTHOUGH THIS FINDING WAS NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. CONCLUSION: FACULTY AND STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED A REDUCTION IN STRESS AND ANXIETY LEVELS AND AN INCREASE IN MINDFULNESS AFTER A 6-WEEK YIN YOGA AND MEDITATION PROGRAM. OUTCOMES SUGGEST THAT INCLUSION OF AN ADAPTABLE, MEDITATIVE PRACTICE, WHICH MAY EASILY BE REPLICATED AT HOME, FOR AS LITTLE AS ONCE PER WEEK FOR 6 WEEKS MAY REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY AND INCREASE MINDFULNESS LONG TERM. CREATING A CULTURE OF WELLNESS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR ALL COLLEGES OF PHARMACY. 2021 4 1179 29 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 5 1372 34 IMPACT OF A YOGA AND MEDITATION INTERVENTION ON STUDENTS' STRESS AND ANXIETY LEVELS. OBJECTIVE. TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF A SIX-WEEK YOGA AND MEDITATION INTERVENTION ON COLLEGE STUDENTS' STRESS PERCEPTION, ANXIETY LEVELS, AND MINDFULNESS SKILLS. METHODS. COLLEGE STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A SIX-WEEK PILOT PROGRAM THAT CONSISTED OF A 60-MINUTE VINYASA FLOW YOGA CLASS ONCE WEEKLY, FOLLOWED BY GUIDED MEDITATION DELIVERED BY TRAINED FACULTY MEMBERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE OF PHARMACY. STUDENTS COMPLETED PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION QUESTIONNAIRES TO EVALUATE CHANGES IN THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: STRESS LEVELS, ANXIETY LEVELS, AND MINDFULNESS SKILLS. THE QUESTIONNAIRE CONSISTED OF THREE SELF-REPORTING TOOLS: THE BECK ANXIETY INVENTORY (BAI), THE PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE (PSS), AND THE FIVE FACET MINDFULNESS QUESTIONNAIRE (FFMQ). STUDENTS' SCORES ON EACH WERE ASSESSED TO DETECT ANY CHANGES FROM BASELINE USING THE NUMERICAL AND CATEGORICAL SCALES (LOW, MEDIUM, AND HIGH) FOR EACH INSTRUMENT. RESULTS. SEVENTEEN PARTICIPANTS, AGED 19 TO 23 YEARS, COMPLETED THE STUDY. THIRTEEN PARTICIPANTS WERE FEMALE AND FOUR WERE MALE. NINE OF THE STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN THE DOCTOR OF PHARMACY PROGRAM AND EIGHT WERE ENROLLED IN OTHER ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. STUDENTS' ANXIETY AND STRESS SCORES DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY WHILE THEIR TOTAL MINDFULNESS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. CHANGES IN CATEGORICAL DATA FROM PRE- TO POST-INTERVENTION ON THE BAI AND PSS WERE SIGNIFICANT, WITH NO STUDENTS SCORING IN THE "HIGH" CATEGORY FOR STRESS OR ANXIETY ON THE POST-INTERVENTION QUESTIONNAIRE. CONCLUSION. STUDENTS EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN STRESS AND ANXIETY LEVELS AFTER COMPLETING A SIX-WEEK YOGA AND MEDITATION PROGRAM PRECEDING FINAL EXAMINATIONS. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT ADOPTING A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE FOR AS LITTLE AS ONCE PER WEEK MAY REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY IN COLLEGE STUDENTS. ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD CONSIDER INCLUDING INSTRUCTION IN NONPHARMACOLOGIC STRESS AND ANXIETY REDUCTION METHODS, WITHIN CURRICULA IN ORDER TO SUPPORT STUDENT SELF-CARE. 2019 6 1505 35 IREST YOGA-NIDRA ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS: CHANGES IN STRESS, DEPRESSION, WORRY, AND MINDFULNESS. OBJECTIVES: THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT YOGA PRACTICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED STRESS, WORRY, AND DEPRESSION, AND WITH IMPROVED MINDFULNESS-BASED SKILLS. THESE FINDINGS HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLICATED FOR A SAMPLE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS. THIS STUDY EVALUATED WHETHER