1 2506 78 YOGA ATTITUDES IN CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: ROLES OF CATASTROPHIZING AND FEAR OF MOVEMENT. CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN IS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND, ALTHOUGH UNDERUSED, YOGA MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT. THE CURRENT STUDY EXAMINED ASSOCIATIONS OF PAIN CATASTROPHIZING AND FEAR OF MOVEMENT WITH ATTITUDES TOWARD YOGA IN ADULTS WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THREE QUANTITATIVE QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESSING SPECIFIC CONSTRUCTS: BELIEFS ABOUT YOGA, FEAR OF MOVEMENT, AND PAIN CATASTROPHIZING. A SEMI-STRUCTURED IN-PERSON INTERVIEW WAS THEN CONDUCTED TO OBTAIN SPECIFIC PAIN-RELATED INFORMATION. HIERARCHICAL REGRESSION AND MEDIATIONAL ANALYSES WERE USED TO TEST HYPOTHESES. CONSISTENT WITH THE FEAR-AVOIDANCE MODEL OF CHRONIC PAIN, CATASTROPHIZING AND FEAR OF MOVEMENT WERE NEGATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA ATTITUDES. SPECIFICALLY, FEAR OF MOVEMENT WAS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN CATASTROPHIZING AND ATTITUDES TOWARD YOGA. INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGHER LEVELS OF CATASTROPHIZING AND FEAR OF MOVEMENT MAY BE LESS LIKELY TO CONSIDER A PAIN TREATMENT INVOLVING PHYSICAL MOVEMENT. 2015 2 1621 19 MINDFULNESS AND AVOIDANCE MEDIATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND ANXIETY. OBJECTIVES: THERE IS ACCUMULATING EVIDENCE THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION CAN ALLEVIATE SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY, ALTHOUGH THE MECHANISMS BY WHICH THIS OCCURS REMAIN UNCLEAR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND SELF-REPORTED ANXIETY AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL MEDIATING ROLES OF MINDFULNESS AND EMOTIONAL AVOIDANCE. METHODS: USING A CROSS-SECTIONAL DESIGN, 367 PARTICIPANTS WERE RECRUITED ONLINE AND COMPLETED MEASURES OF ANXIETY, AVOIDANCE, AND MINDFULNESS. RESULTS: RESULTS SHOWED THAT LENGTH OF YOGA PRACTICE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED WITH LOWER ANXIETY IN YOGA PRACTITIONERS. AVOIDANCE AND MINDFULNESS MEDIATED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LENGTH OF YOGA PRACTICE AND ANXIETY, SHEDDING LIGHT ON POSSIBLE MECHANISMS BY WHICH THESE PRACTICES REDUCE ANXIETY. CONCLUSIONS: FUTURE EXPERIMENTAL AND LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO EXAMINE THE CAUSAL ROLE OF MINDFULNESS AND AVOIDANCE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND ANXIETY, AND WHETHER YOGA IS A USEFUL ADJUNCT TO COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY FOR ANXIETY DISORDERS. 2018 3 1006 22 EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS YOGA VERSUS CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL EXERCISES ON SYMPTOM EXPERIENCES AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE: THE POTENTIAL MEDIATING ROLES OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. BACKGROUND: ALTHOUGH SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE REPORTED POSITIVE EFFECTS OF MIND-BODY EXERCISES ON SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQOL) OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD), IT IS NOT KNOWN WHETHER THESE EFFECTS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO A CHANGE IN ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. PURPOSE: TO COMPARE THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS YOGA TO CONVENTIONAL STRETCHING EXERCISES IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WHILE EXAMINING POTENTIALLY MEDIATING EFFECTS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. METHODS: 138 ADULTS WITH PD WERE RANDOMIZED TO EIGHT WEEKLY YOGA (N = 71) OR STRETCHING (N = 67) SESSIONS. SYMPTOM EXPERIENCES, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, AND HRQOL OUTCOMES WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, IMMEDIATE POST-INTERVENTION, AND 3-MONTH POST-INTERVENTION. RESULTS: GENERALIZED ESTIMATING EQUATION ANALYSES REVEALED THAT, COMPARED TO STRETCHING, YOGA SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED PATIENTS' NONMOTOR (TIME-BY-GROUP INTERACTION, T1:BETA = -1.99, P = .008; T2:BETA = -2.86, P < .001) AND MOTOR (TIME-BY-GROUP INTERACTION, T1:BETA = -1.77, P = .03) SYMPTOM EXPERIENCES. THE MEDIATION ANALYSIS FOUND THAT THE CHANGES IN ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WERE THE MEDIATORS IN THE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN NON-MOTOR EXPERIENCE AND HRQOL; WHILE ONLY THE CHANGES IN DEPRESSION WERE FOUND TO BE THE MEDIATOR IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOTOR EXPERIENCE AND HRQOL. