Evaluation of Yoga for Substance Use Risk Factors in a School Setting
Evaluation of Yoga for Substance Use Risk Factors in a School Setting
This study will evaluate the efficacy of yoga taught during school to positively influence risk and protective factors of substance use and the initiation and severity of substance use. The study hypothesis is that, compared to a control group participating in regular physical education classes, subjects who participate in 32 yoga sessions across an academic year will improve in negative internalizing behaviors and self-regulatory skills that are known risk and protective factors for substance use. This study will also test the hypothesis that the yoga intervention will reduce both severity of substance use and the degree of substance use initiation.
The long-term, programmatic goal of this research is to advance prevention of addictive behaviors especially substance use in normal adolescent psychological development. The overall goal of this proposal is to pilot test a novel, preventive intervention for adolescent substance use. More specifically, it will evaluate the efficacy of yoga taught during school to positively influence risk and protective factors of substance use and the initiation and severity of substance use.
This study involves a group randomized, controlled trial of yoga compared to physical education-as-usual for one school year, with a 6-month and 1-year follow-up, in order to accomplish the following specific aims:
Specific Aim 1 - To evaluate the efficacy of a school-based yoga program for reducing negative internalizing behaviors (negative mood, perceived stress, impulsivity) which are risk factors for adolescent substance use.
Specific Aim 2 - To evaluate the efficacy of this yoga program for promoting self-regulatory skills as protective factors against substance use in adolescence.
Specific Aim 3 - To conduct a preliminary evaluation of the efficacy of this yoga program for reducing substance use initiation and severity of use.
Inclusion Criteria: