Program evaluation of trauma-informed yoga for vulnerable populations.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Mind-Body Interventions

Background:

• Trauma is prevalent in vulnerable groups such as incarcerated individuals, those in substance use treatment, and mental health service users.
• Trauma-informed yoga aims to provide a safer practice for individuals with trauma histories.
• This approach may enhance emotional and physical wellbeing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a trauma-informed yoga program.
• To gain insight into participant experiences within vulnerable populations.

Main Methods:

• Trauma-informed yoga classes were delivered by trained volunteers.
• Classes were offered in corrections, substance use treatment, and community mental health settings.
• Anonymous surveys with a retrospective pre-post design collected data on participation reasons and perceived wellbeing effects.

Main Results:

• Participants were motivated by expectations of physical, mental, and spiritual benefits.
• Students reported perceived improvements in emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Increased use of self-regulation skills was observed post-yoga participation.

Conclusions:

• Trauma-informed yoga is perceived as beneficial for vulnerable individuals, especially those in correctional settings or substance use recovery.
• Findings support the implementation of trauma-informed yoga in institutional and community environments.
• Observed improvements in wellbeing warrant further formal investigation.