MEDIATORS BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING Mindfulness, Body Awareness and Satisfaction with Body Image **
Benedek T Tihanyi, Petra Böőr, L. Emanuelsen, Ferenc Köteles
March 30, 2016 DOI: 10.5708/ejmh.11.2016.1-2.7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional questionnaire study Longitudinal |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 203 |
| Population | Healthy adults practicing yoga at an advanced level |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Body awareness, body image satisfaction, and mindfulness mediate the connection between yoga practice and well-being. |
Abstract
Regular yoga practice was connected to higher levels of psychological well-being in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. However, the psychological mechanisms of this connection are still unexplained. In the present cross-sectional questionnaire study, hypothesised mediating effects of body awareness, satisfaction with body image, and mindfulness were investigated. 203 healthy adults (183 females, mean age: 36.8 ± 10.03 years) practicing yoga at an advanced level were involved in the study. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing body awareness (BAQ), dissatisfaction with body image (BIQ), mindfulness (MAAS) and well-being (WHO-5). Body awareness, body image dissatisfaction and mindfulness showed significant correlations with the weekly frequency of yoga practice as well as with psychological well-being. Body awareness, body image and mindfulness mediated the connection between yoga practice and well-being. In the regression analysis, body image dissatisfaction and body awareness remained connected to well-being even after controlling for practice frequency, mindfulness, gender and age. According to these results, body awareness, body image satisfaction and mindfulness are mediators of the connection between yoga practice and well-being.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Mechanisms of Mindfulness in the General Population Mindfulness July 1, 2018
- How does yoga reduce stress? Embodied cognition and emotion highlight the influence of the musculoskeletal system. Complementary Therapies in Medicine April 1, 2019
- A mindful yoga intervention for young women with major depressive disorder: Design and baseline sample characteristics of a randomized controlled trial International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research February 17, 2020
- Self-Esteem Mediates the Effect of Yoga-Induced Mindfulness on Adolescents’ Emotional and Behavioral Problems and Pro-Social Behavior Youth & Society January 18, 2025
- Comparative study of psychological well-being in Adults Practicing and Non-practicing: Effects of Yoga and Meditation. International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology October 27, 2022
and 3 more in the library
Cites 8
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Effects of Low-Dose Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR-ld) on Working Adults Health Education & Behavior May 9, 2008
- Mindfulness‐based stress reduction: A literature review and clinician’s guide Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners April 1, 2008
and 3 more in the library