RESEARCH
THE BWYQ RESEARCH STUDY ON YOGA FOR GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER – YOGAD (© BWYQ 2023)
With thanks to a National Lottery Community Fund grant received in 2023, BWYQ was able to pilot a new programme which will help BWYQ to develop a suite of qualifications in Yoga for Mental Health Conditions. Five 12-week courses in Yoga for Generalised Anxiety Disorder called YOGAD (© BWYQ 2023) took place at five different sites in Yorkshire as part of a pilot research study from 3 January to 23 March 2024. Sixty-three participants – identified as meeting the eligibility requirements after completion of a screening form — attended the sessions free of charge.
Research questionnaires were conducted at the first and last sessions and interviews with participants and teachers took place. BWYQ’s research team are currently analysing the data. In addition to developing the qualification, the aim is to assess the acceptability of this yoga intervention and study methods used in this uncontrolled study and to explore the feasibility of running a randomised controlled trial at some point in the future. To learn more about Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), see NHS Overview of GA
GRATITUDE:
BWYQ would like to thank the participants for their enthusiasm during class and at home using the Home Practice Sheets that were created for the programme – see sample practice sheet and video with beginner yoga student. We would like to thank all 5 YOGAD (© BWYQ 2023) teachers for delivering BWYQ’s pilot study classes: Jane Cluley, Michelle Griffiths, Susie Dennis, Sonia Perry and Susan McHale. We are especially grateful to Michelle from Mind Body and Spirit Barnsley for sharing the sequence used in the Home Practice Sheet for Weeks 7-9 below, to Jenny for the drawings, to Mike for the video demonstration and to Laura for producing the sheet and narrating/producing the video in Photoshop and Camtasia, respectively, for BWYQ’s new website which was also funded by the grant from the Community Fund.
PAST RESEARCH: YOGA FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH MULTI-MORBIDITY – GENTLE YEARS YOGA TRIAL
