Developing a Yoga-based Mindfulness Training Package and Evaluating Its Effectiveness on the Symptoms of Emotional Behavioral Disorders in Children

Background: Behavioral disorders in children and adolescents are common and debilitating problems, which are usually seen for the first time in the early years of elementary school. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a yoga-based educational package and determine its effectiveness on behavioral and emotional disorders in children. Methods: The first phase was to develop a training package with a qualitative method and the second phase was to evaluate its effectiveness through a quasi-experimental design (pre-test-post-test with a control group). The statistical population of the study in the first phase included all professors and experts in the field of child psychology and mindfulness, physical education, and yoga in ۱۳۹۸-۱۳۹۷ that ۷ of these experts were selected by judgment and the content validity of the educational package was confirmed. The statistical population of the research in the second phase was the ۷-۱۰-year-old female children of the Welfare Organization of Tehran in ۱۳۹۸-۱۳۹۷. Welfare girl children aged ۷-۱۰ years were selected by available sampling based on entry and exit criteria. Ackenbach (۱۹۹۱) questionnaire was used to collect information and a yoga-based mindfulness training package (researcher-made) was used for teaching. Data was analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: The mindfulness training package had a significant effect on three dependent variables of anxiety, depression, and aggression (p <۰.۰۰۱). The coefficient of effectiveness in reducing anxiety was ۸۳%, depression was ۴۲.۳%, and aggression was ۸۲.۷%. Conclusion: The results of the present study support the hypothesis that a yoga-based mindfulness training package is effective in reducing the symptoms of emotional behavioral disorders in children.

Keywords:

Yoga-based mindfulness training package , Pediatric Emotional Behavioral Syndrome , Depression , Anxiety , Aggression