Kundalini Yoga for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: An Exploration of Treatment Efficacy and Possible Mechanisms.


Author: Gabriel MG1, Curtiss J2, Hofmann SG2, Khalsa SBS3

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Sundari Satnam Kundalini Yoga Center, Grafton, Vt.

<sup>2</sup>Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University.

<sup>3</sup>Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Conference/Journal: Int J Yoga Therap.
Date published: 2018 Apr 26
Other:
  Special Notes: doi: 10.17761/2018-00003. [Epub ahead of print]   ,  Word Count: 121  
    The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of Kundalini Yoga in reducing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) compared to a common treatment-as-usual condition using cognitive techniques. A secondary objective was to explore potential treatment mechanisms. Females aged 24 to 75 years with GAD ( n = 49) received either an 8-week Kundalini Yoga intervention ( n = 34) or an 8-week treatment-as-usual condition ( n = 15). The yoga condition resulted in lower levels of anxiety relative to the treatment-as-usual condition. Furthermore, changes in somatic symptoms mediated treatment outcome for Kundalini Yoga. Kundalini Yoga may show promise as a treatment for GAD, and this treatment might convey its effect on symptom severity by reducing somatic symptoms.



KEYWORDS: Kundalini Yoga; generalized anxiety disorder; mediators; meditation; yoga



PMID: 29698081  DOI: 10.17761/2018-00003