IREST YOGA-NIDRA PRACTICE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED PERCEIVED STRESS, WORRY, AND DEPRESSION, AND INCREASED MINDFULNESS IN A SAMPLE OF COLLEGE STUDENT S. METHODS: SIXTY-SIX STUDENTS AGE 18-56 COMPLETED AN 8-WEEK IREST YOGA-NIDRA INTERVENTION THAT WAS OFFERED FOR 8 SEMESTERS. ASSESSMENT OCCURRED 1 WEEK PRIOR TO INTERVENTION ONSET AND DURING THE CLASS PERIOD FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION. QUALITATIVE DATA WERE COLLECTED AT WEEKS 4 AND 8. RESULTS: STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT PRE- TO POSTTEST IMPROVEMENTS IN PERCEIVED STRESS, WORRY, AND DEPRESSION WERE FOUND. PRE-EXISTING DEPRESSION ACCOUNTED FOR MOST OF THE CHANGE IN WORRY AND PERCEIVED STRESS SCORES. PRE- TO POST TEST IMPROVEMENTS IN MINDFULNESS-BASED SKILLS WERE ALSO DETECTED. CONCLUSIONS: IREST YOGA-NIDRA PRACTICE MAY REDUCE SYMPTOMS OF PERCEIVED STRESS, WORRY, AND DEPRESSION AND INCREASE MINDFULNESS-BASED SKILLS. 2013 7 145 40 A QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF STUDENT LEARNING AND SKILLS USE IN A SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAM. PREVIOUS STUDIES ON SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAMS HAVE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT OF PROGRAM OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY USED QUALITATIVE DATA TO INVESTIGATE PROGRAM CONTENT AND SKILLS THAT STUDENTS REMEMBERED AND APPLIED IN THEIR DAILY LIVES. DATA WERE GATHERED FOLLOWING A 16-WEEK MINDFULNESS AND YOGA INTERVENTION DELIVERED AT THREE URBAN SCHOOLS BY A COMMUNITY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. WE CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS WITH NINE CLASSROOM TEACHERS WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AND HELD SIX FOCUS GROUPS WITH 22 FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. THIS STUDY ADDRESSES TWO PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS: (1) WHAT SKILLS DID STUDENTS LEARN, RETAIN, AND UTILIZE OUTSIDE THE PROGRAM? AND (2) WHAT CHANGES DID CLASSROOM TEACHERS EXPECT AND OBSERVE AMONG PROGRAM RECIPIENTS? FOUR MAJOR THEMES RELATED TO SKILL LEARNING AND APPLICATION EMERGED AS FOLLOWS: (1) YOUTHS RETAINED AND UTILIZED PROGRAM SKILLS INVOLVING BREATH WORK AND POSES; (2) KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS OF THESE TECHNIQUES PROMOTED SELF-UTILIZATION AND SHARING OF SKILLS; (3) YOUTHS DEVELOPED KEENER EMOTIONAL APPRAISAL THAT, COUPLED WITH NEW AND IMPROVED EMOTIONAL REGULATION SKILLS, HELPED DE-ESCALATE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS, PROMOTE CALM, AND REDUCE STRESS; AND (4) YOUTHS AND TEACHERS REPORTED REALISTIC AND OPTIMISTIC EXPECTATIONS FOR FUTURE IMPACT OF ACQUIRED PROGRAM SKILLS. WE DISCUSS IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS FOR GUIDING FUTURE RESEARCH AND PRACTICE. 2016 8 2314 33 TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA TRAINING IN KENYA: A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY ON FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY. THE CURRENT STUDY PRESENTS A PILOT QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF THE COLLABORATION OF TWO YOGA SERVICE AGENCIES IN IMPLEMENTING A TRAUMA-INFORMED MINDFULNESS-BASED TEACHING CURRICULUM IN KENYA, AFRICA. YOGA AND MINDFULNESS PRACTICES HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED AS SUCCESSFUL COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO MANAGING THE IMPACTS OF STRESS TRAUMA. THIS STUDY EXPLORES THE FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF MINDFULNESS PROGRAMMING FOR YOGA TEACHERS IN THE NAIROBI REGION OF KENYA. GROUNDED THEORY IS USED TO EXPLORE SURVEY RESULTS. OUTCOMES DEMONSTRATE PROMISE FOR BOTH ACCEPTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY. CURRICULUM TOOLS WERE VIEWED AS EFFECTIVE, AND PARTICIPANTS INDICATED INTENTION TO BOTH UTILIZE AND SHARE TOOLS. REFLECTIONS ON PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACTS ARE ADDRESSED, AS ARE POTENTIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPROVED PROGRAM TRANSLATION. FINDINGS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT FOR FUTURE COLLABORATIONS, AND ALSO SUGGEST BEST PRACTICES CONSIDERATIONS FOR GLOBAL IMPLEMENTATION OF EMBODIED MINDFULNESS PROGRAMMING. 