1 2387 125 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 2 960 54 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 3 2535 41 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 4 2770 55 YOGA REDUCES PERFORMANCE ANXIETY IN ADOLESCENT MUSICIANS. CONTEXT: PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS OFTEN EXPERIENCE HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS, MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY (MPA), AND PERFORMANCE-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS (PRMDS). GIVEN THE FACT THAT MOST PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS BEGIN THEIR MUSICAL TRAINING BEFORE THE AGE OF 12, IT IS IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY INTERVENTIONS THAT WILL ADDRESS THESE ISSUES FROM AN EARLY AGE. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY INTENDED TO REPLICATE AND EXPAND UPON ADULT RESEARCH IN THIS AREA BY EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA INTERVENTION ON MPA AND PRMDS IN A POPULATION OF ADOLESCENT MUSICIANS. THE PRESENT STUDY WAS THE FIRST TO EXAMINE THESE EFFECTS. DESIGN: THE RESEARCH TEAM ASSIGNED PARTICIPANTS, ADOLESCENT MUSICIANS, INTO TWO GROUPS. THE INTERVENTION GROUP (N = 84) TOOK PART IN A 6-WK YOGA PROGRAM, AND THE CONTROL GROUP (N = 51) RECEIVED NO TREATMENT. THE TEAM EVALUATED THE EFFECTS OF THE YOGA INTERVENTION BY COMPARING THE SCORES OF THE INTERVENTION GROUP TO THOSE OF THE CONTROL GROUP ON A NUMBER OF QUESTIONNAIRES RELATED TO MPA AND PRMDS. SETTING: THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED AT THE BOSTON UNIVERSITY TANGLEWOOD INSTITUTE (BUTI). BUTI IS A TRAINING ACADEMY FOR ADVANCED ADOLESCENT MUSICIANS, LOCATED IN LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS WERE ADOLESCENT, RESIDENTIAL MUSIC STUDENTS (MEAN AGE = 16 Y) IN A 6-WK SUMMER PROGRAM AT THE BUTI IN 2007 AND 2008. INTERVENTION: PARTICIPANTS IN THE YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP WERE REQUESTED TO ATTEND THREE, 60-MIN, KRIPALUSTYLE YOGA CLASSES EACH WK FOR 6 WK. OUTCOME MEASURES: MPA WAS MEASURED USING THE PERFORMANCE ANXIETY QUESTIONNAIRE (PAQ) AND THE MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY INVENTORY FOR ADOLESCENTS (MPAI-A). PRMDS WERE MEASURED USING THE PERFORMANCE-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS QUESTIONNAIRE (PRMD-Q). RESULTS * YOGA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN MPA FROM BASELINE TO THE END OF THE PROGRAM COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP, AS MEASURED BY SEVERAL SUBSCALES OF THE PAQ AND MPAI-A; HOWEVER, THE RESULTS FOR PRMDS WERE INCONSISTENT. CONCLUSION: THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY BE A PROMISING WAY FOR ADOLESCENTS TO REDUCE MPA AND PERHAPS EVEN PREVENT IT IN THE FUTURE. THESE FINDINGS ALSO SUGGEST A NOVEL TREATMENT MODALITY THAT POTENTIALLY MIGHT ALLEVIATE MPA AND PREVENT THE EARLY DISRUPTION AND TERMINATION OF MUSICAL CAREERS. 2013 5 245 36 A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY IN CONSERVATORY STUDENTS. MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT MUSICIANS. THERE IS A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TREATMENT STRATEGIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT MIGHT BE MORE ACCEPTABLE TO MUSICIANS THAN EXISTING THERAPIES. THIS PILOT STUDY EXAMINED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A 9-WEEK YOGA PRACTICE ON REDUCING MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY IN UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE MUSIC CONSERVATORY STUDENTS, INCLUDING BOTH VOCALISTS AND INSTRUMENTALISTS. THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF FOURTEEN 60-MINUTE YOGA CLASSES APPROXIMATELY TWICE A WEEK AND A BRIEF DAILY HOME PRACTICE. OF THE 24 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE STUDY, 17 ATTENDED THE POST-INTERVENTION ASSESSMENT. PARTICIPANTS WHO COMPLETED THE MEASURES AT BOTH PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION ASSESSMENTS SHOWED LARGE DECREASES IN MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY AS WELL AS IN TRAIT ANXIETY. IMPROVEMENTS WERE SUSTAINED AT 7- TO 14-MONTH FOLLOW-UP. PARTICIPANTS GENERALLY PROVIDED POSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND ITS BENEFITS. THIS STUDY SUGGESTS THAT YOGA IS A PROMISING INTERVENTION FOR MUSIC PERFORMANCE ANXIETY IN CONSERVATORY STUDENTS AND THEREFORE WARRANTS FURTHER RESEARCH. 