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA IS SUPERIOR TO CONVENTIONAL STRETCHING EXERCISES IN IMPROVING NONMOTOR AND MOTOR SYMPTOMS IN DAILY LIVING. REDUCED ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION PLAY A ROLE IN MEDIATING THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF THE MINDFULNESS YOGA INTERVENTION. TO OPTIMIZE HRQOL, REHABILITATION SHOULD REINFORCE PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE IN ADDITION TO PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENTS AND PHYSICAL RELIEF OF PD SYMPTOMS. FUTURE STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO IDENTIFY STRATEGIES FOR FACILITATING THE IMPLEMENTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF MIND-BODY REHABILITATION TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF CARE FOR PD. 2022 4 638 30 DO PHYSICAL THERAPY AND YOGA IMPROVE PAIN AND DISABILITY THROUGH PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS? A CAUSAL MEDIATION ANALYSIS OF ADULTS WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN. OBJECTIVE: TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER INDIRECT EFFECTS VIA PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS EXPLAIN THE EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY (PT) OR YOGA, VERSUS EDUCATION, ON BACK-RELATED OUTCOMES. DESIGN: MEDIATION ANALYSES USING DATA FROM A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF PT, YOGA, AND EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN. METHODS: PRIMARY OUTCOMES WERE CHANGES IN BACK-RELATED PAIN ON THE 11-POINT NUMERICAL RATING SCALE AND DISABILITY ON THE MODIFIED 23-POINT ROLAND MORRIS DISABILITY QUESTIONNAIRE, MEASURED AT 52-WEEKS POST-RANDOMIZATION. HYPOTHESIZED MEDIATORS WERE 12-WEEK CHANGES IN PAIN SELF-EFFICACY, FEAR AVOIDANCE BELIEFS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PERCEIVED STRESS, AND SLEEP QUALITY. WE USED CAUSAL MEDIATION ANALYSIS TO ESTIMATE THE TOTAL EFFECT, DIRECT EFFECT, INDIRECT EFFECT, AND PROPORTION MEDIATED. RESULTS: WE ANALYZED DATA FROM 230 ADULTS (MEAN AGE = 46.2 YEARS, 69.6% FEMALE, 79.6% NON-WHITE). IN THE PT VERSUS EDUCATION MODEL, WHEN THE MEDIATOR WAS PERCEIVED STRESS, THE TOTAL EFFECT ON DISABILITY WAS 2.6 POINTS (95% CI: 0.3, 4.9) AND DECOMPOSED INTO A DIRECT EFFECT OF 1.7 POINTS (95% CI: -0.4, 3.8) AND AN INDIRECT EFFECT 0.9 POINTS (95% CI: 0.1, 2.0; PROPORTION MEDIATED 34%). NO OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSTRUCT WAS A SIGNIFICANT MEDIATOR. CONCLUSION: IMPROVEMENTS IN PERCEIVED STRESS MEDIATED IMPROVEMENTS IN DISABILITY AFTER PT TREATMENT COMPARED TO EDUCATION. OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES DID NOT MEDIATE THE EFFECT OF YOGA OR PT ON PAIN OR DISABILITY OUTCOMES COMPARED TO EDUCATION. J ORTHOP SPORTS PHYS THER, EPUB 18 MAY 2022. DOI:10.2519/JOSPT.2022.10813. 2022 5 302 28 AN EIGHT-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION IS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVEMENTS IN PAIN, PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING AND MINDFULNESS, AND CHANGES IN CORTISOL LEVELS IN WOMEN WITH FIBROMYALGIA. OBJECTIVES: FIBROMYALGIA (FM) IS A CHRONIC CONDITION CHARACTERIZED BY WIDESPREAD MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN, FATIGUE, DEPRESSION, AND HYPOCORTISOLISM. TO DATE, PUBLISHED STUDIES HAVE NOT INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON CORTISOL IN FM. THIS PILOT STUDY USED A TIME SERIES DESIGN TO EVALUATE PAIN, PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES, MINDFULNESS, AND CORTISOL IN WOMEN WITH FM BEFORE AND AFTER A YOGA INTERVENTION. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS (N = 22) WERE RECRUITED FROM THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A 75 MINUTE YOGA CLASS TWICE WEEKLY FOR 8 WEEKS. QUESTIONNAIRES CONCERNING PAIN (INTENSITY, UNPLEASANTNESS, QUALITY, SUM OF LOCAL AREAS OF PAIN, CATASTROPHIZING, ACCEPTANCE, DISABILITY), ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND MINDFULNESS WERE ADMINISTERED PRE-, MID- AND POST-INTERVENTION. SALIVARY CORTISOL SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED THREE TIMES A DAY FOR EACH OF TWO DAYS, PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION. RESULTS: REPEATED MEASURES ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE (ANOVA) REVEALED THAT MEAN +/- STANDARD DEVIATION (SD) SCORES IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY (P < 0.05) FROM PRE- TO POST-INTERVENTION FOR CONTINUOUS PAIN (PRE: 5.18 +/- 1.72; POST: 4.44 +/- 2.03), PAIN CATASTROPHIZING (PRE: 25.33 +/- 14.77; POST: 20.40 +/- 17.01), PAIN ACCEPTANCE (PRE: 60.47 +/- 23.43; POST: 65.50 +/- 22.93), AND MINDFULNESS (PRE: 120.21 +/- 21.80; POST: 130.63 +/- 20.82). INTENTION-TO-TREAT ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT MEDIAN AUC FOR POST-INTERVENTION CORTISOL (263.69) WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER (P < 0.05) THAN MEDIAN AUC FOR PRE-INTERVENTION LEVELS (189.46). MEDIATION ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT MID-INTERVENTION MINDFULNESS SCORES SIGNIFICANTLY (P < 0.05) MEDIATED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION PAIN CATASTROPHIZING SCORES. DISCUSSION: THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT A YOGA INTERVENTION MAY REDUCE PAIN AND CATASTROPHIZING, INCREASE ACCEPTANCE AND MINDFULNESS, AND ALTER TOTAL CORTISOL LEVELS IN WOMEN WITH FM. THE CHANGES IN MINDFULNESS AND CORTISOL LEVELS MAY PROVIDE PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE FOR MECHANISMS OF A YOGA PROGRAM FOR WOMEN WITH FM. FUTURE STUDIES SHOULD USE AN RCT DESIGN WITH A LARGER SAMPLE SIZE. 2011 6 2403 19 YOGA AND EMOTION REGULATION IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. MIDDLE ADOLESCENTS (15-17 YEARS OLD) ARE PRONE TO INCREASED RISK TAKING AND EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY. EMOTION DYSREGULATION CONTRIBUTES TO A VARIETY OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DIFFICULTIES IN THIS POPULATION. A DISCIPLINE SUCH AS YOGA OFFERED DURING SCHOOL MAY INCREASE EMOTION REGULATION, BUT RESEARCH IN THIS AREA IS LACKING. THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF A YOGA INTERVENTION ON THE EMOTION REGULATION OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AS COMPARED TO PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE). IN ADDITION, THE POTENTIAL MEDIATING EFFECTS OF MINDFUL ATTENTION, SELF-COMPASSION, AND BODY AWARENESS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA AND EMOTION REGULATION WERE EXAMINED. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO PARTICIPATE IN A 16-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION (N = 19) OR REGULAR PE (N = 18). PRE-POST DATA ANALYSES REVEALED THAT EMOTION REGULATION INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE YOGA GROUP AS COMPARED TO THE PE GROUP (F (1,32) = 7.50, P = .01, AND ETA(2) = .19). NO SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP WAS DISCOVERED BETWEEN THE CHANGES IN EMOTION REGULATION AND THE PROPOSED MEDIATING VARIABLES. PRELIMINARY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA INCREASES EMOTION REGULATION CAPACITIES OF MIDDLE ADOLESCENTS AND PROVIDES BENEFITS BEYOND THAT OF PE ALONE. 2015 7 65 21 A CONCEPTUAL MODEL DESCRIBING MECHANISMS FOR HOW YOGA PRACTICE MAY SUPPORT POSITIVE EMBODIMENT. YOGA PRACTICE HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS INDICES OF POSITIVE EMBODIMENT IN CORRELATIONAL AND INTERVENTION STUDIES. YET, SYSTEMATIC, THEORETICALLY-GROUNDED MODELS DETAILING SPECIFIC MECHANISMS BY WHICH YOGA SUPPORTS POSITIVE EMBODIMENT ARE LACKING. IN THIS ARTICLE, WE PRESENT A CONCEPTUAL MODEL THAT DESCRIBES MECHANISMS (I.E., MEDIATORS AND MODERATORS) THAT CAN BE USED TO GUIDE RESEARCH TO HELP ANSWER HOW, FOR WHOM, AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS YOGA PRACTICE MAY PROMOTE POSITIVE EMBODIMENT. BASED ON EXISTING THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS AND EMPIRICAL FINDINGS, THIS MODEL SUGGESTS THAT (A) YOGA PRACTICE MAY CULTIVATE EMBODYING EXPERIENCES DURING YOGA (E.G., STATE MINDFULNESS), (B) THESE EMBODYING EXPERIENCES MAY BUILD STABLE EMBODYING EXPERIENCES THAT GENERALIZE BEYOND THE YOGA CONTEXT (E.G., TRAIT MINDFULNESS), AND (C) THESE STABLE EMBODYING EXPERIENCES MAY THEN PROMOTE EMBODYING PRACTICES (E.G., MINDFUL SELF-CARE). THIS MEDIATIONAL CHAIN IS LIKELY MODERATED BY THE YOGA CONTEXT (E.G., INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS, PRESENCE OF MIRRORS, DIVERSITY OF BODIES REPRESENTED) AND YOGA PRACTITIONERS' SOCIAL IDENTITIES (E.G., BODY SIZE, PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS), SOCIAL AND PERSONAL HISTORIES (E.G., EXPERIENCES WITH WEIGHT STIGMA AND TRAUMA), AND PERSONALITY TRAITS AND MOTIVES (E.G., BODY COMPARISON, APPEARANCE-FOCUSED MOTIVES TO PRACTICE YOGA). USING THE STRUCTURE OF THIS CONCEPTUAL MODEL, WE OFFER RESEARCHERS IDEAS FOR TESTABLE MODELS AND STUDY DESIGNS THAT CAN SUPPORT THEM. 2020 8 1820 24 PROTOCOL FOR A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY OF IYENGAR YOGA FOR YOUTH WITH IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME. INTRODUCTION: IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME AFFECTS AS MANY AS 14% OF HIGH SCHOOL-AGED STUDENTS. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE DISCOMFORT IN THE ABDOMEN, ALONG WITH DIARRHEA AND/OR CONSTIPATION AND OTHER GASTROENTEROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS THAT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT QUALITY OF LIFE AND DAILY FUNCTIONING. EMOTIONAL STRESS APPEARS TO EXACERBATE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME SYMPTOMS SUGGESTING THAT MIND-BODY INTERVENTIONS REDUCING AROUSAL MAY PROVE BENEFICIAL. FOR MANY SUFFERERS, SYMPTOMS CAN BE TRACED TO CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE, MAKING THE EARLY MANIFESTATION OF IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND. THE CURRENT STUDY WILL FOCUS ON YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 14-26 YEARS WITH IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME. THE STUDY WILL TEST THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF IYENGAR YOGA ON CLINICAL SYMPTOMS, PSYCHOSPIRITUAL FUNCTIONING AND VISCERAL SENSITIVITY. YOGA IS THOUGHT TO BRING PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SPIRITUAL BENEFITS TO PRACTITIONERS AND HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED STRESS AND PAIN. THROUGH ITS FOCUS ON RESTORATION AND USE OF PROPS, IYENGAR YOGA IS ESPECIALLY DESIGNED TO DECREASE AROUSAL AND PROMOTE PSYCHOSPIRITUAL RESOURCES IN PHYSICALLY COMPROMISED INDIVIDUALS. AN EXTENSIVE AND STANDARDIZED TEACHER-TRAINING PROGRAM SUPPORT IYENGAR YOGA'S RELIABILITY AND SAFETY. IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT YOGA WILL BE FEASIBLE WITH LESS THAN 20% ATTRITION; AND THE YOGA GROUP WILL