Yoga and Positive Education for Student Mental Health, Self-Compassion, and Vitality: A Mixed-Methods Study

With growing need to mitigate the mental health crisis on university campuses, researchers worldwide are seeking to determine effective student mental health promotion strategies, such as positive education (i.e., the teaching of applied positive psychology) and yoga. Nevertheless, a paucity of research appraises the effects of merging positive education and yoga for mental health. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a 6-week hatha yoga program on undergraduate positive education students' mental health, self-compassion, and vitality. In this mixed-methods single-case experimental A1BA2 design, 7 volunteer students enrolled in the positive education course completed a 2-week baseline (A1), followed by a 6-week yoga program that included two ≈ 45-minute weekly virtual yoga classes (B), and another 2-week baseline (A2; post-yoga), all while taking their positive education course. Trait variables (mental health, trait self-compassion, and trait subjective vitality) were assessed via validated questionnaires during the baseline phases preceding and following the yoga program, whereas state variables (state self-compassion and state subjective vitality) were assessed immediately before and after one of the weekly yoga sessions. Participants also responded to open-ended journal prompts related to the outcome variables following one of the sessions. Visual, stability, level, trend, and reflexive thematic analyses revealed that yoga practice was associated with improved trait and state well-being outcomes. This research suggests preliminary evidence for yoga and positive education courses as a means of increasing university students' mental health, self-compassion, and vitality both immediately and over time. Suggestions for yoga program implementation and future research are discussed.