2018 9 1663 33 NATURALISTIC EVALUATION OF AN ADJUNCTIVE YOGA PROGRAM FOR WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN INPATIENT TREATMENT: WITHIN-TREATMENT EFFECTS ON CRAVINGS, SELF-EFFICACY, PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS, IMPULSIVITY, AND MINDFULNESS. ADDICTION CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN, AND RATES OF RELAPSE FOLLOWING CURRENTLY-AVAILABLE TREATMENTS REMAIN HIGH. THERE IS INCREASING INTEREST IN THE ADJUNCTIVE USE OF MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS, SUCH AS YOGA, TO IMPROVE TREATMENT OUTCOMES. THE CURRENT STUDY WAS A PRELIMINARY NATURALISTIC INVESTIGATION OF A NOVEL TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA INTERVENTION IN AN INPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD). CHANGES AND DIFFERENCES IN SOMATIC SYMPTOMS, PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS WERE EVALUATED IN WOMEN RECEIVING TREATMENT-AS-USUAL (N = 36) AND TREATMENT-AS-USUAL PLUS THE YOGA INTERVENTION (N = 42). FOR BOTH GROUPS, STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-SUBJECTS CHANGES WERE PRESENT FOR SOMATIC AND PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS, CRAVINGS, SELF-EFFICACY, AND MULTIPLE FACETS OF IMPULSIVITY AND MINDFULNESS. COMPARED TO STANDARD TREATMENT ALONE, PARTICIPANTS IN THE TREATMENT PLUS YOGA CONDITION SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED IN RANGE OF MOTION AND THE LACK OF PREMEDITATION FACET OF IMPULSIVITY. ALTHOUGH MOST DOMAINS WERE NOT SELECTIVELY AFFECTED, THESE INITIAL WITHIN-TREATMENT FINDINGS IN THIS NATURALISTIC EVALUATION SUGGEST SOME PROMISE FOR ADJUNCTIVE YOGA AND A NEED FOR FURTHER EVALUATION, ESPECIALLY USING LARGER SAMPLES AND LONGER TERM FOLLOW-UP. 2021 10 19 44 "WE REALLY NEED THIS": TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA FOR VETERAN WOMEN WITH A HISTORY OF MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA. OBJECTIVES: UP TO 70% OF WOMEN SERVICE MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES REPORT MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA (MST); MANY DEVELOP POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS. TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA (TIY) IS SUGGESTED TO IMPROVE PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS AND SHOWN FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE IN EMERGING RESEARCH, YET NO WORK HAS EVALUATED TIY IN MST SURVIVORS. THE CURRENT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AIMED TO EXAMINE TIY'S FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, AND PERCEIVED EFFECTS IN THE CONTEXT OF MST. DESIGN: COLLECTIVE CASE SERIES (N = 7). SETTING: NEW ENGLAND VET CENTER. INTERVENTIONS: EXTANT TIY PROGRAM (MINDFUL YOGA THERAPY) ADAPTED FOR VETERAN WOMEN WITH MST IN CONCURRENT PSYCHOTHERAPY. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ATTRITION AND ATTENDANCE; QUALITATIVE EXIT INTERVIEW; VALIDATED SELF-REPORT MEASURE OF NEGATIVE AFFECT PRE/POST EACH YOGA CLASS, AND SYMPTOM SEVERITY ASSESSMENTS AND SURVEYS BEFORE (T1; TIME 1) AND AFTER THE YOGA PROGRAM (T2; TIME 2). RESULTS: FEASIBILITY WAS DEMONSTRATED AND WOMEN REPORTED TIY WAS ACCEPTABLE. IN QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS, WOMEN REPORTED IMPROVED SYMPTOM SEVERITY, DIET, EXERCISE, ALCOHOL USE, SLEEP, AND PAIN; REDUCED MEDICATION USE; AND THEMES RELATED TO STRESS REDUCTION, MINDFULNESS, AND SELF-COMPASSION. REGARDING QUANTITATIVE CHANGE, RESULTS SUGGEST ACUTE REDUCTIONS IN NEGATIVE AFFECT FOLLOWING YOGA SESSIONS ACROSS PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS IMPROVED AFFECT DYSREGULATION, SHAME, AND MINDFULNESS T1 TO T2. CONCLUSIONS: TIY IS BOTH FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE TO VETERAN WOMEN MST SURVIVORS IN ONE SPECIFIC VET CENTER, WITH PERCEIVED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BENEFITS. RESULTS SUGGEST TIY MAY TARGET PSYCHOSOCIAL MECHANISMS IMPLICATED IN HEALTH BEHAVIOR CHANGE (STRESS REDUCTION, MINDFULNESS, AFFECT REGULATION, SHAME). FORMAL RESEARCH SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO CONFIRM THESE QI PROJECT RESULTS. 2021 11 18 36 "THE PROGRAM AFFECTS ME 'CAUSE IT GIVES AWAY STRESS": URBAN STUDENTS' QUALITATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON STRESS AND A SCHOOL-BASED MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION. CONTEXT: SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA STUDIES GENERALLY MEASURE STRESS-RELATED OUTCOMES USING QUANTITATIVE MEASURES. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY ANSWERS THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH QUESTIONS: HOW DO YOUTH DEFINE STRESS AND IN WHAT WAYS, IF ANY, WAS A MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION HELPFUL TO YOUTH DURING STRESS EXPERIENCES? DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: TO EXPLORE YOUTHS' OWN PERSPECTIVES ON STRESS, STRESSORS IN YOUTHS' LIVES, AND PERCEIVED CHANGES IN RESPONSES TO STRESS POST-INTERVENTION, WE CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS WITH 22 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME URBAN COMMUNITIES FOLLOWING A 16-WEEK MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION. RESULTS: USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS, THE FOLLOWING THREE THEMES EMERGED: (1) YOUTH CONFLATED STRESS WITH NEGATIVE EMOTIONS; (2) PEER AND FAMILY CONFLICTS WERE COMMON STRESSORS; AND (3) YOUTH REPORTED IMPROVED IMPULSE CONTROL AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION. STUDY FINDINGS HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR REFINING INTERVENTION CONTENT (E.G., DISCUSSIONS OF STRESS), AS WELL AS INFORMING THE SELECTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF QUANTITATIVE MEASURES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ON STRESS AND STRESS RESPONSES IN URBAN YOUTH. 2016 12 2822 35 YOGA V. HEALTH EDUCATION FOR ATTENTIONAL PROCESSES RELEVANT TO MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER. OBJECTIVES: RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT YOGA MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR PERSISTENT DEPRESSION, THE BENEFITS OF WHICH MAY ACCUMULATE OVER TIME. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY WERE TO EVALUATE THE FOLLOWING IN A SAMPLE OF PERSISTENTLY DEPRESSED INDIVIDUALS: WHETHER YOGA INCREASES MINDFULNESS AND WHETHER YOGA ATTENUATES RUMINATION. RUMINATION AND MINDFULNESS BOTH REPRESENT ATTENTIONAL PROCESSES RELEVANT FOR ONSET AND MAINTENANCE OF DEPRESSIVE EPISODES. METHODS: ONE-HUNDRED-TEN INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE PERSISTENTLY DEPRESSED DESPITE ONGOING USE OF PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT WERE RECRUITED INTO AN RCT COMPARING YOGA WITH A HEALTH EDUCATION CLASS. MINDFULNESS AND RUMINATION WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE AND ACROSS 3 TIME POINTS DURING THE TEN-WEEK