2012 6 591 39 DEVELOPING RESILIENCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: YOGA AND MINDFULNESS FOR THE WELL-BEING OF STUDENT MUSICIANS IN SPAIN. HERE, WE REPORT ON A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY TO EXPLORE THE APPLICABILITY AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF THE CRAFT PROGRAM, WHICH IS BASED ON MINDFULNESS, YOGA, POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, TO IMPROVE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT MUSICIANS' HEALTH AND WELL-BEING DURING THE LOCKDOWN. A SUBSET OF STUDENT MUSICIANS AT A HIGHER CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC IN SPAIN FOLLOWED THE CRAFT PROGRAM DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2019/2020, 1 H PER WEEK AS PART OF THEIR CURRICULUM. STUDENTS ENROLLED IN CRAFT-BASED ELECTIVE SUBJECTS FORMED THE CRAFT PROGRAM GROUP (N = 40), WHILE OTHER STUDENTS REPRESENTED THE CONTROL GROUP (N = 53). THE ONSET OF THE NATIONAL LOCKDOWN ELICITED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC OCCURRED HALFWAY THROUGH THE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DELIVERED IN AN ONLINE FORMAT. WE ADMINISTERED AN ONLINE SURVEY TO EXPLORE THE EFFECT THAT THE EXPOSURE TO THE CRAFT PROGRAM HAD IN TERMS OF HOW PARTICIPANTS DEALT WITH VARIOUS HEALTH AND WELL-BEING CONCERNS ARISING FROM THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER PROPORTION OF PROACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE CRAFT PROGRAM GROUP, 92%, THAN IN THE CONTROL GROUP, 58%, IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTING PRACTICES TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING DURING THE LOCKDOWN. ADDITIONALLY, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PARTICIPANTS ACKNOWLEDGED PERCEIVED BENEFITS FROM THEIR PRACTICES IN THE CRAFT PROGRAM GROUP, 78%, THAN IN THE CONTROL GROUP, 52%. AMONG PROACTIVE PARTICIPANTS, YOGA/MEDITATION WAS THE MOST IMPLEMENTED IN THE CRAFT PROGRAM GROUP, FOLLOWED BY EXERCISE, AND OTHER YOGA/MEDITATION PRACTICES, WHEREAS IN THE CONTROL GROUP, EXERCISE AND ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE-BASED PRACTICES WERE THE MOST APPLIED. IN THE CRAFT PROGRAM GROUP, THE HIGHEST RATE OF PERCEIVED BENEFITS WAS FROM YOGA/MEDITATION CRAFT-BASED PRACTICES, 51%, FOLLOWED BY EXERCISE, 32%, AND OTHER YOGA/MEDITATION PRACTICES, 27%, WHEREAS IN THE CONTROL GROUP, BENEFITS WERE REPORTED BY 29% OF EXERCISING PARTICIPANTS AND 16% FOR THOSE HAVING PRACTICED THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE. A SIMILAR PATTERN WAS OBSERVED WHEN EXCLUDING PARTICIPANTS WITH PREVIOUS YOGA/MEDITATION EXPERIENCE. THIS STUDY REVEALED HOW PARTICIPANTS CAN INDEPENDENTLY APPLY LEARNED SKILLS FROM THE CRAFT PROGRAM IN RESPONSE TO A NATURALLY OCCURRING LIFE EVENT OF UNPRECEDENTED GLOBAL IMPACT, SUGGESTING THAT PREVIOUS EXPOSURE TO MINDFULNESS AND YOGA IS LIKELY TO HAVE A BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON HOW YOUNG ADULTS REACT TOWARDS EXCEPTIONALLY STRESSFUL CONDITIONS. 2021 7 1179 38 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 8 145 32 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 9 1372 45 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 10 2314 23 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 11 1949 30 SCHOOL-BASED YOGA INTERVENTION INCREASES ADOLESCENT RESILIENCE: A PILOT TRIAL. BACKGROUND: YOUTH OFTEN EXPERIENCE STRESSORS LEADING TO NEGATIVE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES. ENHANCING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ATTRIBUTES IS IMPORTANT TO FOSTER RESILIENCY TO FACE THESE CHALLENGES. YOGA MAY ENHANCE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL RESILIENCY AMONG YOUTH. HOWEVER, RESEARCH REPLICATING SUCH RESULTS IN SCHOOL-SETTINGS IS LIMITED. THIS RESEARCH DETAILS