A Case Series on the Effects of Kripalu Yoga for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Jessica R Morgan, Marlysa B. Sullivan, Akihiko Masuda, Erin Tully, Lindsey L Cohen, Page L Anderson
International Journal of Yoga Therapy 2016 DOI: 10.17761/1531-2054-26.1.9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series (single-subject AB design) Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | People with primary generalized anxiety disorder |
| Intervention | Kripalu yoga |
| Duration | Eight twice-weekly yoga sessions following a baseline data collection period |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Treatment outcome Yoga Anxiety disorders Heart rate variability Case series |
| Key findings | In three participants with primary generalized anxiety disorder, all showed systematic improvement in daily worry ratings on at least one index after eight twice-weekly Kripalu yoga sessions, and self-reported worry, anxiety, experiential avoidance, and mindfulness scores mostly changed in the expected direction, with one or two exceptions. Heart rate variability during a worry period also improved from pre- to post-intervention. The authors propose that yoga has the potential to improve processes linked to generalized anxiety disorder and should stimulate further research. |
Abstract
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder associated with substantial impairment and poor treatment response. Yoga influences processes that are linked to the maintenance of GAD including mindfulness, anxiety, and heart rate variability, but has yet to be evaluated among people with the disorder. The present study is a first step toward documenting the efficacy of yoga for reducing worry among people with GAD using a single-subject AB design case series and daily ratings of worry. Standardized self-report measures of worry, trait anxiety, experiential avoidance, mindfulness, and heart rate variability were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Three participants with primary GAD received eight twice-weekly Kripalu yoga sessions following a baseline data collection period. All participants showed systematic improvement in daily worry ratings on at least one index and all scores on self-reported measures of worry, anxiety, experiential avoidance, and mindfulness changed in the expected direction following yoga (with one or two exceptions). Participants also showed improved heart rate variability during a worry period from pre- to post-intervention. Yoga has the potential to improve the processes linked to GAD and should stimulate further research in this area.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persistent Palinopsia Following Ingestion of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) Patients who developed persistent palinopsia after LSD ingestion | 1996 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Cannabis‐induced Koro in Americans American men aged 22-26 with years of cannabis experience who reported negative... | 2001 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Psilocybin and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Individual with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | 2014 | Case study | n = 1 |
| LSD-Like Panic From Risperidone in Post-LSD Visual Disorder Patients with hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD) | 1996 | Case study | n = 3 |
| Ketamine-Enhanced Psychotherapy: Preliminary Clinical Observations on its Effects in Treating Death Anxiety Terminally-ill people suffering death anxiety | 2007 | Review and case study | n = 2 |