INTERVENTION. RESULTS: FINDINGS DEMONSTRATE THAT, COMPARED TO HEALTH EDUCATION, YOGA WAS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER MEAN LEVELS OF THE OBSERVE FACET OF MINDFULNESS RELATIVE TO THE CONTROL GROUP DURING THE INTERVENTION PERIOD (P =.004, D =0.38), AND THAT YOGA WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A FASTER RATE OF INCREASE IN LEVELS OF ACTING WITH AWARENESS OVER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD (P= .03, F(2) =0.027). THERE WERE NO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTERVENTION GROUPS WITH RESPECT TO RUMINATION. CONCLUSIONS: RESULTS SUGGEST A SMALL EFFECT OF YOGA ON COMPONENTS OF MINDFULNESS DURING A 10-WEEK INTERVENTION PERIOD. PREVIOUS RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT CONTINUED ASSESSMENT AFTER THE INITIAL 10 WEEKS MAY REVEAL CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT. FUTURE RESEARCH MAY ALSO EXAMINE MODERATORS OF THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON MINDFULNESS AND RUMINATION, INCLUDING CLINICAL FACTORS SUCH AS DEPRESSION SEVERITY OR DEPRESSION CHRONICITY, OR DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS SUCH AS AGE. 2021 13 634 28 DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN PERCEPTIONS OF REAL AND IDEAL YOGA TEACHERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. OBJECTIVES: ALTHOUGH MORE INDIVIDUALS ARE ADOPTING YOGA INTO THEIR LIVES, LITTLE RESEARCH HAS EXAMINED PRACTITIONERS' EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF THEIR YOGA INSTRUCTOR'S BEHAVIOR. DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN REAL AND IDEAL BEHAVIORS OF YOGA INSTRUCTORS MAY LEAD TO UNSATISFACTORY EXPERIENCES AND DECREASE THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF YOGA PRACTICE. THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOGA PRACTITIONERS' REAL AND IDEAL PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR YOGA TEACHER'S BEHAVIOR AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISCREPANT BELIEFS AND STUDENTS' SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY,AND STRESS. METHODS: THE PERCEPTIONS OF YOGA TEACHER QUESTIONNAIRE (PYTQ), A RECENTLY DEVELOPED SURVEY OF STUDENT ATTITUDES REGARDING YOGA TEACHERS' BEHAVIOR, WAS ADMINISTERED INA NATIONAL ONLINE SURVEY OF YOGA STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. GREATER DISCREPANCY BETWEEN REAL AND IDEA YOGA TEACHER BEHAVIOR WAS ANTICIPATED TO BE POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH PRACTITIONERS' SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND STRESS. RESULTS: PEARSON CORRELATIONS CORRECTED FOR MULTIPLE COMPARISONS REVEALED THAT YOGA STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THEIR TEACHER'S BEHAVIORS. SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN REAL AND IDEAL TEACHER BEHAVIOR WERE FOUND FOR BOTH GROUPS. HIGHER DISCREPANCY SCORES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH SYMPTOMS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY BUT NOT DEPRESSION FOR STUDENTS, BUT NOT FOR TEACHERS. CONCLUSIONS: THESE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXPECTANCIES AND REAL YOGA TEACHER BEHAVIORS AND THEIR LINKS TO STUDENT EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT.MORE RESEARCH IN THIS AREA IS WARRANTED. 2013 14 96 25 A NATURALISTIC STUDY OF YOGA, MEDITATION, SELF-PERCEIVED STRESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND MINDFULNESS IN COLLEGE STUDENTS. