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Yoga for middle school adolescents

This study was a part of a group randomized controlled trial in which 7th grade students were assigned to a yoga intervention or physical-education-as-usual [1]. Sixteen students were randomly selected from the yoga condition to participate in one-on-one interviews. Students reported both positive and negative opinions of yoga, especially when making direct comparisons between yoga and physical education. Students had particularly positive opinions regarding the beneficial effects of yoga on stress, sleep, and relaxation. Student opinions regarding the effects of yoga on self-regulation, social interaction, substance use, and academic performance were also generally positive, although somewhat mixed. The authors conclude that the results suggest that qualitative research shows promise for providing an in-depth perspective on the impact of mind-body interventions in schools.