Piloting yoga and assessing outcomes in a residential behavioural health unit

Accessible summary This study examined if adolescents on a residential behavioural health unit would participate in a yoga intervention. Yoga has been used as a mind-body practice for more than 2000 years; however, studies are limited regarding its effects on adolescents with mental illness on an inpatient unit. Yoga was added, twice weekly, to the program schedule. Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Adolescent Short Form (TEIQue-ASF) scores were measured over 8 weeks. Additional measures included daily numbers of quiet times, time outs, and point card scores. Twenty-two adolescents completed the study. The TEIQue-ASF assessment was able to detect changes in total scores over 8 weeks. Increased yoga participation was related to higher values of the TEIQue-ASF subdomain of sociability, increase in weekly point card totals, a decrease in behavioural time outs, and a decrease in combined behavioural interventions at various time points throughout the programme. This study was relevant because it was conducted on an adolescent inpatient unit. It provides support that yoga, as part of a residential programme, is a feasible intervention for adolescents with mental illness. Changes in the various measures cannot be directly linked to yoga because of lack of a comparison group. Additional studies with a larger sample, and randomization, are needed to evaluate the potential benefits of yoga and to determine if changes to the TEIQue-ASF can be attributed to yoga or other behavioural-based interventions. Abstract Little is known about how yoga will impact behavioural health outcomes for adolescents with mental illness in an inpatient setting. This study examined if adolescents on a residential behavioural health unit would participate in a yoga intervention to address emotional regulation. A single cohort study design was used. Yoga was added to the programme schedule twice weekly. Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Adolescent Short Form (TEIQue-ASF) scores and additional behavioural measures were tracked over 8 weeks. Adolescents participated in yoga, with a higher participation rate for girls compared with boys. The TEIQue-ASF assessment detected changes in total score over 8 weeks. Increased yoga participation was related to higher values of the TEIQue-ASF subdomain of sociability, increase in weekly point card totals, and a decrease in combined behavioural interventions at various time points throughout the programme. This study was relevant because it was conducted on an adolescent inpatient unit. Further studies are needed to determine if changes can be attributed to yoga or other behavioural-based interventions. If supported by further studies, yoga has the potential to be a complimentary therapy that can be integrated into the multidisciplinary treatment approach for mental health patients.