Stress Study by The Yoga Institute

A STUDY

by Dr. Shetty

A Research was conducted in 2008 by The International Board of Yoga

entitled ‘Stress Management through Yoga or Mothers of Students

appearing for Competitive Examination.’ The study was conducted at an

Educational Institution of Upnagar Shikshan Mandal. The aim of the

study was to show how Yoga intervention group can manage stress better

than the non interventional group. The study was based on the concept

of ‘Bhavas’.

Method

All the study mothers were randomized with the help of random number

chart to one of the study groups to receive Yoga Therapy or without Yoga

as per schedule.

A special case record form (CRF) was designed to record the demographic

profile, clinical details, results of investigations and treatment

related data. Investigators or Scientific Officer assessed all these

informations at baseline and followed up 3 and 6 months for evaluation

of efficacy.

Analysis

The collected data was tabulated, compared and analyzed statistically

using appropriate tests of statistical significance.

Results and Discussion

Demographic Profile of the population under study

In all, 108 cases, 60 in the Study Group and 48 in the Placebo group

completed the study. The mothers or guardian in both the groups were in

the age range of around 35 to 50 years with their mean age 40.75 years

in Study and 30.07 years in Placebo. Mean weight and height of the

study cases were comparable. Both the groups were comparable as there

was not statistically significant difference between the two groups on

the demographic parameters, or other demographical profile like

Educational status.

Occupation of study population, mother tongue, habits, family type,

previous yoga knowledge was comparable in both the groups and difference

was not statistically significant.

Efficacy Assessment

As evident from results a statistically significant improvement in the

nutritional parameters – weight, waist circumference, HIP / waist ratio,

total calories, carbohydrates, proteins and fats observed in study group

but in placebo change was minimal and in comparison change was

significantly more among Study mothers than Placebo. No statistically

significant among laboratory investigations and in systolic or diastolic

blood pressures were observed at baseline.

But in laboratory investigations like Lipid profile that is Total

Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL and LDL / HDL ratio had significant change

in study group as compared to placebo; only TGL did not show any change

in both the groups.

Important efficacy variable that is salivary cortisol were comparable at

baseline in both the groups, after therapy salivary cortisol levels had

significant fall of 29.1% in study and only 4.8% among placebo by

comparison fall were significantly more (p=0.05) in study than placebo

group.

It is evident from other efficacy observations mentioned in protocol

that is anxiety rating scale, proactive coping inventory, self esteem

score and WHO well being index score had significant change at the end

of six months therapy in study group and improvement was significantly

very high as compared to change in placebo group.

Conclusion

From the above-mentioned results, it may be concluded that participation

in a structured planned yoga class can lead to significant reduction in

perceived levels of anxiety, proactive coping inventory levels, self

esteem and WHO well being index in women whose child was either studying

10th or 12th class.

Recommendations

Based on the result of this research we have following recommendations:

Determining precisely the different types of problems like, anxiety,

self esteem, well being and their sources.

Performing further more details with covering good population from

different schools with the aim of determining impact of yoga on all

problems.

Article from the Yoga & Total Health Magazine of August 2010