EFFECT OF YOGA ON PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH OF CHILDREN WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
Abstract
Childhood visual deficiency impairs children’s neuro-psychomotor development,
considerably affecting physical, mental, social, and emotional health. Yoga’s benefits for
various aspects of health for sighted children has been substantially supported by the
literature. India is leading with one-fifth of blind children worldwide. Yoga’s multi
dimensional benefits help to improve their ability to handle many of their challenges.
Aim
This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of yoga practice on physical and psychological
health of children with VI.
Objectives
The objectives of this study were:
a) To develop a special module and accompanying protocol for teaching yoga to children and
adolescents with VI
b) To determine preferred method of learning
c) To develop, validate and assess the feasibility of the said yoga module
d) To evaluate the effects of the module on (i) physical health, and (ii) psychological health
of children and adolescents with VI.
Material and Methods
This is a single-blind, waitlist control trial, with two groups matched on age, gender, height,
weight and degree of blindness. Eighty three children with VI aged 9–16years were enrolled
by convenience sampling from the Ramana Maharishi Academy for the Blind (residential
school), Bengaluru. They were divided into two groups: yoga (n = 41) and control (n = 42). The yoga group participated in one hour of yoga practice, five days per week, for 16-weeks
while the control group followed their regular activities.
The following were assessed as indicators of physical fitness: a) muscle strength, b)
endurance, c) flexibility, d) coordination, e) motor speed, f) static and dynamic balance, and
g) lung function; and for psychological health: a) depression, b) anxiety, c) self-esteem, and
d) working memory. All were evaluated pre and post the 16 week intervention.
Data were analyzed using the SPSS-20 (IBM Corporation, USA). Categorical variables were
analyzed using Chi square test. Independent samples t’ test was used to assess significance of
differences between groups for demographic measures. Repeated measures ANOVAs (time x
group) were used to determine significant differences relative to the intervention.
Results
Demographic characteristics were found to be matched for both the groups.
a) Physical fitness
Baseline values of the yoga and control groups matched on all variables (p >0.05). Within
group analysis found highly significant pre-post intervention improvements (p< 0.001) for
the yoga group in all variables except static balance at 20 secs (p = 0.128), i.e. bilateral
muscles strength: hand grip strength (HGS), pinch strength, elbow extension and flexion,
knee extension and flexion, coordination, finger tapping speed, muscle endurance and
flexibility, lung function, and for balance: all trials of dynamic balance, but lesser
significance for trials of static balance, 30 sec (p = 0.009) and 40 sec (p = 0.018). In contrast,
the control group showed almost no significant within group improvement, i.e. marginally
significance in left HGS (p = 0.043) and lung function (p = 0.047), although a significant
positive result occurred in motor coordination for both hands (p = 0.005). b) Psychological variables
There were no significant differences between groups at baseline. Within group comparisons
showed significant improvements (p< 0.001) in yoga group scores on State Trait Anxiety
Inventory for children (STAI-C), Children’s Depression Inventory-2 (CDI), Rosenberg Self
Esteem Scale and the N-back test; whereas controls showed marginally significant changes in
total scores of STAI-C (p = 0.043) and significant changes on CDI (p = 0.008).
Conclusion
The study suggests that yoga has considerable ability to improve physical and psychological
health in children with VI. Results indicate that yoga is effective in promoting health, and
may be prescribed to enhance individual psychophysiological performance in visually
impaired children and adolescents, possibly as an exercise program within normal curricula.
Description
Keywords
Yoga, Childhood, Visual deficiency, impairs children, neuro-psychomotor development, Mental, emotional health