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. 2020 Aug 27;53:102386. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102386

Table 1.

Yoga Intervention for Mental health Issues in Natural-disasters

Author, Year Disaster, Country Sample size, Participants, Study design, Assessment tools Brief description of Intervention Outcome Limitations, Additional points
Durrani et al. (2019) Hurricane Harvey, United States of America Five patient-caregiver dyads (n = 10), Patients with head- neck cancer A dyadic Yoga (DY) intervention (Manualized) Dyads experienced psychological distress during and after Hurricane Harvey. Small convenience sample size, qualitative study design, lack of control
Mean age (Patient): 55.6 ± 17.6 years, Number of sessions: 15 Yoga is acceptable, feasible as social support.
Mean age (Caregivers): 58 ± 21years Duration of each session: 45–60 min
Study design: Qualitative, Pilot Four components:
Brief semi-structured interviews
Assessment timeline: Not available
  • (1)

    Joint loosening

  • (2)

    Posture exercise (asanas)

  • (3)

    Breathing exercise (pranayama)

  • (4)

    Guided imagery/meditation
Thordardottir et al. (2014) Earthquake, Iceland Yoga group (n = 26), Control group (n = 31) Sessions: twice per week, No significant improvement between the two groups (participants and waitlist controls) Small sample size, lack of statistical power and non-randomized
Participants living in the earthquake area without any physical injury Duration: 60 min (35 min gentle Yoga posture+15 Min instructed deep relaxations in lying positions).
Age: 20–67 years Integrated hatha Yoga program Issued certificate: To improve attendance and compliance,
Controls: waitlist-group Components:
Study design: non-randomized community intervention with pre- and post-intervention measurement
  • •

    Physical activities of mild to moderate intensity

  • •

    Seated, standing and lying (supine) Yoga postures

  • •

    Breathing awareness and relaxation into postures
Tools: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Icelandic Quality of Life scale (IQL)
Assessment timeline: Baseline, six weeks
Descilo et al. (2010) Tsunami (2004), India n = 183 (Male : 23, female : 160) Three groups: Group A, Group B: Decrease in PCL-17 Score (at least 60%) and BDI (at least 90%) by 6 weeks and maintained at 24 weeks follow up No monitoring
Participants: PCL-17 score of more than 50
Age: 18–65 years
  • A.)

    Yoga breath intervention (2 h) (n = 28)

  • B.)

    Yoga breath intervention followed by 3–8 h of trauma reduction exposure technique (3–8 h): Three to five-session (1–3 h each (n = 32)

  • C.)

    6-week waitlist

 Attrition rate: 23 %. Non-adherence to study protocols
Study design: Non-randomized trial
Residential setting
Tools :
Post-traumatic Checklist-17 (PCL-17),
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21)
General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12)
Assessment Timeline: Baseline, at 6, 12 and 24 weeks
Telles et al. (2010) Flood, India n = 22, Two groups: Flood survivors: a significant decrease in self-rated sadness Small sample size, Small effect size, Short duration of follow up, All male participants
Flood survivor,
  • A.)

    Yoga group (n = 11): Yoga for an hour daily for seven days

  • B.)

    Control group (n = 11) : routine activity
Age: 31.5 ± 7.5 years
Study design: Randomized control trial,
Yoga components: Controls: an increase in self-rated anxiety.
Assessment: Screening Questionnaire for Disaster Mental Health (SQD), Autonomic and respiratory variables (Using polygraph): heart rate variability and breath rate, Emotional responses using visual analog scales (VAS)
  • •

    Postures (asanas),

  • •

    Breathing exercises (pranayama),

  • •

    Joint loosening with breath synchronization

 Neither group showed changes in heart rate variability or breath rate
Timeline: Baseline and eight-day
Telles et al. (2007) Tsunami, India n = 47, Intervention: Decreased Self-rated indicators of distress (namely fear, anxiety, sadness, and disturbed sleep) Small Convenience sample, lack of control groups
Age range: 28–50 years Duration:60 min, Daily
Study design: Pre-post study design, Interventional Single group study
Assessment: Yoga components:
Screening Questionnaire for Disaster Mental Health (SQD), Autonomic and respiratory variables (Using polygraph): heart rate variability and breath rate, Emotional responses using visual analog scales (VAS) loosening exercises (10 min), physical postures (20 min), voluntarily regulated breathing (15 min), and Yoga-based guided relaxation (15 min)
Timeline: Baseline and eight-day