Psychophysiological Outcomes of an 8-Week Yoga Intervention in Sedentary Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Study

Öz

This study aimed to examine the impact of an 8-week yoga intervention on physical fitness components (flexibility, dynamic and static balance) and psychological (happiness and mental wellbeing) characteristics in sedentary university students. A pretest-posttest control group design was utilized, with 18 individuals randomly allocated to either a yoga intervention group (n=9) or a control group (n=9). Flexibility was evaluated using the sit-and-reach test, static balance through the Flamingo Balance Test, and dynamic balance using the modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT). Psychological results were assessed using the Oxford Happiness Scale and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Data was analyzed using Linear Mixed-Effects Models (LMM) to account for repeated measures. LMM analyses revealed statistically significant Group x Time interactions for flexibility (F(1,16)=22.98, p<.001), dynamic balance in all directions (e.g., F(1,16)=6.70-16.36, p<.05), happiness (F(1,16)=6.02, p=.026), and mental wellbeing (F(1,16)=7.47, p=.015). No significant changes were observed for static balance or in the control group for any variable. Yoga significantly enhances flexibility, dynamic balance, and mental wellbeing in inactive individuals. Although the impact on static balance is ambiguous, the findings underscore yoga's extensive advantages for both physical and mental wellbeing.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• yoga intervention
• mental wellbeing
• happiness
• flexibility
• balance

Sedanter Genç Yetişkinlerde 8 Haftalık Yoga Uygulamasının Psikofizyolojik Etkileri: Randomize Kontrollü Bir Çalışma

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı, 8 haftalık bir yoga uygulamasının sedanter üniversite öğrencilerinde fiziksel uygunluk bileşenleri (esneklik, dinamik ve statik denge) ile psikolojik özellikler (mutluluk ve ruhsal iyilik hali) üzerindeki etkilerinin incelenmesidir. Araştırmada ön test–son test kontrol gruplu deneysel desen kullanılmıştır. Bu deneysel desen kapsamında 18 katılımcı yoga müdahale grubuna (n=9) ve kontrol grubuna (n=9) rastgele atanmıştır. Katılımcıların esneklik düzeyleri otur-eriş testiyle, statik denge düzeyleri Flamingo Denge Testi ile ve dinamik denge düzeyleri ise Yıldız Yönelme Denge Testi (mSEBT) ile ölçülmüştür. Katılımcıların mutluluk düzeyleri Oxford Mutluluk Ölçeği ve mental iyi oluş durumları ise Warwick-Edinburgh Mental İyi Oluş Ölçeği kullanılarak ölçülmüştür. Veriler, doğrusal karma model (LMM) ile analiz edilmiştir. LMM analizleri sonucunda, esneklik (F(1,16)=22.98, p<.001), tüm yönlerde dinamik denge (ör., F(1,16)=6.70–16.36, p<.05), mutluluk (F(1,16)=6.02, p=.026) ve mental iyi oluş (F(1,16)=7.47, p=.015) değişkenleri için istatistiksel olarak anlamlı Grup x Zaman etkileşimleri saptanmıştır. Statik denge değişkeninde ve kontrol gruplarına yönelik olarak gerçekleştirilen analizlerde anlamlı Grup x Zaman etkileşimleri saptanmamıştır. Yoga, sedanter bireylerde esnekliği, dinamik dengeyi ve mental iyi oluş düzeylerini anlamlı şekilde artırmaktadır. Yoga uygulamalarının statik denge üzerindeki etkisi belirsiz olsa da araştırmadan elde edilen bulgular yoganın hem fiziksel hem de mental iyi oluş açısından geniş kapsamlı faydalarını vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• yoga uygulaması
• mental iyi oluş
• mutluluk
• esneklik
• denge

Kaynakça

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