Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Yoga-Based Intervention Targeting Anger Management for People Who Are...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Criminology
• Mind-Body Interventions

Background:

• Incarceration presents a critical opportunity for mental health interventions, particularly for managing anger and aggression.
• Hatha yoga-based interventions (YBI) show potential as adjunctive therapies for anger management in correctional settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary clinical outcomes of a 10-week hatha yoga-based intervention (YBI) for incarcerated individuals with elevated anger.
• To compare YBI with a health education (HE) control group in a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled trial enrolled 40 incarcerated individuals (20 male, 20 female) with elevated anger.
• Participants were assigned to either a 10-week YBI or a health education (HE) control group, attending weekly sessions.
• Feasibility, acceptability (credibility, expectancy, satisfaction, attendance, personal practice, fidelity, safety), and clinical outcomes (anger, depression, anxiety, infractions) were assessed.

Main Results:

• High intervention credibility, expectancy, and satisfaction were reported for both YBI and HE groups.
• Instructor fidelity was maintained, and no serious adverse events occurred.
• While anger, depression, and anxiety tended to decrease in the YBI group, class attendance and personal practice rates did not meet all feasibility targets, particularly in the women's facility.

Conclusions:

• The hatha yoga-based intervention (YBI) demonstrated potential for improving anger, depression, and anxiety among incarcerated individuals.
• Participant enthusiasm was high, supporting further research.
• Addressing facility-related barriers to class attendance and personal practice is crucial for optimizing future YBI implementation in correctional settings.