Mental health and family quality of life after yoga and compassion meditation: A randomised feasibility study among mothers of children with intellectual disabilities in Nepal.
Journal of intellectual & developmental disability July 15, 2026 Namrata Pradhan, Laxmi Bhatta, Gørill Haugan et al.
A feasibility study in Nepal tested a brief yoga and compassion meditation program (YCMP) for mothers of children with intellectual disabilities. Of 103 enrolled mothers, 90 completed assessments. After the intervention, YCMP participants reported low perceived stress and acceptable satisfaction with disability-related support and physical/material wellbeing, unlike controls. Within the intervention group, anxiety and depression symptoms decreased, while emotional wellbeing and parenting satisfaction improved. The authors suggest YCMP may improve mental health and family quality of life in low-resource settings, but larger randomized studies are needed.