TY - JOUR
T1 - Online Isha Upa Yoga for student mental health and well-being during COVID-19
T2 - A randomized control trial
AU - Chang, Tracy F.H.
AU - Ley, Barbara L.
AU - Ramburn, Triya T.
AU - Srinivasan, Sangeetha
AU - Hariri, Sepideh
AU - Purandare, Pradeep
AU - Subramaniam, Balachundhar
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The International Association of Applied Psychology.
PY - 2022/11
Y1 - 2022/11
N2 - College students experienced increased stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluated the effect of brief online Isha Upa Yoga modules on undergraduates' mental health and well-being. Randomized control trial (RCT) with waitlist control crossover (N = 679). The intervention group was instructed to learn and practice the modules daily for 12 weeks. At the end of the 4-week RCT, the control group was instructed to learn and practice the modules for the remaining 8 weeks. Primary outcomes included stress and well-being. Secondary outcomes included anxiety, depression, resilience, positive affect and negative affect. Linear mixed-effects models were used for analyses. Isha Upa Yoga significantly reduced stress (Group [intervention, control] × Time [baseline, Week 4] interaction, p =.009, d =.27) and increased well-being (Group × Time interaction p =.002, d =.32). By the study's end, the intervention and control groups experienced significant improvements in well-being (p <.001, p <.001), stress (p <.001, p <.001), anxiety (p <.001, p <.001), depression (p <.001, p =.004), positive affect (p =.04, p <.001), and negative affect (p <.001, p <.001). Online Isha Upa Yoga shows promise for mitigating the pandemic's negative impact on undergraduates' mental health and improving their well-being.
AB - College students experienced increased stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluated the effect of brief online Isha Upa Yoga modules on undergraduates' mental health and well-being. Randomized control trial (RCT) with waitlist control crossover (N = 679). The intervention group was instructed to learn and practice the modules daily for 12 weeks. At the end of the 4-week RCT, the control group was instructed to learn and practice the modules for the remaining 8 weeks. Primary outcomes included stress and well-being. Secondary outcomes included anxiety, depression, resilience, positive affect and negative affect. Linear mixed-effects models were used for analyses. Isha Upa Yoga significantly reduced stress (Group [intervention, control] × Time [baseline, Week 4] interaction, p =.009, d =.27) and increased well-being (Group × Time interaction p =.002, d =.32). By the study's end, the intervention and control groups experienced significant improvements in well-being (p <.001, p <.001), stress (p <.001, p <.001), anxiety (p <.001, p <.001), depression (p <.001, p =.004), positive affect (p =.04, p <.001), and negative affect (p <.001, p <.001). Online Isha Upa Yoga shows promise for mitigating the pandemic's negative impact on undergraduates' mental health and improving their well-being.
KW - COVID-19
KW - higher education
KW - online
KW - stress
KW - wellbeing
KW - yoga
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U2 - 10.1111/aphw.12341
DO - 10.1111/aphw.12341
M3 - Article
C2 - 35064741
AN - SCOPUS:85123470643
SN - 1758-0846
VL - 14
SP - 1408
EP - 1428
JO - Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being
JF - Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being
IS - 4
ER -