The Effects of Yoga on Student Mental Health

Universities around the world are facing an epidemic of mental health problems among their students. The problem is truly a public health issue, affecting many and with serious consequences. Moreover, the global burden of disease-agenda calls for effective interventions with lasting effects that have the potential to improve the mental health of young adults. In this study the investigators aimed to determine whether yoga, a popular and widely available mind-body practice, can improve student mental health. The participants were randomly assigned to a yoga group or waitlist control group in a 1:1 ratio by a simple online randomisation program. The intervention group was offered 24 yoga sessions over 12 weeks. Measurements were taken at week 0 (baseline), week 12 (post-intervention), and week 24 (follow-up). The primary outcome was psychological distress assessed by the HSCL-25 questionnaire. Analysis was performed based on the intention to treat-principle. The methods were laid out in a protocol, previously published on the website of the study. (available at http://yogastudy.tilda.ws/). The planned analyses were very straightforward and included a description of the study participants, and simple analyses of each of the a priori selected outcome measures. We have not included or excluded any variables post-hoc.