From Surviving to Thriving: A Trauma-Informed Yoga Intervention for Adolescents and Educators in Rural Montana.

Abstract

Background: (1)Due to the mental health crisis that has spiraled since the onset of COVID-19, particularly among the nation's youth, the purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a novel, school-based mental health intervention for high school students (ages 15-17 years). This project's main aim was to determine which intervention modality was more effective with students across two school districts with varying degrees of rurality (in-person delivery vs. remote delivery). A secondary aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a remotely delivered, concurrent intervention for educators across both school districts. This study took place in rural southwestern Montana.

Methods: (2)Utilizing a 6-week, trauma-informed yoga intervention, comparisons of mental and physical health outcomes were performed using cohort data drawn from participants' physiological data and validated mental health survey measures.

Results: (3)While physiological results were mixed across experimental groups, mental health outcomes were overwhelmingly positive for all groups. Additionally, educators reported improvements in career satisfaction and burnout levels.

Conclusions: (4)Findings indicate a great deal of promise with this intervention in improving mental health outcomes for both students and educators. Moreover, a face-to-face intervention for students showed dramatic improvement in physiological stress indicators.