Yoga as Mindful Movement: A Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT ID: NCT07088003

Last Updated: 2025-07-28

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 47 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-10-04
• Study Completion Date: 2022-03-02

Brief Summary

This study aimed to close an existing research gap by exploring the impact of a school-based mindful yoga program, Yoga as Mindful Movement (YMM), on foundational motor skills, social-emotional competence, classroom behavior, attention, and impulse control of students with various developmental disabilities in kindergarten, first-, and second-grade (K-2).

Conditions

Developmental Disability

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Yoga as Mindful Movement

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Yoga as Mindful Movement

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

YMM is an 8-week hybrid (in-person and virtual) school-based mindful yoga program (modified from its original 10-week, in-person design due to complications of COVID-19) informed by the teachings of Radiant Child Yoga. It was designed to teach students about self regulation through the integration of movement, breath, and present-moment awareness. It was delivered in the form of three, 30-minute YMM sessions each week by the same instructor-an individual with training and experience as an occupational therapist and yoga teacher through the Yoga Alliance and Radiant Child Yoga.

Adapted Physical Education

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Adapted Physical Education

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Adapted PE took place daily (Monday-Friday) for one hour and consisted of lessons on movement skills such as catching, throwing, aiming, running, jumping, skating, and dancing through various activities and games.

Interventions

Yoga as Mindful Movement

YMM is an 8-week hybrid (in-person and virtual) school-based mindful yoga program (modified from its original 10-week, in-person design due to complications of COVID-19) informed by the teachings of Radiant Child Yoga. It was designed to teach students about self regulation through the integration of movement, breath, and present-moment awareness. It was delivered in the form of three, 30-minute YMM sessions each week by the same instructor-an individual with training and experience as an occupational therapist and yoga teacher through the Yoga Alliance and Radiant Child Yoga.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Adapted Physical Education

Adapted PE took place daily (Monday-Friday) for one hour and consisted of lessons on movement skills such as catching, throwing, aiming, running, jumping, skating, and dancing through various activities and games.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: (a) Actively attending the participating school (indicating the presence of at least one developmental disability), (b) enrolled in kindergarten, first, or second grade, (c) part of a 6:1:3 classroom, (d) between the ages of 5 and 7, and (e) English-speaking

Exclusion Criteria: (a) Participant's family opted them out of the study, (b) participants was absent for three consecutive Yoga as Mindful Movement (YMM) classes

• Minimum Eligible Age: 5 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 7 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University at Buffalo

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Catherine Cook-Cottone

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Catherine P. Cook-Cottone, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University at Buffalo

Locations

Cantalician Center

Buffalo, New York, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

UBuffalo

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id