A preliminary investigation of the effects of one yoga session for service recipients in a behavioral health intensive outpatient program.

This was an investigation of the feasibility and effectiveness of a brief yoga intervention (one session) within an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for service recipients diagnosed with various psychiatric disorders. Participants (N = 26) completed the Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Data was collected before and after one yoga session and follow-up data was collected via mail after discharge from the IOP. Scores indicated that negative affect significantly decreased and positive affect significantly increased from pre to post yoga session. Mindfulness scores significantly increased from pre to post yoga session. Though the results of this study supported that a yoga intervention is both feasible and effective within an IOP, collection of follow-up data after discharge via mail was not as feasible. The results of this preliminary investigation support a larger and longitudinal study to further examine yoga as a treatment modality with this clinical population.