Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Steve Little

Abstract

Individuals are becoming more dependent on medication for conditions such as chronic-pain, anxiety, and depression. It is reported that patients are often overprescribed medication while health outcomes do not improve. The medicalization of society is distracting attention from the possibility of other therapies such as complementary or alternative medicine (CAMs) that can improve health outcomes if they were as supported as pharmacological research and better received by the medical community. Yoga and meditation, the components of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and yoga therapy, have been shown as effective CAMs for cases of anxiety and depression related to chronic illness or chronic pain. There is little agreement in research, among yoga practitioners, and in the medical community on how to prescribe the delivery of yoga therapy interventions to reduce pain, depression, or anxiety. The purpose of this quantitative study and, to address this gap in the literature, is to provide the medical community protocols for the delivery of yoga therapy and to discover a “dose response” for yoga therapy among 6 individuals suffering pain and related affective disorders such as anxiety and depression. The findings of this study showed no significant difference among individuals who practice yoga therapy at the rate of one or three times per week on reported levels of depression, anxiety, pain, perceived stress or quality of life depending on the rate of practice. This study could impact the over-prescription of medication and reduce the dependence on psychopharmacology for management of affective disorders

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