A Preliminary Study Investigating the Effects of Yoga Therapy on Impulsivity in Children Diagnosed with a Psychiatric Condition

Abstract This research examined whether 14 male patients (10–13 years old, with a range of psychiatric conditions) at a residential treatment facility show decreased impulsivity due to weekly yoga sessions in addition to their traditional therapy. For 5 weeks, the number of impulsive behaviours were recorded for eight hours preceding and eight hours following an early afternoon yoga session (short-term) and for 24 waking hours before and 24 waking hours after the session (long-term). Analyses revealed statistically significant short-term and long-term effects of yoga on impulsive behaviours, suggesting that yoga provides a tool to help children successfully reunify with their families.