AN INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF THE KRIPALU YOGA IN THE SCHOOLS (KYIS) INTERVENTION INTEGRATED INTO A PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASS AMONG A RACIALLY/ETHNICALLY DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION. METHOD: MIDDLE SCHOOL SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS (N = 23 STUDENTS; 52% FEMALE; MEAN AGE = 12.1 YEARS) WERE EITHER ENROLLED IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASS THAT INCLUDED KYIS (N = 9), OR WERE ENROLLED IN ART AND MUSIC (CONTROL CONDITION; N = 14). TO EVALUATE EFFECTS ON STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS, SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE AND PROBLEM BEHAVIOUR WERE ADMINISTERED PRE- AND POST-DELIVERY OF THE CURRICULUM. RESULTS: STUDENTS RECEIVING THE INTERVENTION INCREASED IN SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE OVER TIME RELATIVE TO THE CONTROL CONDITION. ALTHOUGH PROMISING, RESULTS SHOULD BE INTERPRETED WITH CAUTION, AS STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED THE YOGA INTERVENTION SCORED SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER ON SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE THAN STUDENTS IN THE CONTROL GROUP AT PRE-INTERVENTION MEASUREMENT TIME POINT. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA MAY IMPROVE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE AMONG YOUTH AND FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD EXPLORE THE UTILITY OF YOGA CURRICULA IN SCHOOL SETTINGS. 2020 12 148 20 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 13 955 30 EFFECTS OF A KUNDALINI YOGA PROGRAM ON ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS' STRESS, AFFECT, AND RESILIENCE. OBJECTIVE: THE YOUR OWN GREATNESS AFFIRMED (YOGA) FOR YOUTH PROGRAM DELIVERS YOGA TO URBAN INNER-CITY SCHOOLS WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING PRACTICAL BENEFITS THAT SUPPORT UNDERSERVED CHILDREN AT HIGH RISK OF BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS. A 10-WEEK YOGA FOR YOUTH PROGRAM DELIVERED 1 TO 2 TIMES PER WEEK WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 3 SCHOOLS IN URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS TO EXAMINE THE EFFECT OF THE PROGRAM ON STUDENT STRESS, AFFECT, AND RESILIENCE. METHODS: THIRTY CHILDREN WERE ADMINISTERED THE PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE, THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT SCHEDULE, AND THE RESILIENCE SCALE BEFORE AND AFTER THE YOGA PROGRAM. AFTER THE PROGRAM, INFORMAL QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH SCHOOL TEACHERS, YOGA TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS TO DETERMINE THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THE YOGA PROGRAM. RESULTS: THE QUANTITATIVE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY INDICATED THAT THE YOGA PROGRAM SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED STUDENTS STRESS (P < 0.05), POSITIVE AFFECT (P < 0.05), AND RESILIENCE (P < 0.001). THE QUALITATIVE RESULTS INDICATED THAT STUDENTS, SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND YOGA TEACHERS ALL FOUND THE PROGRAM TO BE BENEFICIAL FOR STUDENTS' WELL-BEING. CONCLUSION: TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE DATA SUGGEST THAT THE YOGA FOR YOUTH PROGRAM MAY PROVIDE STUDENTS IN LOW-INCOME URBAN SCHOOLS WITH BEHAVIORAL SKILLS THAT WILL PROTECT AGAINST RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS. 2018 14 390 47 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 15 1182 45 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 16 96 28 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 17 1843 39 QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF A HIGH SCHOOL YOGA PROGRAM: FEASIBILITY AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS. THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLISHED QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF A YOGA PROGRAM APPLIED IN A HIGH SCHOOL SETTING. THIS QUALITATIVE INTERVIEW STUDY WAS NESTED IN A RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA