An exploratory cluster-randomized controlled trial on mindfulness yoga's effectiveness in school-refusing children: reductions in SCAS-C physical injury fears and pulse rate.
Frontiers in human neuroscience January 1, 2024 Suguru Kawazu, Marie Amitani, Hajime Suzuki et al. 2 citations
A multicenter cluster-randomized controlled trial tested a 4-week mindfulness yoga program added to treatment as usual (cognitive behavioral therapy based on self-monitoring) for 43 children aged 10–15 years with school refusal. Anxiety symptoms, measured by the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, showed no significant difference between the yoga group (adjusted post-test score 39.9) and the non-yoga group (39.4); the between-group difference was 0.4 (80% CI -4.8 to 5.6, p = 0.54). Exploratory analysis found improvement on the Physical Injury Fears subscale, and pulse rate was significantly lower in the yoga group. The intervention appeared safe but had limited effectiveness for anxiety.