Effect of yoga on self-esteem and emotional stability in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Adolescence is a crucial time of rapid physical and cognitive changes that can impact emotional stability and self-esteem. Through this randomized controlled trial, we seek to evaluate the impact of a structured yoga intervention on adolescents’ self-esteem and emotional stability. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled study examined the impact of structured yoga intervention on teenagers’ self-esteem and emotional stability. Present study was conducted at Government School in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. The study involved 106 students between the ages 13-16 years. The selected students were randomized into either experimental ( n =53) or control group ( n =53). Experimental group received yoga intervention for 12 weeks, whereas the control group did not receive any intervention. Using validated tools, scores of self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) and emotional stability (Emotional stability test) were gathered both at baseline and after 12 weeks of yoga intervention. Results: Data from 105 participants were included in the final analysis. According to the demographic profile, the traits of the two groups were similar with respect to gender, habitat, diet, and other characteristics. Independent t-test shows significant improvement of self-esteem ( P < 0.001) and emotional stability ( P = 0.001) between groups after 12-week intervention, which shows significant improvement of self-esteem and emotional stability in the yoga intervention group. Conclusion: It was observed that yoga intervention improved self-esteem and emotional stability of adolescent school children. The study concluded empirical evidence in favor of incorporating yoga into school curricula as a non-pharmacological strategy to improve self-esteem, and well-being.