Yoga in an Urban School for Children With Emotional Behavioral Disorders

Yoga is becoming a part of therapies for children with emotional behavioral disorders. The goal is to examine the feasibility and efficacy of yoga sessions for children with emotional behavioral disorders at an urban elementary school.

Participants: children in 4th and 5th grade at an urban elementary school, identified by the special education director and the teaching staff, as having emotional behavioral disorders including anxiety, depression, aggression, conduct disorder, hyperactivity and attention difficulties. These grades have a combined student population of 160 students. Enrolled over two years.

Inclusion/Exclusion criteria:

Eligible if identified by the teaching staff or special education director as having an emotional behavioral disorder. Exclusion criteria: inability to comprehend English sufficiently to complete written assessments and follow the yoga intervention.

Pre- and post-intervention assessments (teachers)

1. Behavior Assessment Scale for Children (BASC).
2. The Swanson, Kotkin, Agler, M-Flynn & Pelham Rating Scale (SKAMP)

Inclusion Criteria:

• identified by the teaching staff or special education director as having an emotional -behavioral disorder

Exclusion Criteria:

• inability to comprehendread in English sufficiently to complete written assessments and follow the yoga interventionintervention protocols