DEMONSTRATE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED OUTCOMES COMPARED TO CONTROLS, WITH PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOSPIRITUAL MECHANISMS CONTRIBUTING TO IMPROVEMENTS. METHODS/DESIGN: SIXTY IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME PATIENTS AGED 14-26 WILL BE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A STANDARDIZED 6-WEEK TWICE WEEKLY IYENGAR YOGA GROUP-BASED PROGRAM OR A WAIT-LIST USUAL CARE CONTROL GROUP. THE GROUPS WILL BE COMPARED ON THE PRIMARY CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME SYMPTOMS, QUALITY OF LIFE AND GLOBAL IMPROVEMENT AT POST-TREATMENT AND 2-MONTH FOLLOW-UP. SECONDARY OUTCOMES WILL INCLUDE VISCERAL PAIN SENSITIVITY ASSESSED WITH A STANDARDIZED LABORATORY TASK (WATER LOAD TASK), FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY AND PSYCHOSPIRITUAL VARIABLES INCLUDING CATASTROPHIZING, SELF-EFFICACY, MOOD, ACCEPTANCE AND MINDFULNESS. MECHANISMS OF ACTION INVOLVED IN THE PROPOSED BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA UPON CLINICAL OUTCOMES WILL BE EXPLORED, AND INCLUDE THE MEDIATING EFFECTS OF VISCERAL SENSITIVITY, INCREASED PSYCHOSPIRITUAL RESOURCES, REGULATED AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM RESPONSES AND REGULATED HORMONAL STRESS RESPONSE ASSESSED VIA SALIVARY CORTISOL. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICALTRIALS.GOV NCT01107977. 2011 9 2068 23 THE DAILY INFLUENCES OF YOGA ON RELATIONAL OUTCOMES OFF OF THE MAT. BACKGROUND: DESPITE THE WIDE ARRAY OF HEALTH BENEFITS THAT HAVE BEEN EVIDENCED WITH YOGA, A CLEAR GAP EXISTS EXAMINING HOW YOGA IMPACTS CONNECTIONS WITH ONESELF AND TO OTHERS. AIMS: THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT STUDY WERE TWOFOLD: (1) TO DESCRIBE THE DAY-TO-DAY (IN)VARIABILITY IN DAILY YOGA PRACTICE AND RELATIONAL OUTCOMES AND (2) TO EXAMINE THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICE ON RELATIONAL OUTCOMES. METHODS: COMMUNITY-DWELLING YOGA PRACTITIONERS (N = 104, AGE RANGE: 18-76 YEARS) WITH A YOGA PRACTICE OF AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK WERE RECRUITED FOR A 21-DAY DAILY DIARY STUDY. PRACTITIONERS WERE ASKED TO COMPLETE DAILY INTERNET SURVEYS AT THE END OF THE DAY WHICH INCLUDED QUESTIONS WITH RESPECT TO ONE'S YOGA PRACTICE AND RELATIONAL DOMAINS (I.E., MINDFULNESS, [SELF-]COMPASSION, AND SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS). RESULTS: MULTILEVEL ANALYSES REVEALED YOGA AND RELATIONAL OUTCOMES TO BE DYNAMIC PHENOMENA, INDICATED BY SUBSTANTIAL VARIATION (INTRACLASS CORRELATIONS = 0.34-0.48) AT THE WITHIN-PERSON LEVEL. ON DAYS WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL PRACTICED MORE YOGA THAN THEIR USUAL, GREATER MINDFULNESS (B = 2.93, STANDARD ERROR [SE] = 0.39, P < 0.05) AND SELF-COMPASSION (B = 1.45, SE = 0.46, P < 0.05) WERE ALSO REPORTED. 1-1-1 MULTILEVEL MEDIATION MODELS DEMONSTRATED THAT YOGA HAS AN INDIRECT EFFECT ON BOTH COMPASSION AND SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS THROUGH INCREASES IN MINDFULNESS AT THE WITHIN- AND BETWEEN-PERSON LEVELS. IN MODELS TESTING SELF-COMPASSION AS THE MEDIATOR, THE INDIRECT EFFECT OF DAILY YOGA PRACTICE ON COMPASSION WAS SIGNIFICANT, ALTHOUGH LIMITED TO THE WITHIN-PERSON LEVEL. CONCLUSIONS: THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT A ROUTINE YOGA PRACTICE COULD POSITIVELY IMPACT HOW A PRACTITIONER RELATES TO THEIRSELVES AND TO OTHERS, BOTH ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, AND WITH ACCUMULATED PRACTICE. 2019 10 2457 20 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR SMOKING CESSATION: RATIONALE, STUDY DESIGN AND PARTICIPANT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE QUITTING-IN-BALANCE STUDY. BACKGROUND: TOBACCO SMOKING REMAINS THE LEADING PREVENTABLE CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG AMERICAN WOMEN. EXERCISE HAS SHOWN PROMISE AS AN AID TO SMOKING CESSATION BECAUSE IT REDUCES WEIGHT GAIN AND WEIGHT CONCERNS, IMPROVES AFFECT, AND REDUCES NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS AND CIGARETTE CRAVING. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IMPROVES WEIGHT CONTROL, AND REDUCES PERCEIVED STRESS AND NEGATIVE AFFECT. YOGA PRACTICE ALSO INCLUDES REGULATION OF BREATHING AND FOCUSED ATTENTION, BOTH OF WHICH MAY ENHANCE STRESS REDUCTION AND IMPROVE MOOD AND WELL-BEING AND MAY IMPROVE CESSATION OUTCOMES. METHODS/DESIGN: THIS PILOT EFFICACY STUDY IS DESIGNED TO EXAMINE THE RATES OF CESSATION AMONG WOMEN RANDOMIZED TO EITHER A NOVEL, 8-WEEK YOGA PLUS COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT) SMOKING CESSATION INTERVENTION VERSUS A WELLNESS PROGRAM PLUS THE SAME CBT SMOKING CESSATION INTERVENTION. OUTCOME MEASURES INCLUDE 7-DAY POINT PREVALENCE ABSTINENCE AT END OF TREATMENT, 3 AND 6 MONTHS FOLLOW UP AND POTENTIAL MEDIATING VARIABLES (E.G., CONFIDENCE IN QUITTING SMOKING, SELF-EFFICACY). OTHER ASSESSMENTS INCLUDE MEASURES OF MINDFULNESS, SPIRITUALITY, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, ANXIETY AND PERCEIVED HEALTH (SF-36). DISCUSSION: INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS ARE NEEDED THAT ADDRESS BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFUL SMOKING CESSATION AMONG MEN AND WOMEN. THE DESIGN CHOSEN FOR THIS STUDY WILL ALLOW US TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL MEDIATORS OF INTERVENTION EFFICACY SO THAT WE MAY BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISM(S) BY WHICH YOGA MAY ACT AS AN EFFECTIVE COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR SMOKING CESSATION. IF SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE, YOGA CAN OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL EXERCISE FOR REDUCING NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS THAT OFTEN ACCOMPANY SMOKING CESSATION AND PREDICT RELAPSE TO SMOKING AMONG RECENT QUITTERS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICALTRIALS NCT00492310. 