Yoga and mental health across the lifespan

Abstract

Yoga-based interventions are increasingly explored within mental health research and clinical practice, although questions remain regarding their mechanisms, effectiveness, and implementation within healthcare settings. This thesis examined yoga and mental health across the lifespan through a conceptual review, a systematic review and meta-analysis, and an empirical clinical evaluation. Chapter One critically examined the conceptualisation of yoga-based interventions within clinical psychology. The chapter explored proposed transdiagnostic mechanisms, overlap with established psychological therapies, and implications for implementation within NHS settings. Yoga was conceptualised as a multi-component and context-sensitive intervention involving interacting attentional, physiological, and relational processes. Chapter Two presented a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effectiveness of yoga interventions for depressive symptoms in adults. Fifteen randomised controlled trials met inclusion criteria, with 11 studies (N = 635) included in meta-analysis. Yoga interventions were associated with significantly lower depressive symptoms at post-intervention compared with comparator conditions, although substantial heterogeneity and low certainty of evidence were identified. Larger effects were observed in passive-comparator and standalone-intervention trials. Findings suggested yoga may represent a promising complementary intervention for depressive symptoms, although methodological limitations limited confidence in conclusions. Chapter Three evaluated outcomes associated with a yoga-based intervention delivered within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) using routinely collected clinical data from children and adolescents aged 9–17 years. Significant reductions in internalising symptoms were observed following intervention, alongside improvements in mindfulness, self-compassion, body awareness, and body dissociation. Body dissociation emerged as the process most consistently associated with internalising symptoms over time. Findings provided preliminary support for the feasibility and potential clinical utility of yoga-based interventions within routine CAMHS settings. Overall, this thesis contributes to the developing evidence base for yoga-based interventions within clinical psychology by integrating conceptual, quantitative, and applied clinical perspectives. Findings support understanding yoga as a heterogeneous and process-oriented intervention with potential relevance for transdiagnostic mental health processes, while also highlighting the need for further rigorous and clinically embedded research.