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY COMPARED THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION ON SELF-COMPASSION, MINDFULNESS, AND PERCEIVED STRESS IN COLLEGE STUDENTS; AND EXPLORED MIND-BODY MECHANISMS AND PREDICTORS OF STRESS REDUCTION. PARTICIPANTS: STUDENT PARTICIPANTS (N = 92) WERE ENROLLED IN EITHER YOGA OR MINDFULNESS MEDITATION CLASSES AT A COLLEGE IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES FROM AUGUST THROUGH MAY OF 2015-2016. METHODS: STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN 50-MINUTE CLASSES TWICE A WEEK FOR 10 WEEKS, COMPLETING SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES DURING THE 1ST AND 10TH WEEK. RESULTS: MULTIPLE-LINEAR REGRESSION ANALYSIS FOUND CHANGE IN SELF-COMPASSION WAS THE STRONGEST PREDICTOR OF STRESS REDUCTION. CONCLUSIONS: INCREASING SELF-COMPASSION MAY INCREASE THE EFFICACY OF MIND-BODY INTERVENTIONS. RESEARCH INTO MIND-BODY MECHANISMS IS NEEDED TO IDENTIFY INTERVENTION COMPONENTS THAT MOST IMPROVE STUDENT WELL-BEING. 2019 15 148 24 A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF IMPLEMENTATION FACTORS IN A SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAM: LESSONS LEARNED FROM STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. IDENTIFYING FACTORS RELEVANT FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF SCHOOL-BASED INTERVENTIONS IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE THAT PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED IN AN EFFECTIVE AND ENGAGING MANNER. THE PERSPECTIVES OF TWO KEY STAKEHOLDERS CRITICAL FOR IDENTIFYING IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS - STUDENTS AND THEIR CLASSROOM TEACHERS - MERIT ATTENTION IN THIS CONTEXT AND HAVE RARELY BEEN EXPLORED USING QUALITATIVE METHODS. THIS STUDY REPORTS QUALITATIVE PERSPECTIVES OF FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR TEACHERS OF A 16-WEEK SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAM IN THREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVING LOW-INCOME URBAN COMMUNITIES. FOUR THEMES RELATED TO PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS EMERGED: PROGRAM DELIVERY FACTORS, PROGRAM BUY-IN, IMPLEMENTER COMMUNICATION WITH TEACHERS, AND INSTRUCTOR QUALITIES. FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IS DISCUSSED IN THE CONTEXT OF INFORMING IMPLEMENTATION, ADAPTATION, AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAMMING IN URBAN SETTINGS. 2017 16 2535 28 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 17 1195 31 EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA INSTRUCTION ON POSITIVE EMBODIMENT AND AFFECTIVE RESPONSES. EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR THE INCLUSION OF YOGA AS PART OF EATING DISORDER PREVENTION EFFORTS THROUGH ITS POSITIVE IMPACT ON POSITIVE EMBODIMENT AND EXPERIENCE OF POSITIVE CORE AFFECT. HOWEVER, THERE IS A NEED TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES THAT WILL MORE CONSISTENTLY SUPPORT POSITIVE EMBODIMENT AND POSITIVE AFFECT. WE EXAMINED THE EFFECT OF TEACHING A SINGLE YOGA CLASS USING MINDFULNESS-BASED INSTRUCTION COMPARED TO APPEARANCE-BASED AND NEUTRAL INSTRUCTION ALTERNATIVES ON EMBODIMENT (I.E., STATE BODY SURVEILLANCE, STATE BODY APPRECIATION, PLEASURE DURING YOGA) AND CHANGES IN AFFECT FROM BEFORE TO AFTER CLASS. FEMALE PARTICIPANTS (N = 62; M AGE = 23.89, SD = 6.86) WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A YOGA CLASS THAT EMPHASIZED: BEING MINDFULLY PRESENT IN ONE'S BODY, CHANGING ONE'S APPEARANCE, OR JUST GETTING INTO YOGA POSES. ANOVAS REVEALED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER BODY SURVEILLANCE (ETAP (2) =.10) AND LOWER FORECASTED PLEASURE (ETAP (2) =.21) IN THE APPEARANCE CLASS COMPARED TO THE OTHER TWO CLASSES. PARTICIPANTS IN THE MINDFULNESS CLASS EXPERIENCED GREATER IMPROVEMENT IN AFFECT (ETAP (2) =.08) FROM BEFORE TO AFTER CLASS AND HIGHER REMEMBERED PLEASURE DURING THE YOGA CLASS (ETAP (2) =.19) COMPARED TO THOSE IN THE APPEARANCE CLASS. EMPHASIZING CHANGES TO APPEARANCE IN YOGA INSTRUCTION MAY PLACE PARTICIPANTS AT RISK FOR LESS POSITIVE AFFECT AND LESS POSITIVE EXPERIENCES OF EMBODIMENT COMPARED TO MINDFULNESS-BASED OR EVEN NEUTRAL YOGA INSTRUCTION. 