Sudarshan Kriya Yoga Program in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Feasibility Study.
Kamini Vasudev, Emily Ionson, Samin Inam, Mark Speechley, Sumit Chaudhari, Sheena Ghodasara, Ronnie I. Newman, Akshya Vasudev
International Journal of Yoga 2020 DOI: 10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_16_20 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Feasibility trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 32 |
| Population | Male and female civilians aged 18-75 years with PTSD from a wide range of trauma |
| Intervention | Sudarshan Kriya Yoga |
| Duration | 6-day learning phase followed by 7 sessions over 11 weeks, with follow-up at week 24 |
| Topics | Meditation PTSD |
| Keywords | Sudarshan kriya yoga Feasibility study Mind-body intervention Posttraumatic stress disorder |
| Key findings | Sudarshan Kriya Yoga led to clinically significant decreases in PTSD symptoms at week 12 and week 24 in civilians with PTSD from diverse traumas. |
Abstract
Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), a breath-based yoga intervention, has demonstrated safety and efficacy in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients subsequent to natural disaster or war, but has not been explored in civilians with PTSD from a wider range of trauma. We hypothesized that it would be feasible to conduct a clinical trial of SKY in PTSD resulting from a wide range of trauma. Outcomes were feasibility measures including rates of enrollment and retention, adherence to study protocol; as well as changes in PTSD symptoms, other mood symptoms, and physiological measures. Male and female participants aged 18-75 years were enrolled in a feasibility trial. They attended a 6-day learning phase of SKY followed by 7 sessions over 11 weeks as an adjunct to their usual treatment. Forty-seven participants were screened and 32 were enrolled over 9 months. Consistent with retention rates of other PTSD trials, 13 withdrew from the study prior to week 12. Twenty-one participants met intervention attendance requirements, completed 95% of planned study assessments and were included in final analyses. Participants experienced clinically significant decrease in PTSD symptoms on the posttraumatic stress disorder checklist (PCL-5) scores at week 12 mean difference, Mdiff (standard deviation [SD]) = -10.68 (14.03), P = 0.004; Cohen's d = 0.58, which was sustained at week 24 Mdiff (SD) = -16.11 (15.20), P < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.91. It is possible to conduct a clinical trial of SKY in a routine psychiatry clinic serving patients with PTSD due to a wide range of trauma. Future studies should include an RCT design.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 2
- Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine August 1, 2005
- Breathing‐Based Meditation Decreases Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in U.S. Military Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Longitudinal Study Journal of Traumatic Stress August 1, 2014