Effect of an Eight-Weeks Yogic Intervention on Psychological Distress, Mental Well-being, and Physiological Regulation among Teenage Student-Athletes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract

Adolescent athletes encounter compounded academic and competitive pressures that may elevate psychological distress and affect physiological recovery. Yoga, a structured mind-body practice integrating physical postures, breathing regulation, and meditative practices, represents a potentially accessible strategy for supporting psychological well-being and selected physiological indices in youth sport contexts. To evaluate the effects of an eight-week structured yoga intervention on psychological distress, mental well-being, and physiological regulation in competitive teenage athletes. Eighty-eight district-level teenage athletes (male: 52, female: 36; mean age 15.8 ± 1.4 years) were randomly allocated to a yoga intervention group (n = 44) or a wait-list control group (n = 44). The intervention comprised daily 60-min sessions (six days/week) of asana, pranayama, and dhyana over eight weeks. Psychological outcomes were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) and the Mental Health Inventory-56 (MHI-56). Physiological outcomes included resting heart rate (HR), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), body temperature, and body mass index (BMI). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with baseline values as covariates, and mixed-effects models were employed. The yoga group demonstrated significantly greater reductions across all DASS-21 subscales relative to controls: depression (F (1,86) = 7.46, p = 0.008, Hedges' g = 0.62), anxiety (F (1,86) = 6.12, p = 0.015, g = 0.56), and stress (F (1,86) = 5.84, p = 0.018, g = 0.55). Mental well-being improved significantly (F (1,86) = 9.03, p = 0.004, g = 0.65). Physiological outcomes showed significant reductions in resting HR (g = 0.58) and BMI (g = 0.42), alongside increased SpO₂ (g = 0.61); body temperature was unchanged. An eight-week multicomponent yoga programme was associated with moderate-to-large improvements in psychological health and favourable changes in selected physiological outcome among adolescent athletes. These findings support structured yoga as a potentially useful adjunct within youth sport training environments; however, the physiological measures employed do not permit conclusions regarding specific autonomic mechanisms.