Psychosocial Effects of a Holistic Ayurvedic Approach to Well-being in Health and Wellness Courses.
Sheila Patel, Stephen Klagholz, Christine T Peterson, Lizabeth Weiss, Deepak Chopra, Paul J Mills
Global Advances in Health and Medicine April 29, 2019 DOI: 10.1177/2164956119843814 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational controlled study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 154 |
| Population | Men and women aged 25-83 (mean age 54.7 years) attending holistic wellness programs or a vacation control group |
| Interventions | Seduction of Spirit Journey into Healing Perfect Health |
| Measures | Delaney Spirituality Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, Center for Epidemiology Studies-Depression, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement System Anxiety Scale |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Spirituality Well-being Mood Whole-systems medicine |
| Key findings | Participants in the Ayurvedic-based wellness courses showed greater increases in spirituality than vacation controls, and the Seduction of Spirit group also showed greater increases in mindfulness. Depressed mood decreased more in the Seduction of Spirit and Journey into Healing groups than in the Perfect Health and vacation groups. Psychological flexibility increased and anxiety decreased similarly across all groups, including controls. |
Abstract
Background: As individuals are increasingly attending health and wellness courses outside of the conventional medical system, there is a need to obtain objective data on the effects of those programs on well-being.
Methods: In total, 154 men and women (mean age 54.7 years; range 25-83) participated in 3 different holistic wellness programs based on Ayurvedic Medicine principles (Seduction of Spirit, Journey into Healing, and Perfect Health) or a vacation control group. Psychosocial outcomes included spirituality (Delaney Spirituality Scale), mindful awareness (Mindful Attention Awareness Scale), psychological flexibility (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire), mood (Center for Epidemiology Studies-Depression), and anxiety (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement System Anxiety Scale).
Results: Participants in the Seduction of Spirit (P < .004), Journey into Healing (P < .05), and Perfect Health (P < .004) courses showed significant increases in spirituality as compared to vacation controls. Participants in Seduction of Spirit (P < .007) also showed significant increases in mindfulness as compared to vacation controls. Participants in the Seduction of Spirit (P < .001) and Journey into Healing (P < .05) courses showed significant decreases in depressed mood as compared to those in the Perfect Health and vacation control groups. All study participants showed similar increases in psychological flexibility (P < .01) and decreases in anxiety (P < .01).
Conclusion: Participation in wellness courses that incorporate a mind-body-spirit approach to health improves multiple domains of psychosocial well-being, which persists even after course participation.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder | 2015 | Observational study | |
| Patterning of Cognitive and Somatic Processes in the Self-Regulation of Anxiety: Effects of Meditation versus Exercise Regular practitioners of physical exercise or meditation | 1978 | Retrospective study | n = 77 |
| Dynamic coupling of whole-brain neuronal and neurotransmitter systems Healthy humans | 2020 | Observational study | |
| Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study Randomly selected United States adults | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 135,095 |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Teaching and Learning in Medicine April 1, 2003
- Validation of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale in a cancer population. Journal of Psychosomatic Research January 2005
- Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on medical and premedical students. Journal of Behavioral Medicine December 1998