Are There Benefits from Teaching Yoga at Schools? A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials of Yoga-Based Interventions

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Sep 2015

Introduction. Yoga is a holistic system of varied mind-body practices that can be used to improve mental and physical health and it has been utilized in a variety of contexts and situations. Educators and schools are looking to include yoga as a cost-effective, evidence-based component of urgently needed wellness programs for their students. Objectives. The primary goal of this study was to systematically examine the available literature for yoga interventions exclusively in school settings, exploring the evidence of yoga-based interventions on academic, cognitive, and psychosocial benefits. Methods. An extensive search was conducted for studies published between 1980 and October 31, 2014 (PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, ISI, and the Cochrane Library). Effect size analysis, through standardized mean difference and Hedges’g, allowed for the comparison between experimental conditions. Results and Conclusions. Nine randomized control trials met criteria for inclusion in this review. Effect size was found for mood indicators, tension and anxiety in the POMS scale, self-esteem, and memory when the yoga groups were compared to control. Future research requires greater standardization and suitability of yoga interventions for children.

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Are There Benefits from Teaching Yoga at Schools? A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials of Yoga-Based Interventions

Are There Benefits from Teaching Yoga at Schools? A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials of Yoga-Based Interventions C. Ferreira-Vorkapic,1,2,3 J. M. Feitoza,2 M. Marchioro,1 J. Simões,1 E. Kozasa,4,5 and S. Telles6 1Department of Physiology, Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Avenida Marechal Rondon, s/n, Jardim Rosa Elze, São Cristóvão, 49100-000 Aracaju, SE, Brazil 2Department of Psychology, FASE\UNESA, Aracaju, SE, Brazil 3Trika Research Center, Loei, Thailand 4Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil 5Department of Psychobiology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil 6Indian Council of Medical Research Center for Advanced Research in Yoga and Patanjali Research Foundation, Bengaluru, India Received 1 March 2015; Revised 21 June 2015; Accepted 25 June 2015 Academic Editor: Vernon A. Barnes Copyright © 2015 C. Ferreira-Vorkapic et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Abstract Introduction. Yoga is a holistic system of varied mind-body practices that can be used to improve mental and physical health and it has been utilized in a variety of contexts and situations. Educators and schools are looking to include yoga as a cost-effective, evidence-based component of urgently needed wellness programs for their students. Objectives. The primary goal of this study was to systematically examine the available literature for yoga interventions exclusively in school settings, exploring the evidence of yoga-based interventions on academic, cognitive, and psychosocial benefits. Methods. An extensive search was conducted for studies published between 1980 and October 31, 2014 (PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, ISI, and the Cochrane Library). Effect size analysis, through standardized mean difference and Hedges’g, allowed for the comparison between experimental conditions. Results and Conclusions. Nine randomized control trials met criteria for inclusion in this review. Effect size was found for mood indicators, tension and anxiety in the POMS scale, self-esteem, and memory when the yoga groups were compared to control. Future research requires greater standardization and suitability of yoga interventions for children. 1. Introduction Yoga is an ancient mind-body practice which originated in India more than 2.000 years ago and is described systematically early on (Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, circa 900 B.C.). Although, according to traditional scriptures, its ultimate goal is to achieve a unified state of consciousness and self-realization, yoga may be used to improve overall health and well-being [1]. Yoga involves different techniques such as physical postures (asanas), controlled breathing (pranayamas), deep relaxation (yoganidra), and meditation [1]. These techniques seem to have specific influences on one’s psychological state [2, 3] and the research on the psychophysiological benefits of yoga and meditation on adults has demonstrated improvements in emotional self-regulation with consequent reductions in depression, stress, anxiety levels [2–11] and posttraumatic disorder [12] as well as improvements in mood [13], quality of life, and well-being [14–16]. However, in spite of the positive effects of yoga on mental health, this practice is not just limited to therapeutic use and has been utilized in a variety of situations and contexts, including educational and school settings, where teaching students about wellness and health accompanies the primary aim of academic instruction [17]. According to United Nations [18], children and adolescents around the world spend an average of 10 to 15 years at school. As a result, schools hold the potential to teach about healthy habits from an early age and promote children’s health and well-being. For children who have to deal with stressors, anxiety, traumas, abuse, learning disabilities, and even bullying, the discipline developed by practicing contemplative techniques could be the difference between failure and success, both in their professional and personal life. [19]. Furthermore, according to Noggle et al. [20], the age of onset of most mental health disorders in adults occurs during childhood and adolescence, with around 7.5% of adolescents meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for one or more mental health conditions. The solution for dealing with stressors, anxiety, and learning disabilities certainly depends on many factors; however, evidence suggests that some of these problems may be eased by mind-body practices, which have been shown to redirect attention, improve concentration, increase self-control, and provide people with reliable and healthy coping mechanisms [19]. Yet, the efficacy of such practices among children is unclear and evidence is insufficient. A review conducted by Galantino et al. [21] found that there was evidence (...truncated)


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C. Ferreira-Vorkapic, J. M. Feitoza, M. Marchioro, J. Simões, E. Kozasa, S. Telles. Are There Benefits from Teaching Yoga at Schools? A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials of Yoga-Based Interventions, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015, 2015, DOI: 10.1155/2015/345835