2010 11 1582 25 MEDIATORS OF YOGA AND STRETCHING FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN. ALTHOUGH YOGA IS AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE MECHANISMS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS BENEFITS. IN A TRIAL COMPARING YOGA TO INTENSIVE STRETCHING AND SELF-CARE, WE EXPLORED WHETHER PHYSICAL (HOURS OF BACK EXERCISE/WEEK), COGNITIVE (FEAR AVOIDANCE, BODY AWARENESS, AND SELF-EFFICACY), AFFECTIVE (PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, PERCEIVED STRESS, POSITIVE STATES OF MIND, AND SLEEP), AND PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS (CORTISOL, DHEA) MEDIATED THE EFFECTS OF YOGA OR STRETCHING ON BACK-RELATED DYSFUNCTION (ROLAND-MORRIS DISABILITY SCALE (RDQ)). FOR YOGA, 36% OF THE EFFECT ON 12-WEEK RDQ WAS MEDIATED BY INCREASED SELF-EFFICACY, 18% BY SLEEP DISTURBANCE, 9% BY HOURS OF BACK EXERCISE, AND 61% BY THE BEST COMBINATION OF ALL POSSIBLE MEDIATORS (6 MEDIATORS). FOR STRETCHING, 23% OF THE EFFECT WAS MEDIATED BY INCREASED SELF-EFFICACY, 14% BY DAYS OF BACK EXERCISE, AND 50% BY THE BEST COMBINATION OF ALL POSSIBLE MEDIATORS (7 MEDIATORS). IN OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS, >/=20% OF PARTICIPANTS NOTED THE FOLLOWING TREATMENT BENEFITS: LEARNING NEW EXERCISES (BOTH GROUPS), RELAXATION, INCREASED AWARENESS, AND THE BENEFITS OF BREATHING (YOGA), BENEFITS OF REGULAR PRACTICE (STRETCHING). ALTHOUGH BOTH SELF-EFFICACY AND HOURS OF BACK EXERCISE WERE THE STRONGEST MEDIATORS FOR EACH INTERVENTION, COMPARED TO SELF-CARE, QUALITATIVE DATA SUGGEST THAT THEY MAY EXERT THEIR BENEFITS THROUGH PARTIALLY DISTINCT MECHANISMS. 2013 12 181 19 A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF YOGA VS NONAEROBIC EXERCISE FOR VETERANS WITH PTSD: UNDERSTANDING EFFICACY, MECHANISMS OF CHANGE, AND MODE OF DELIVERY. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) IS A CHRONIC, DISABLING, AND PREVALENT MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER AMONG VETERANS. DESPITE THE AVAILABILITY OF EMPIRICALLY SUPPORTED PSYCHOTHERAPIES, MANY VETERANS REMAIN SYMPTOMATIC AFTER TREATMENT AND/OR PREFER TO SEEK COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH APPROACHES, INCLUDING YOGA, TO MANAGE PTSD. THE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (RCT) DESCRIBED HEREIN WILL EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF A MANUALIZED YOGA PROGRAM AS COMPARED TO NONAEROBIC EXERCISE IN REDUCING PTSD SEVERITY AMONG VETERANS. A SECONDARY AIM OF THIS STUDY IS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISMS OF CHANGE. METHODS: VETERANS (N = 192) WITH PTSD WILL BE RANDOMIZED TO HATHA YOGA OR NONAEROBIC PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CONTROL; BOTH GROUPS CONSIST OF 12 WEEKLY, 60-MIN GROUP OR ONLINE TRAINING SESSIONS WITH 15-20 MIN OF DAILY AT-HOME PRACTICE. OUTCOME MEASURES WILL BE ADMINISTERED AT BASELINE, MID-TREATMENT, POSTTREATMENT, AND 12-WEEK FOLLOW-UP. PROJECTED OUTCOMES: THIS STUDY WILL EVALUATE CHANGES IN PTSD SEVERITY (PRIMARY OUTCOME) AS WELL AS DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, ANGER, SLEEP PROBLEMS, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL DISABILITY (SECONDARY OUTCOMES). WE WILL ALSO USE MULTIPLE MEDIATION TO EXAMINE TWO POTENTIAL MODELS OF THE MECHANISMS OF CLINICAL EFFECT: THE ATTENTION MODEL (I.E., YOGA INCREASES ATTENTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH REDUCES PTSD SYMPTOMS), THE COPING MODEL (I.E., YOGA INCREASES DISTRESS TOLERANCE, WHICH IMPROVES COPING, WHICH REDUCES PTSD SYMPTOMS), AND THE COMBINATION OF THESE MODELS. THIS ASPECT OF THE STUDY IS INNOVATIVE AND IMPORTANT GIVEN THE ABSENCE OF AN EXISTING, COMPREHENSIVE MODEL FOR UNDERSTANDING YOGA'S IMPACT ON PTSD. ULTIMATELY, WE HOPE TO DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATION OF YOGA TO PTSD RECOVERY. 