Remotely delivered yoga for military veterans
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Remotely delivered yoga for military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: a single case experimental design
IRAS ID
313373
Contact name
Jo Archer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Holloway University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Why and what
This study will investigate if veterans who experience distress related to past traumas benefit from an online yoga class. This is important because many veterans experience distress related to traumatic life events, yet they may find it difficult to engage in talking therapies. Past research has shown that mind-body practices such as yoga can help people to manage their response to stress and that people who have experienced trauma find yoga helps them cope with day-to-day life. This might be because yoga can help people become more aware of their body which helps them manage their emotions. A face-to-face yoga class also offers an opportunity for social bonding, but can be challenging to deliver in the context of the widely spread-out veteran population and COVID related social restrictions. It is unclear if an online class would still be beneficial, despite the different social context.Who and how
This study will recruit nine veterans experiencing trauma related distress for a 10-week yoga class adapted for people who have a history of trauma. The veterans will be recruited from the Berkshire Complex Treatment Service (CTS) whilst waiting for or enrolled in the first stage of their treatment plan. Participants will provide measures of their distress, the body’s stress response, their awareness of their body and confidence in managing distressing feelings before, during and after the yoga course. We will ask participants to complete weekly questionnaires, and three questions and heart rate measures each day for two to three weeks before beginning the yoga class until the end of the 10-week yoga course. We will ask participants to complete the same measures again for two weeks after the course has finished.REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SC/0226
Date of REC Opinion
16 Aug 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion