Applying the S-ART Framework to Yoga: Exploring the Self-Regulatory Action of Yoga Practice in Two Culturally Diverse Samples.
Frontiers in psychology January 1, 2021 Laura Tolbaños-roche, Praseeda Menon 19 citations
Yoga practitioners show better self-awareness and self-regulation than non-practitioners, as measured by interoceptive awareness and decentering abilities, according to a test of the S-ART neurobiological model of well-being. Among 362 Indian and Spanish yoga practitioners and non-practitioners, those who practiced yoga scored higher on these abilities. Perseverance in yoga practice predicted self-awareness and self-regulation in the combined sample, but cultural differences emerged: for Indian practitioners with over a year of practice, yoga practice and perseverance predicted interoceptive awareness and decentering, whereas for Spanish participants, physical exercise and frequency of practice were better predictors. The findings provide preliminary support for the S-ART model's application to yoga's self-regulatory mechanisms.