2021 13 422 16 BRIDGING THE SCHISM OF SCHIZOPHRENIA THROUGH YOGA-REVIEW OF PUTATIVE MECHANISMS. SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS EXPERIENCE A 'DISCONNECT' AT MULTIPLE LEVELS-NEURONAL NETWORKS, MENTAL PROCESSES, AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. THE RESULTANT POOR QUALITY-OF-LIFE AND FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY ARE RELATED TO THE PERSISTENT COGNITIVE DEFICITS AND NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS, WHICH ARE RATHER RESISTANT TO CONVENTIONAL ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATIONS. YOGA HAS EMERGED AS AN IMPORTANT THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. RECENT PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT EFFECTS OF YOGA ON COGNITIVE AND NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS MAY DRIVE THIS BENEFIT. THIS STUDY ATTEMPTS TO INTEGRATE EVIDENCE FROM NEUROSCIENCE-BASED RESEARCH, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE NEUROPLASTICITY-HARNESSING EFFECTS OF YOGA TO BRIDGE THE SCHIZOPHRENIA CONNECTOPATHY. IN AN OVERARCHING MODEL TO STUDY PUTATIVE NEUROBIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS THAT DRIVE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA, IT IS PROPOSED THAT (A) VARIOUS STYLES OF MEDITATION MAY HELP IN STRENGTHENING THE LATERAL AND MEDIAL PREFRONTAL BRAIN NETWORKS, THUS IMPROVING NEUROCOGNITION AND MENTALIZING ABILITIES, AND (B) LEARNING AND PERFORMING CO-ORDINATED PHYSICAL POSTURES WITH A TEACHER FACILITATES IMITATION AND THE PROCESS OF BEING IMITATED, WHICH CAN IMPROVE SOCIAL COGNITION AND EMPATHY THROUGH REINFORCEMENT OF THE PREMOTOR AND PARIETAL MIRROR NEURON SYSTEM. OXYTOCIN MAY PLAY A ROLE IN MEDIATING THESE PROCESSES, LEADING TO BETTER SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES. CLINICAL AND HEURISTIC IMPLICATIONS OF THIS MODEL ARE FURTHER DISCUSSED. 2016 14 1337 20 HOW DOES YOGA REDUCE STRESS? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF MECHANISMS OF CHANGE AND GUIDE TO FUTURE INQUIRY. YOGA IS INCREASINGLY USED IN CLINICAL SETTINGS FOR A VARIETY OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES, PARTICULARLY STRESS-RELATED ILLNESSES AND CONCERNS, AND HAS DEMONSTRATED PROMISING EFFICACY. YET THE WAYS IN WHICH YOGA REDUCES STRESS REMAIN POORLY UNDERSTOOD. TO EXAMINE THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE REGARDING THE MECHANISMS THROUGH WHICH YOGA REDUCES STRESS, WE CONDUCTED A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE, INCLUDING ANY YOGA INTERVENTION THAT MEASURED STRESS AS A PRIMARY DEPENDENT VARIABLE AND TESTED A MECHANISM OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH MEDIATION. OUR ELECTRONIC DATABASE SEARCH YIELDED 926 ABSTRACTS, OF WHICH 71 WERE CHOSEN FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND 5 WERE SELECTED FOR THE FINAL SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. THESE FIVE STUDIES EXAMINED THREE PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS (POSITIVE AFFECT, MINDFULNESS AND SELF-COMPASSION) AND FOUR BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS (POSTERIOR HYPOTHALAMUS, INTERLEUKIN-6, C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND CORTISOL). POSITIVE AFFECT, SELF-COMPASSION, INHIBITION OF THE POSTERIOR HYPOTHALAMUS AND SALIVARY CORTISOL WERE ALL SHOWN TO MEDIATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA AND STRESS. IT IS STRIKING THAT THE LITERATURE DESCRIBING POTENTIAL MECHANISMS IS GROWING RAPIDLY, YET ONLY SEVEN MECHANISMS HAVE BEEN EMPIRICALLY EXAMINED; MORE RESEARCH IS NECESSARY. ALSO, FUTURE RESEARCH OUGHT TO INCLUDE MORE RIGOROUS METHODOLOGY, INCLUDING SUFFICIENT POWER, STUDY RANDOMISATION AND APPROPRIATE CONTROL GROUPS. 2015 15 2382 16 YOCAS(C)(R) YOGA REDUCES SELF-REPORTED MEMORY DIFFICULTY IN CANCER SURVIVORS IN A NATIONWIDE RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL: INVESTIGATING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEMORY AND SLEEP. UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND INTERVENTIONS ARE NEEDED TO ALLEVIATE MEMORY DIFFICULTY IN CANCER SURVIVORS. WE PREVIOUSLY SHOWED IN A PHASE III RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL THAT YOCAS(C)(R) YOGA-A PROGRAM THAT CONSISTS OF BREATHING EXERCISES, POSTURES, AND MEDITATION-SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED SLEEP QUALITY IN CANCER SURVIVORS. THIS STUDY ASSESSED THE EFFECTS OF YOCAS(C)(R) ON MEMORY AND IDENTIFIED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEMORY AND SLEEP. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: SURVIVORS WERE RANDOMIZED TO STANDARD CARE (SC) OR SC WITH YOCAS(C)(R) . 328 PARTICIPANTS WHO PROVIDED DATA ON THE MEMORY DIFFICULTY ITEM OF THE MD ANDERSON SYMPTOM INVENTORY ARE INCLUDED. SLEEP QUALITY WAS MEASURED USING THE PITTSBURGH SLEEP QUALITY INDEX. GENERAL LINEAR MODELING (GLM) DETERMINED THE GROUP EFFECT OF YOCAS(C)(R) ON MEMORY DIFFICULTY COMPARED WITH SC. GLM ALSO DETERMINED MODERATION OF BASELINE MEMORY DIFFICULTY ON POSTINTERVENTION SLEEP AND VICE VERSA. PATH MODELING ASSESSED THE MEDIATING EFFECTS OF CHANGES IN MEMORY DIFFICULTY ON YOCAS(C)(R) CHANGES IN SLEEP AND VICE VERSA. RESULTS: YOCAS(C)(R) SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED MEMORY DIFFICULTY AT POSTINTERVENTION COMPARED WITH SC (MEAN CHANGE: YOGA=-0.60; SC=-0.16; P<.05). BASELINE MEMORY DIFFICULTY DID NOT MODERATE THE EFFECTS OF POSTINTERVENTION SLEEP QUALITY IN YOCAS(C)(R) COMPARED WITH SC. BASELINE SLEEP QUALITY DID MODERATE THE EFFECTS OF POSTINTERVENTION MEMORY DIFFICULTY IN YOCAS(C)(R) COMPARED WITH SC (P<.05). CHANGES IN SLEEP QUALITY WAS A SIGNIFICANT MEDIATOR OF REDUCED MEMORY DIFFICULTY IN YOCAS(C)(R) COMPARED WITH SC (P<.05); HOWEVER, CHANGES IN MEMORY DIFFICULTY DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MEDIATE IMPROVED SLEEP QUALITY IN YOCAS(C)(R) COMPARED WITH SC. CONCLUSIONS: IN THIS LARGE NATIONWIDE TRIAL, YOCAS(C)(R) YOGA SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED PATIENT-REPORTED MEMORY DIFFICULTY IN CANCER SURVIVORS. 2016 16 2456 26 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR SMOKING CESSATION IN WOMEN. BACKGROUND: TOBACCO SMOKING REMAINS THE LEADING PREVENTABLE CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG AMERICAN WOMEN. AEROBIC EXERCISE HAS SHOWN PROMISE AS AN AID TO SMOKING CESSATION BECAUSE IT IMPROVES AFFECT AND REDUCES NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS. STUDIES OUTSIDE THE REALM OF SMOKING CESSATION HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA PRACTICE ALSO REDUCES PERCEIVED STRESS AND NEGATIVE AFFECT. METHODS: THIS PILOT STUDY EXAMINES THE FEASIBILITY AND INITIAL EFFICACY OF YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR SMOKING CESSATION. FIFTY-FIVE WOMEN WERE GIVEN 8-WEEK GROUP-BASED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR SMOKING CESSATION AND WERE RANDOMIZED TO A TWICE-WEEKLY PROGRAM OF VINYASA YOGA OR A GENERAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAM (CONTACT CONTROL). THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS 7-DAY POINT PREVALENCE ABSTINENCE AT THE END OF TREATMENT VALIDATED BY SALIVA COTININE TESTING. LONGITUDINAL ANALYSES WERE ALSO CONDUCTED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECT OF INTERVENTION ON SMOKING CESSATION AT 3- AND 6-MONTH FOLLOW-UP. WE EXAMINED THE EFFECTS OF THE INTERVENTION ON POTENTIAL MEDIATING VARIABLES (E.G., CONFIDENCE IN QUITTING SMOKING, SELF-EFFICACY), AS WELL AS MEASURES OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, ANXIETY, AND PERCEIVED HEALTH (SF-36). RESULTS: AT END OF TREATMENT, WOMEN IN THE YOGA GROUP HAD A GREATER 7-DAY POINT-PREVALENCE ABSTINENCE RATE THAN CONTROLS (ODDS RATIO [OR], 4.56; 95% CI, 1.1-18.6). ABSTINENCE REMAINED HIGHER AMONG YOGA PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THE SIX MONTH ASSESSMENT (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.34-6.92), ALTHOUGH DIFFERENCES WERE NO LONGER STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN THE YOGA PROGRAM ALSO SHOWED REDUCED ANXIETY AND IMPROVEMENTS IN PERCEIVED HEALTH AND WELL-BEING WHEN COMPARED WITH CONTROLS. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA MAY BE AN EFFICACIOUS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR SMOKING CESSATION AMONG WOMEN. 2012 17 2690 23 YOGA IN WOMEN WITH ABDOMINAL OBESITY - DO LIFESTYLE FACTORS MEDIATE THE EFFECT? SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF A RCT. INTRODUCTION: THE REDUCTION OF OBESITY IS AN IMPORTANT CHALLENGE FOR HEALTH POLICY. ALTHOUGH DIETARY INTERVENTIONS ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE, PATIENT ADHERENCE IS USUALLY LOW. A PROMISING ALTERNATIVE IS YOGA. WE HYPOTHESIZED THAT WEIGHT REDUCTION THROUGH YOGA IS MEDIATED BY ASPECTS RELATED TO EATING HABITS AS WELL AS PHYSICAL ASPECTS. METHODS: THIS IS AN EXPLORATORY SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL COMPARING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA TO WAITING LIST IN WOMEN WITH ABDOMINAL OBESITY. BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) AND WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE WERE ASSESSED AS OUTCOMES; PHYSICAL EXERCISE HABITS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HABITS AT LEISURE TIME, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HABITS AT WORK TIME, DAILY FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INTAKE, NUTRITION SELF-EFFICACY, AND PHYSICAL SELF-EFFICACY WERE CAPTURED AS MEDIATORS. MEASURES WERE ASSESSED AT WEEKS 0 AND 12. THE ORIGINAL TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED BETWEEN APRIL AND AUGUST 2015. THE SECONDARY ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED DECEMBER 2019. RESULTS: FORTY PATIENTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO THE 12 WEEKLY YOGA SESSIONS (48.5 +/- 7.9 YEARS) AND 20 PATIENTS TO THE WAITLIST GROUP (46.4 +/- 8.9 YEARS). PHYSICAL EXERCISE HABITS FULLY MEDIATED THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON BMI (B=-0.26;CI[-.56;-.07]). DAILY FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INTAKE PARTIALLY MEDIATED THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON BMI (B=-0.13;CI[-.38;-.01]). NO FURTHER MEDIATION EFFECTS WERE FOUND. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA SUPPORTS PEOPLE WITH OVERWEIGHT IN EATING HEALTHIER AND INCREASING THEIR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WHICH IN TURN LEADS TO A REDUCED BMI. YOGA'S EFFECTS ON WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE SEEM TO BE DUE TO OTHER MECHANISMS. 2021 18 76 17 A HEURISTIC MODEL LINKING YOGA PHILOSOPHY AND SELF-REFLECTION TO EXAMINE UNDERLYING MECHANISMS OF ADD-ON YOGA TREATMENT IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS EFFICACY OF YOGA AS ADD-ON TREATMENT FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA, BUT THE UNDERLYING MECHANISM BY WHICH YOGA IMPROVES THE SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA IS NOT COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD. YOGA IMPROVES SELF-REFLECTION IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, AND SELF-REFLECTION ABNORMALITIES ARE TYPICALLY SEEN IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. HOWEVER, WHETHER YOGA TREATMENT IMPROVES IMPAIRMENTS IN SELF-REFLECTION TYPICALLY SEEN IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA IS NOT EXAMINED. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE POTENTIAL MECHANISM OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND PROPOSES A TESTABLE HYPOTHESIS FOR FURTHER EMPIRICAL STUDIES. IT IS PROPOSED THAT SELF-REFLECTION ABNORMALITIES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA IMPROVE WITH YOGA AND THE NEUROBIOLOGICAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CAN BE EXAMINED USING EMPIRICAL BEHAVIOURAL MEASURES AND NEUROIMAGING MEASURES SUCH AS MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING. 2016 19 1336 17 HOW DOES YOGA REDUCE STRESS? A CLINICAL TRIAL TESTING PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS. YOGA INTERVENTIONS CAN REDUCE STRESS, BUT THE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING THAT STRESS REDUCTION REMAIN LARGELY UNIDENTIFIED. UNDERSTANDING HOW YOGA WORKS IS ESSENTIAL TO OPTIMIZING INTERVENTIONS. THE PRESENT STUDY TESTED FIVE POTENTIAL PSYCHOSOCIAL MECHANISMS (INCREASED MINDFULNESS, INTEROCEPTIVE AWARENESS, SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING, SELF-COMPASSION AND SELF-CONTROL) THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TO EXPLAIN YOGA'S IMPACT ON STRESS. FORTY-TWO PARTICIPANTS (62% FEMALE; 64% WHITE) IN A YOGA PROGRAM FOR STRESS REDUCTION COMPLETED SURVEYS AT BASELINE (T1), MID-INTERVENTION (T2) AND POST-INTERVENTION (12 WEEKS; T3). WE MEASURED TWO ASPECTS OF STRESS, PERCEIVED STRESS AND STRESS REACTIVITY. CHANGES WERE ASSESSED WITH PAIRED T-TESTS; ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CHANGES IN MECHANISMS WERE TESTED IN RESIDUAL CHANGE MODELS. ONLY STRESS REACTIVITY DECREASED, ON AVERAGE, FROM T1 TO T3. EXCEPT FOR SELF-COMPASSION, ALL PSYCHOSOCIAL MECHANISMS INCREASED FROM T1 TO T3, WITH MINIMAL CHANGES FROM T2 TO T3. EXCEPT FOR SELF-CONTROL, INCREASES IN EACH MECHANISM WERE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASES IN BOTH MEASURES OF STRESS BETWEEN T1 AND T2 AND DECREASES IN PERCEIVED STRESS FROM T1 TO T3 (ALL P'S < 0.05). INCREASED PSYCHOSOCIAL RESOURCES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH STRESS REDUCTION. YOGA INTERVENTIONS TARGETING THESE RESOURCES MAY SHOW STRONGER STRESS REDUCTION EFFECTS. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD TEST THESE LINKAGES MORE RIGOROUSLY USING ACTIVE COMPARISON GROUPS AND LARGER SAMPLES. 2021 20 1338 19 HOW DOES YOGA REDUCE STRESS? EMBODIED COGNITION AND EMOTION HIGHLIGHT THE INFLUENCE OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM. YOGA IS AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR ACTIVITY, PERHAPS BECAUSE OF ITS ASSOCIATION WITH STRESS REDUCTION AND RELAXATION - AN ASSOCIATION THAT IS GENERALLY SUPPORTED BY EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE. UNDERSTANDING OF THE MEDIATING VARIABLES IS, HOWEVER, LIMITED. GIVEN THAT, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO PRESENT A THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE THAT ENCOURAGES SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH REGARDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA, STRESS, AND MUSCULOSKELETAL ACTIVITY. THIS EMBODIED PERSPECTIVE PARALLELS POPULAR INTEREST IN THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION AND EMPHASIZES THE INFLUENCE OF BODY POSITION ON THINKING AS WELL AS EMOTION. THOSE INFLUENCES TAKE ON ADDED MEANING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COGNITIVE APPRAISAL THEORY AND THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL OF CHALLENGE AND THREAT. INVESTIGATIONS OF EMBODIED COGNITION SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY REDUCE STRESS BY AFFECTING THE WAY INDIVIDUALS APPRAISE STRESSORS. THE COMBINATION OF BODY POSITION AND COMMON COMPONENTS OF YOGA PRACTICE MAY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT EFFECT, PARTICULARLY WHEN CONSIDERING THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SELF AND FEELINGS OF CONFIDENCE. FINDINGS REGARDING EMBODIED EMOTION MAKE A SIMILAR CONTRIBUTION TO UNDERSTANDING THE IMPLICATIONS OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH FINDINGS AND COMMON YOGA PRACTICES. CONSIDERING YOGA AND STRESS FROM AN EMBODIED PERSPECTIVE ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM IN THE STRESS PROCESS, LEADING TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER YOGA INFLUENCES STRESS BY DIRECTLY INFLUENCING THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM, INDIRECTLY BY INFLUENCING AWARENESS OF THAT SYSTEM, OR THROUGH A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. THOSE QUESTIONS, IN TURN, HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPANDING INVESTIGATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES, BODY POSITION, MUSCULOSKELETAL ACTIVITY DURING YOGA, AND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THOSE VARIABLES. 2019