Study on the Effect of Yoga Practice on Regulation of Emotions
Abstract:
Objective: To investigate the effect of yoga on regulation of emotions by the practitioners.
Methodology: The study was carried out among 90 respondents practicing yoga at Patanjali Yoga Research Centre, Kozhikode, Kerala, India using a questionnaire containing an emotion regulation scale and the characteristics of respondents such as sex, age, education etc. The emotion regulation score of each respondent was worked out as the sum of scores of cognitive reappraisal items and expressive suppression items in the scale. The data was analysed as scores, percentage and through statistical test.
Results: 66.7 % of the respondents have obtained high emotion regulation score through yoga practice in the range of 80 to 90 % of the maximum possible score under the study. 86.6 % of yoga practitioners have obtained total score for cognitive reappraisal items related to emotion regulation in the range of 82.1 to 96.4 % of the maximum possible total score for the items. 90 % of yoga practitioners have obtained total score for expressive suppression items related to emotion regulation in the range of 81 to 95.2 % of the maximum possible total score for the items. Statistical significance was observed between the emotion regulation scores of males and females, married and unmarried yoga practitioners, people who have practiced and not practiced yoga before joining the yoga training programme, as well as people who had psychological problems before the start of yoga practice and those who did not have the problem. Comparatively higher emotion regulation scores were observed for males than females, for unmarried people than married people, for people who have practiced yoga before joining the yoga training programme compared to those who have not practiced it before, and for those who did not have psychological problems before the start of yoga practice, when compared to those who had such problems.
Conclusion: Yoga contributes to the regulation of emotions, with its influence on both cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression items related to emotion regulation. Practicing it can be expected to result in a mentally healthier population, since yoga can also positively influence other psychological parameters such as anxiety, depression, wellbeing etc
