A Manualized Yoga Intervention for Adolescents with Co-Occurring Physical and Psychiatric Conditions Shows Improvements in Mental and Physical Health

This study addresses feasibility, acceptability and preliminary outcomes of a manualized yoga intervention for adolescents with co- occurring physical and psychiatric conditions in an academic medical setting. Participants (N=42; 83% female; 86% Caucasian; mean age 15.0 years) were adolescents whose self or parent report on the Behavioral Assessment Scale for Children (BASC) indicated clinical elevations in anxiety, depression and/or somatization symptoms. The intervention consisted of 8 weekly 150-minute group yoga classes, integrating asana, pranayama, relaxation (including yoga Indra), meditation and weekly home practice review. The majority of participants (83%) completed 6 or more classes and 32 participants (72%) completed the final assessments. Participants who completed the follow up assessments did not differ significantly at baseline from those who consented to participate in study but did not complete follow up assessments (by gender, age, race, parent marital status, teen or parent questionnaire reports). Participants who completed the follow up measures reported significant decreases in perceived stress (p<0.001); improvements in BASC anxiety, depression and somatization symptoms (all p<0.01); decreased functional disability (p<.01); and exhibited increased physical fitness (6-minute walk; p<0.01). A significant proportion shifted in their Readiness to Change “How I deal with stress” from “Contemplative” to “Action” stage (p<0.01). Parents reported improved child functional ability (p<0.01); improvement in BASC anxiety (p < 0.001), depression (p < 0.001), and somatization symptoms (p < 0.05). A manualized 8-week integrated yoga intervention for adolescents achieved clinically significant outcomes with moderately high adherence.