Filtering by
- All Subjects: Yoga
- Creators: Larkey, Linda
Methods: Using PubMed, Medline, and CINAHL the search terms adolescents, depression, and yoga were searched for related articles. Articles were then excluded or included based on certain criteria. Focus was placed on articles written within the last 10 years as well as studies done on children within 10-19 years of age. Final articles underwent extraction for relevant information and comparisons were drawn between the studies.
Results: Final exclusion lead to a total of 5 suitable studies. Studies varied in styles of yoga performed and measurement scales used to assess depression. Populations of adolescents varied significantly as well. The majority of these studies showed significant improvement in depression symptoms when measuring from pre to post intervention. Similar improvements were also noted in anxiety symptoms and low self-esteem.
Conclusion: Data gathered indicated that yoga serves a suitable intervention for decreasing depression symptoms in adolescents. Additionally, there seems to be promising results regarding the viability of yoga as an intervention for decreasing symptoms of anxiety and increasing self-esteem. Despite, current promising results, there is need for more research to affirm the findings found in these articles to determine the long term effects of yoga interventions.
Background and Purpose: Meditative movement has become a common non-clinical intervention to address physical and mental ailments. This has been demonstrated by the “2012 National Health Interview Survey, [which states that] the use of yoga, tai chi, and qi gong has been increasing for over a decade and has nearly doubled from 2002 to 2012” (Green, n.d.). This overarching category includes the following practices: Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong. However, further research needs to be done into what ingredients constitute meditative movement and relay powerful effects such as lowering anxiety, depression, and/or blood pressure etc. for practitioners of the exercise. This paper will detail how the Meditative Movement Component Identification Tool (MCCIT) was developed and how a preliminary test of the MMCIT resulted in four overall components. This tool will serve as an instrument to assess the fidelity of meditative movement studies in the future. Methods: The MCCIT categories were extracted and chosen from a literature review of current articles on qigong, tai chi, and yoga, and overall meditative movement. There was a focus on articles that outlined ingredients significant for the type of exercise. Then the twelve selected components were reviewed using videos that were small 3–5-minute digital nuggets of meditative movement. Results: In a components analysis of the MMCIT, three factors: mind and body fluidity (α=.656) , breath (α=.991), inner calm (α=.760), and one potential factor: movement perception (α=.351) arose. Mind and body fluidity, breath, and inner calm subscales show item reliability, but movement perception needs further investigation. Conclusion: Mind and body fluidity, breath, and inner calm subscales show strong potential for being part of a tool used to ensure there is delivery of a meditative movement in an intervention with it in the protocol. However, the movement perception subscale needs to be reworked. The presence of nature and energy in meditative movement need to be further explored in a study with more participants, as well.
Methods: Adults were recruited to a 4-week app-based health and well-being study. Participants were randomized into either a mindfulness meditation (i.e. Calm) group or a health education (POD) control group. Participants were asked to participate at least 10 minutes per day. Assessments were conducted for stress, anxiety, depression, mindfulness, physical activity, eating habits, and coping behaviors at pre- and post-intervention and voluntary phone interviews were held post-intervention. App usage data were collected subjectively through weekly participation logs and through objective app usage data provided by Calm.
Results: Eighty-three participants were enrolled into the study and 60 completed the intervention and were analyzed. Feasibility and demand benchmarks were met with 96% of participants satisfied with the intervention and 93% found it enjoyable, appropriate, and useful. There was a 70% adherence (minutes/week) to the meditation intervention. Recruitment of men into the intervention group was 38.1% and retention of men was 81.3%. Significant changes were not observed in stress, anxiety, depression, or mindfulness, physical activity, eating habits, and coping behaviors.
Conclusion: The findings of this study support the feasibility of a 4-week, mobile app-based mindfulness meditation intervention (i.e. Calm) in middle-aged adults. These finding do not demonstrate preliminary efficacy of Calm to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression or improvement of mindfulness, physical activity, eating habits, or coping behaviors among middle-aged adults who report elevated stress. These results can be applied for improved design of future studies.