Virtual Trauma Sensitive Yoga Intervention Reduces Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Anxiety Symptoms Among Women Survivors of Sexual Trauma: A Pilot Study

Objective: Studies increasingly suggest Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) can reduce psychopathology among women who experienced sexual trauma. However, barriers inhibit in-person engagement in TCTSY interventions, particularly among underserved women. Methods: This single-arm pilot study examined the efficacy of a virtual 10-week TCTSY intervention for 27 sexual trauma survivors seeking care at a public safety-net hospital. Women self-reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety symptoms preintervention and 2-weeks and 3-months postintervention. Results: Women who completed seven or more sessions experienced a reduction in PTSD, depressive, and anxiety symptoms following the intervention ( t avg = −2.36, p avg = 0.035) with effects largely sustained at the 3-month follow-up ( t avg = −2.16, p avg = 0.054). These effects were weaker when including women who completed six sessions ( t avg = −2.09, p avg = 0.065), suggesting greater symptom reduction with increased session attendance (i.e. “dose effects”) for a virtual TCTSY treatment. Conclusion: Overall, results from this study provide preliminary but promising evidence that a brief telehealth intervention can contribute to measurable improvements in trauma-related outcomes for underserved women. Given the affordability and accessibility of virtual TCTSY relative to other trauma interventions, these findings may hold important implications for public health and healthcare policy, including support for bolstered virtual healthcare infrastructure and the integration of trauma-informed yoga interventions into outpatient mental healthcare practices.