The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training on Physical and Behavioral Symptoms of Anxiety in Women with Yoga Experience
Keywords:
Mindfulness training, anxiety, yogaAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness training on anxiety symptoms, self-focused attention, and resilience among individuals with prior experience in yoga.
Methods and Materials: The research employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with experimental and control groups. The statistical population included all women attending the "Yoga Salamat" club in Shiraz in 2024. Using convenience sampling and considering inclusion criteria, 40 participants were selected and randomly assigned to two equal groups (20 in each). Data were collected using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Self-Focus Attention Questionnaire by Woody et al., and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). The mindfulness training program was conducted in 8 sessions (eight 3-hour weekly sessions, including a half-day intensive practice from 4 to 8 PM) for the experimental group. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with SPSS version 26.
Findings: The results indicated that participation in the mindfulness sessions led to significant improvements in overall resilience, self-focused attention, and their subcomponents in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, ANCOVA results showed a statistically significant reduction in total anxiety scores as well as physical, cognitive, and behavioral anxiety symptoms from pretest to posttest in the experimental group (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that mindfulness training effectively reduces anxiety and its symptoms in individuals with yoga experience.
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References
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