We know that mental health is just as important as physical health and is integral for children to grow up into healthy, well-rounded adults. However, research has shown that British pupils are amongst the most unhappy in the western world (1). Statistics suggest that at least one in ten children and young people have mental health or wellbeing issues; which equates to approximately three children in every classroom (2).
How can we address this growing wellbeing issue in adolescents? One of the most noteworthy initiatives led jointly by the Department of Health and the Department for Education in recent years, the Future In Mind report (3), recognised schools as uniquely placed to play a vital role in promoting wellbeing and preventing mental ill health in young people. Consequently, schools are increasingly looking for new ways to support pupils’ resilience, wellbeing and character.
Yoga is one of many wellbeing initiatives that schools are turning to to make yoga in schools a part of the curriculum. Across the international stage, schools have been integrating yoga into the school day and research with young people has pointed to a host of positive effects. Yoga has been shown to reduce anxiety (4), depression (5) and stress (6), whilst increasing self-esteem (7) and overall wellbeing and emotional regulation (8) for young people.
Whilst research has highlighted positive effects of yoga for adolescents, the majority of this research comes from America, India, Canada and Australia. In light of this, we must ask ourselves what this might mean for UK schools and adolescents. Will pupils in the UK benefit from yoga in the same way? Will it work in UK schools? What can UK schools learn from this research?
Funded by the Quintin Hogg Trust and supported by Yoga Matters and the Teen Yoga Foundation, the University of Westminster and City University London are seeking to answer these questions. Last term, one London secondary school implemented a ten-week yoga course into their weekly PSHE session on a Monday morning. Instead of the usual PSHE class, pupils entered a different sort of classroom and were given a space to explore their own personal, social and health education in a new way.
Two yoga teachers, trained by the Teen Yoga Foundation, expertly led these classes of 30 pupils through a weekly discussion on a core topic, followed by a sequence of asanas and ending with relaxation.
Reflecting on the ten week course, one pupil shared their thoughts of the usefulness of yoga:
“It takes you away from the stress on a Monday morning, it just helps you get through the week.”
In order to rigorously answer the questions surrounding the impact of yoga with UK pupils, all students completed questionnaires measuring their stress, wellbeing, resilience, self-compassion and sleeping habits before and after the course. These will be compared to students who had their usual PSHE curriculum and those that took part in a ten week mindfulness course. We have also been talking to students to uncover what they liked about the yoga sessions, what they thought could be changed or improved and if they have noticed any changes in themselves after doing yoga.
We are currently analysing the data and these findings will be available later this year.
To learn more about the project, please email Amy Edwards on w1654346@my.westminster.ac.uk
References
(1) UNICEF. (2007). An overview of child wellbeing in rich countries. Innocenti Report Card 7. Retrieved January 28, 2017 from https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf
(2) Green, H., McGinnity, A., Meltzer, H., Ford, T., & Goodman, R. (2005). Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004: Summary report. London: National Statistics.
(3) NHS England and Department of Health. (2015). Future in mind: Promoting, protecting and improving our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. London: NHS England.
(4) Frank, J. L., Bose, B., & Schrobenhauser-Clonan, A. (2014). Effectiveness of a School-Based Yoga Program on Adolescent Mental Health, Stress Coping Strategies, and Attitudes Toward Violence: Findings from a High-Risk Sample. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 30(1), 29–49.
(5) Felver, J. C., Butzer, B., Olson, K. J., Smith, I. M., & Khalsa, S. B. S. (2015). Yoga in Public School Improves Adolescent Mood and Affect. Contemporary School Psychology, 19(3), 184–192.
(6) Khalsa, S. B. S., Hickey-Schultz, L., Cohen, D., Steiner, N., & Cope, S. (2012). Evaluation of the mental health benefits of yoga in a secondary school: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 39(1), 80–90.
(7) Lee, I. S., & Yoo, Y. G. (2013). The Effects of School-Based Maum Meditation Program on the Self-Esteem and School Adjustment in Primary School Students. Global Journal of Health Science, 5(4), 14–27.
(8) Bergen-Cico, D., Razza, R., & Timmins, A. (2015). Fostering Self-Regulation through Curriculum Infusion of Mindful Yoga: A Pilot Study of Efficacy and Feasibility. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(11), 3448–3461.