PROGRAM OFFERED IN PLACE OF A SEMESTER OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES AT A RURAL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL. STUDENT INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED AFTER TAKING PART IN A SEMESTER OF THE YOGA PROGRAM. A FORMAL PASSIVE CONSENT WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE QUALITATIVE STUDY WAS SENT HOME TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF ALL STUDENTS IN THE PARENT STUDY BEFORE THE INTERVIEWS. MOST STUDENTS ENJOYED THE YOGA CLASSES AND FELT BENEFITS. NEGATIVE REPORTS OF YOGA PRACTICE WERE ASSOCIATED WITH GENDER AS MOST MALES SENSED PEER PRESSURE AGAINST PRACTICING YOGA. DESPITE THIS FINDING, MOST STUDENTS WANTED TO CONTINUE YOGA AND WOULD CONTINUE IF IT WERE OFFERED IN SCHOOL. POSITIVE REPORTS INCLUDE A GREATER KINESTHETIC AWARENESS, WHICH SOME STUDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH A GREATER RESPECT FOR THE BODY AND IMPROVED SELF-IMAGE. AMONG STUDENTS REPORTING PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS, MANY CITED STRESS REDUCTION; MANY USED YOGA TO MANAGE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS; AND SOME PROPAGATED MORE OPTIMISM. MOST THOUGHT YOGA COULD REDUCE INTEREST IN THE USE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AND INCREASE SOCIAL COHESION WITH FAMILY AND PEERS. WE FOUND THAT A YOGA PROGRAM IS FEASIBLE IN THIS SAMPLE OF 9TH AND 10TH GRADERS, ESPECIALLY AFTER BENEFITS ARE PERCEIVED. WE ALSO FOUND EVIDENCE THAT YOGA MAY LEAD TO EMERGENT POSITIVE BENEFITS IN HEALTH BEHAVIORS NOT DIRECTLY PRESCRIBED BY THE PROGRAM. THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT SCHOOL-BASED YOGA PROGRAMS MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR PROMOTING HEALTHY BEHAVIORS AT A SOCIETAL LEVEL BY FOCUSING ON THE PREVENTION OF NEGATIVE PATTERNS DURING THE ADOLESCENT TRANSITION. 2013 18 1145 31 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 19 18 28 "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 20 1146 32 EMPOWERING A COMMUNITY FROM THE INSIDE OUT: EVALUATION OF A YOGA TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ADULTS IN CUSTODY. THE CURRENT STUDY EVALUATED A YOGA TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF BRINGING YOGA PSYCHOLOGY (AS AN INTEGRATED EIGHT-LIMBED SYSTEM) TO ADULTS IN CUSTODY (AIC), WHO WERE TRAINED TO BECOME YOGA TEACHERS WHO WILL IN TURN TEACH OTHER AICS. THE STUDY USED QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE MEASURES TO ASSESS THE YOGA TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM'S IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS, THEIR RELATIONSHIPS, AND THE OVERALL PRISON ENVIRONMENT. THE STUDY INCLUDED ASSESSMENTS AND INTERVIEWS WITH 12 AICS AND NINE YOGA TEACHER VOLUNTEERS, AS WELL AS KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS WITH TWO CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND FIVE ADMINISTRATORS WHO WORK WITHIN OR DIRECTLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM. QUANTITATIVE RESULTS REVEALED SIGNIFICANT ENHANCEMENTS AND SUSTAINABILITY IN ALL KEY OUTCOME VARIABLES (SELF-COMPASSION, MINDFULNESS, PERCEIVED STRESS, UNDERSTANDING OF YOGA PHILOSOPHY, AND TEACHING SKILLS) FROM PRETEST TO PROGRAM COMPLETION AND FROM COMPLETION TO 3-MONTH FOLLOW-UP. ADDITIONALLY, AIC YOGA TEACHERS BECAME MORE SIMILAR ON ALL OUTCOME MEASURES TO THE VOLUNTEER TEACHERS FROM PRETEST TO PROGRAM COMPLETION AND FROM COMPLETION TO FOLLOW-UP. QUALITATIVE METHODS (USED FOR 31 KEY INFORMANT AND FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS) REVEALED THEMES THAT ILLUMINATED POSITIVE EFFECTS ON THE PRISON COMMUNITY REGARDING PARTICIPANTS' PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, ATTITUDES AND VALUES, BEHAVIORS, RELATIONSHIPS, YOGA PHILOSOPHY IN PRISON, CULTURE, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS. IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT SUSTAINING THE CURRENT PROGRAM AND TO HELP WITH THE CREATION OF NEW PROGRAMS TO INFUSE YOGA PHILOSOPHY INTO CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENTS. 2019