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Mindfulness and avoidance mediate the relationship between yoga practice and anxiety.
Marina Boni1, Robert Schütze2, Robert T Kane1
1School of Psychology, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
|September 17, 2018
Summary
Yoga practice is linked to reduced anxiety. Mindfulness and reduced emotional avoidance may explain how yoga helps alleviate anxiety symptoms, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Mind-Body Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Growing evidence suggests yoga and mindfulness meditation can reduce anxiety.
- The precise mechanisms underlying yoga's anxiolytic effects are not fully understood.
- Emotional avoidance is a potential factor influencing anxiety levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the duration of yoga practice and self-reported anxiety.
- To explore the mediating roles of mindfulness and emotional avoidance in the yoga-anxiety relationship.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study design was employed.
- 367 participants were recruited via an online platform.
- Standardized measures for anxiety, emotional avoidance, and mindfulness were administered.
Main Results:
- A significant negative correlation was found between the length of yoga practice and anxiety levels.
- Mindfulness and emotional avoidance significantly mediated the relationship between yoga practice duration and anxiety.
- These findings suggest potential pathways through which yoga exerts its anxiety-reducing effects.
Conclusions:
- Further experimental and longitudinal research is warranted to establish causality.
- Investigating the roles of mindfulness and emotional avoidance in yoga's effect on anxiety is crucial.
- The potential of yoga as an adjunct therapy for anxiety disorders, including cognitive behavioral therapy, requires further examination.
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