Short-Term Residential Yoga Module Development for Bio-Psycho-Social Health Among Adolescents

Abstract

Background: Adolescent's health and fitness is often complex phenomenon and dealing with it requires a comprehensive, biopsychosocial approach. Yoga modules as a holistic approach for Adolescent's overall health, especially in residential setting has not been well researched. Integrated and holistic approach of Yoga is explored in this study to develop a short-term residential yoga module for Bio-psycho-social health among adolescents.Methods: Concept of five layers of existence (Pancha koshas) (Integrated Approach to Yoga Therapy (IAYT) principles) and literary review was the basis for concepts of adolescents' biopsychosocial health and integrated yoga module. Focused group discussions (FGD) amongst researchers, experienced yoga gurus, teachers, and psychology experts, were conducted with the objectives of determining needs of the adolescents' biopsychosocial health and yoga practices that could prove efficient. Feasibility and effectiveness were tested in pre-post study (N=510) conducted in three cohorts in residential setting as yoga camps. Results:The techniques included in final module based on IAYT was validated by experts. The accumulative results of pre-post study have shown the effectiveness of the yoga module. The correlation between change in variables (δ scores) was explored to understand the relationships between the changes brought about by yoga and interdependence between bio-psycho-social domains. Conclusion:The developed yoga module is recognized as an effective and accepted short-term residential yoga program for Bio-psycho-social health among adolescents. This study is registered in the Clinical Trials Registry of India bearing the trail number CTRI/2018/02/011709.