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Efficacy of Structured Yoga Intervention for Sleep, Gastrointestinal and Behaviour Problems of ASD Children: An
Kumar Narasingharao1, Balaram Pradhan2, Janardhana Navaneetham3
1Research Scholar, Department of Yoga and Humanities, S-VYASA University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Insights
Structured yoga intervention significantly improved sleep, gastrointestinal, and behavioral issues in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This therapy offers a promising alternative for managing ASD symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Integrative Medicine
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder presenting in early childhood (18-36 months).
- Children with ASD often experience co-occurring sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal (GI) issues, and significant behavioral challenges.
- Key behavioral problems include deficits in social communication, attention, eye contact, repetitive behaviors, and increased anxiety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a structured yoga intervention program.
- To assess the impact of yoga on sleep, GI problems, and behavioral issues in children with ASD.
Main Methods:
- An exploratory study utilizing a pre-test and post-test control group design.
- Data collected via researcher-developed questionnaires (61 items) administered to parents pre- and post-intervention.
- The experimental group received 90 days of structured yoga, while the control group followed the standard school curriculum.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements were observed in sleep, GI, and behavioral problem areas post-yoga intervention.
- Statistical analysis revealed a highly significant p-value of 0.001, indicating the intervention's effectiveness.
- Both children and parents actively participated, suggesting feasibility for group settings.
Conclusions:
- Structured yoga intervention, with parental involvement, is feasible for large groups of children with ASD.
- Yoga presents a viable alternative therapy for reducing the severity of core ASD symptoms.
- The findings support yoga's potential as an adjunctive treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Introduction:
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neuro developmental disorder which appears at early childhood age between 18 and 36 months. Apart from behaviour problems ASD children also suffer from sleep and Gastrointestinal (GI) problems. Major behaviour problems of ASD children are lack of social communication and interaction, less attention span, repetitive and restrictive behaviour, lack of eye to eye contact, aggressive and self-injurious behaviours, sensory integration problems, motor problems, deficiency in academic activities, anxiety and depression etc. Our hypothesis is that structured yoga intervention will brings significant changes in the problems of ASD children.
Aim:
The aim of this study was to find out efficacy of structured yoga intervention for sleep problems, gastrointestinal problems and behaviour problems of ASD children.
Materials And Methods:
It was an exploratory study with pre-test and post-test control design. Three sets of questionnaires having 61 questions developed by researchers were used to collect data pre and post yoga intervention. Questionnaires were based on three problematic areas of ASD children as mentioned above and were administered to parents by teachers under the supervision of researcher and clinical psychologists. Experimental group was given yoga intervention for a period of 90 days and control group continued with school curriculum.
Results:
Both children and parents participated in this intervention. Significant changes were seen post yoga intervention in three areas of problems as mentioned above. Statistical analysis also showed significance value of 0.001 in the result.
Conclusion:
Structured yoga intervention can be conducted for a large group of ASD children with parent's involvement. Yoga can be used as alternative therapy to reduce the severity of symptoms of ASD children.
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