Browsing by Author "Do, Ai-Nghia L."

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    Symptoms Improve After a Yoga Program Designed for PTSD in a Randomized Controlled Trial With Veterans and Civilians
    (APA, 2020) Davis, Louanne W.; Schmid, Arlene A.; Daggy, Joanne K.; Yang, Ziyi; O'Connor, Caitlin E.; Schalk, Nancy; Do, Ai-Nghia L.; Maric, Danka; Lazarick, Donna; Knock, Heidi; Biostatistics, School of Public Health
    Objective: Although yoga shows promise as a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are few randomized controlled trials that demonstrate significant benefits for individuals with PTSD. The present study addresses this need by comparing the effects of a holistic yoga program (HYP) to that of a wellness lifestyle program (WLP) on PTSD symptom severity with a randomized clinical trial. Method: The sample consisted of 209 participants (91.4% veterans; 66% male; 61.7% White) who met diagnostic criteria for PTSD at baseline. Participants were randomly assigned to attend one of the 2 weekly interventions for 16 weeks. The HYP consisted of yoga instruction, while the WLP consisted of didactics, discussions, and walking. PTSD severity was measured using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5) and the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5). Results: Analyses revealed that the HYP reduced PTSD severity measured by the CAPS-5 significantly more than the WLP at treatment end (mean difference = −5.4, effect size = 0.46, p < .001), but not at 7-month follow up (mean difference = −0.9, p = .603). Similarly, the HYP reduced PTSD severity measured by the PCL-5 significantly more than the WLP at treatment end (difference = −6.0, p = .001), but not at 7-month follow up (mean difference = −1.0, p = .682). Conclusion: Yoga may be an effective intervention for PTSD in addition to standard treatments. Future yoga trials should consider adding a social component to interventions or booster classes to maintain effects long term.
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    The Eight Limbs of Yoga can be Maintained in a Veteran Friendly Yoga Program
    (Wolters Kluwer, 2021) Schmid, Arlene A.; Sternke, Elizabeth A.; Do, Ai-Nghia L.; Schalk Conner, Nancy; Starnino, Vincent R.; Davis, Louanne W.; School of Social Work
    Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may occur after a traumatic event and has deleterious effects on individuals, including decreased quality of life and function. Yoga is an intervention that may help with the management of PTSD symptoms, however yoga interventions in research studies frequently only include postures and breathwork, not all eight limbs of yoga. Aims and objectives: The aims of this qualitative study was to examine whether participants with PTSD in a group yoga program discussed the benefits of yoga in a way that represented the eight limbs of yoga, when answering questions about their experience of the yoga program. Methods: Qualitative data were collected after participants completed a 16-week yoga intervention. Qualitative data were collected via survey, reviewed, coded, and categorized into themes representing each of the eight limbs of yoga. Results: Overall, 108 people were randomized to the yoga intervention and 67 individuals completed the intervention and follow up questions used in these analyses. The mean age of the 67 participants in this study was 52.4 years (±12.0), the majority were male (70.2%), and most had combat-related trauma (62.7%). All eight limbs of yoga were represented in the data, including each of the five yamas and niyamas, even though the yoga intervention did not explicitly include Sanskrit terms, definitions, or education about yoga philosophy or the eight limbs of yoga. Conclusion: Results may indicate that yoga, even when only including postures, breathwork, intentions, and relaxation/meditation, may still address all of the yamas, niyamas, and the other eight limbs of yoga.