2020 18 911 30 EFFECTIVENESS OF INTEGRATIVE RESTORATION (IREST) YOGA NIDRA ON MINDFULNESS, SLEEP, AND PAIN IN HEALTH CARE WORKERS. THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTEGRATIVE RESTORATION (IREST) YOGA NIDRA MEDITATION ON MINDFULNESS, SLEEP, AND PAIN IN HEALTH CARE WORKERS. AS HEALTH CARE WORKERS PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO PATIENTS, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR WORKERS TO EXPERIENCE BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXHAUSTION. ONE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEES IS MINDFULNESS TRAINING. IREST YOGA NIDRA IS A COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH THERAPY THAT INCREASES MINDFULNESS. A PRE-/POSTINTERVENITON DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY DESIGN WAS USED. BEFORE AND AFTER EXPERIENCING IREST MEDITATION, PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED A 51-ITEM QUESTIONNAIRE CONSISTING OF DEMOGRAPHICS PLUS 3 VALIDATED INSTRUMENTS: THE FIVE-FACET MINDFULNESS QUESTIONNAIRE (FFMQ), THE EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE (ESS), AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE/VETERANS ADMINISTRATION (DOD/VA) PAIN SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS (PSQ). A TOTAL OF 15 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED BOTH QUESTIONNAIRES. POSTINTERVENTION FFMQ SCORES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN PREINTERVENTION (Z = -3.294, P = .001). THE HIGHEST SUBSCALE SCORES WERE "ACTING WITH AWARENESS" AND "NONJUDGING OF INNER EXPERIENCE." THERE WAS A NOT A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE MEAN ESS SCORES AT BASELINE AND FOLLOW-UP. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A STRONG NEGATIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE MEAN ESS IMPROVEMENT SCORE AND THE NUMBER OF WEEKS ATTENDED (RS = -0.705, P = .003). THERE WAS A NOT A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE MEAN PAIN BASELINE AND FOLLOW-UP SCORES. THIS STUDY SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN MINDFULNESS OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS FOLLOWING A GUIDED 8-WEEK IREST YOGA NIDRA PROGRAM. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY MAY PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT INTO HELPING HEALTH CARE WORKERS DEAL WITH THE DEMANDS OF THEIR PROFESSION IN A POSITIVE MANNER, THUS LEADING TO AN IMPROVED WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT. 2018 19 1145 32 ELEMENTARY STUDENT AND TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF A MINDFULNESS AND YOGA-BASED PROGRAM IN SCHOOL: A QUALITATIVE EVALUATION. RESEARCH QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE QUALITATIVE INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A MINDFULNESS AND YOGA-BASED PROGRAM FROM ELEMENTARY YOUTH AND TEACHERS? CONTEXT: A MINDFULNESS AND YOGA-BASED CURRICULUM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 15 SCHOOLS. THE CURRICULUM WAS TAUGHT TO STUDENTS DURING A PHYSICAL EDUCATION OR DANCE CLASS BY INSTRUCTORS WHO WERE WITHIN EACH SCHOOL AND RECEIVED TRAINING ON THE CURRICULUM. SAMPLE SELECTION: VOLUNTEER FOCUS GROUP ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED FOR ONE YEAR AND TEACHERS WHO DID NOT IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM WERE QUALITATIVELY INTERVIEWED, BY THREE TRAINED UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS. DATA COLLECTION: NINE FOCUS GROUPS WERE COMPLETED WITHIN THREE DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. SIX FOCUS GROUPS WERE COMPLETED WITH 3RD AND 5TH GRADE STUDENTS. THREE FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED WITH TEACHERS WITHIN EACH SCHOOL WHICH RECEIVED THE PROGRAM, EXCLUDING INSTRUCTORS. ANALYSIS: FOCUS GROUP DATA WERE CODED AND A THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED AMONG THE 40 STUDENTS AND 23 TEACHERS. INTERPRETATION AND MAIN RESULTS: TEACHERS HAD VARYING DEGREES OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THE PROGRAM AND COMMUNICATION EMERGED AS A CRITICAL THEME FOR BUY-IN AS COMMUNICATION REPRESENTS THE UNDERPINNINGS OF CREATING AND RETAINING STAKEHOLDERS. MOST STUDENTS TALKED ABOUT PERCEIVED IMPROVEMENTS IN FOCUS, EMOTIONAL REGULATION, FLEXIBILITY, BREATHING, AND SCHOOL WORK. A COMMON THEME TO DESCRIBE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM EMERGED WITH THE IDEA OF "INCREASED FOCUS". CONCEPTUALLY, IT MAY BE THAT INCREASING MINDFULNESS INCREASES "FOCUS" THUS INCREASING POSITIVE OUTCOMES. MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND IF "FOCUS" MAY SERVE AS A MEDIATING VARIABLE ON EMOTIONAL REGULATION, COGNITIVE IMPROVEMENTS, AND OTHER HEALTH OUTCOMES. 2020 20 583 33 DESIGNING, VALIDATION AND FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR ELDERLY. CONTEXT: AGEING IS AN UNAVOIDABLE FACET OF LIFE. YOGIC PRACTICES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO PROMOTE HEALTHY AGING. PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE USED EITHER YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTIONS DERIVED FROM A PARTICULAR SCHOOL OF YOGA OR HAVE TESTED SPECIFIC YOGIC PRACTICES LIKE MEDITATION. AIMS: THIS STUDY REPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT, VALIDATION AND FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR ELDERLY WITH OR WITHOUT MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED AT THE ADVANCED CENTRE FOR YOGA, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND NEUROSCIENCES, BANGALORE. THE MODULE WAS DEVELOPED, VALIDATED, AND THEN PILOT-TESTED ON VOLUNTEERS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THE FIRST PART OF THE STUDY CONSISTED OF DESIGNING OF A YOGA MODULE BASED ON TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY YOGIC LITERATURE. THIS YOGA MODULE ALONG WITH THE THREE CASE VIGNETTES OF ELDERLY WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT WERE SENT TO 10 YOGA EXPERTS TO HELP DEVELOP THE INTENDED YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION. IN THE SECOND PART, THE FEASIBILITY OF THE DEVELOPED YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION WAS TESTED. RESULTS: EXPERTS (N=10) OPINED THE YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION WILL BE USEFUL IN IMPROVING COGNITION IN ELDERLY, BUT WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS. FREQUENT SUPERVISED YOGA SESSIONS, REGULAR FOLLOW-UPS, ADDITION/DELETION/MODIFICATIONS OF YOGA POSTURES WERE SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS. TEN ELDERLY CONSENTED AND EIGHT COMPLETED THE PILOT TESTING OF THE INTERVENTION. ALL OF THEM WERE ABLE TO PERFORM MOST OF THE SUKSMAVYAYAMA, PRANAYAMA AND NADANUSANDHANA (MEDITATION) TECHNIQUE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS (N=3) EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN PERFORMING POSTURES SEATED ON THE GROUND. MOST OF THE OLDER ADULTS EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN REMEMBERING AND COMPLETING ENTIRE SEQUENCE OF YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION INDEPENDENTLY. CONCLUSIONS: THE YOGA BASED INTERVENTION IS FEASIBLE IN THE ELDERLY WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. TESTING WITH A LARGER SAMPLE OF OLDER ADULTS IS WARRANTED. 2013