Effect of yoga on prison population

Abstract

Objective: The present study is aimed at assessing the Psycho-emotional well-being of the male Indian prisoner population after 45 days of the holistic yoga training program. Method and Material: Total 40 prisoners age between 20 to 45 years. Fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria recruited for 45 days Yogä program. Participants were assessed for General health, Anxiety and depression, and positive and negative effect, perceived stress scale, Quality of life at the beginning and end of 45 days yoga program. The prisons were assessed before and after yoga intervention. Result: Results demonstrated that the prison population belonging to yoga group showed significant improvement in General health four domains of GHQ somatisation (p=0.002) Anxiety (p<0.001) social dysfunction ( p<0.001); sub-scale of PANAS, positive affect (p<0.040); Negative Affect (p =0.012), other Positive-affect (p<0.001), others Negative Affect (p<0.001).. There were non-significant changes in scores hospital anxiety and depression, Anxiety (p = 0.306), Depression (p=0.830), Perceived Stress scale (p = 0.156), domains of quality of measures scores Conclusion: The present study suggests that short terms 45-day yoga practice had positive influence on psychological measures in prison population.