Description
School-based Yoga Program Improves Mental Health and Cognitive Function in School Children, A Pilot, Cross-sectional Study - Kashinath G. Metri
Background: Significant emphasis has been given to school-based yoga programs in the last few years. However, there is a lack of evidence for long-term effects of this program in children.
Objectives: To study the impact of a school-based yoga program on the cognitive and psychological health of children.
Methodology: Twenty-five school children (12 girls, 13 boys) ages 9–12 (mean age ±SD=11.20±1.58), who followed a school-based yoga program regularly for one year, were assessed for cognitive function, anxiety,
and perceived stress using standard assessment tools. They were compared with age and gender matched non-yoga practicing children (13 girls and 12 boys; mean age ±SD=12.01±1.58). Subjects with chronic diseases, taking psychiatric medications, or with physical disability were excluded from the study.
Results: Children who followed a school-based yoga program showed significantly less anxiety and perceived stress along with significantly better performance in the Digit Letter Substitution test (DLST) and Digit Forward span and Digit Backward span tests, compared to non-yoga-practicing children.
Conclusion: The present pilot study demonstrates the positive impact of a school-based yoga program on mental health and cognitive function in schoolchildren. However, additional randomized controlled
trials with more subjects will need to be performed to confirm the present findings.
