Effects of Trauma-Informed Yoga on Coping with Stress, Mental Well-Being, Body Image, and Emotion Regulation in Performing Arts Students: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study
Abstract
Background: Traumatic experiences may negatively affect stress coping, emotion regulation, and psychological well-being. Trauma-informed approaches emphasise safety, autonomy, and the prevention of re-traumatisation, and trauma-informed yoga has emerged as a body-based intervention supporting self-regulation. Students enrolled in conservatory and performing arts programs may be particularly vulnerable to stress, as the body functions both as a tool of expression and as a subject of continuous evaluation. This study examined the effects of a trauma-informed yoga intervention on stress coping, mental well-being, body image, and difficulties in emotion regulation. Methods: This pilot experimental study used a pretest–posttest control-group design. Participants were 29 university students (intervention n = 12; control n = 17). The intervention group received a structured trauma-informed yoga program delivered online for three weeks, five days per week. The control group received no intervention. Data were collected using self-report measures, and nonparametric analyses were conducted due to the small sample size. Results: Baseline scores did not differ significantly between groups. Posttest results showed significantly higher coping scores in the intervention group compared with the control group, with a large effect size. Change-score analyses indicated a significant improvement in coping. Mental well-being improved significantly within the intervention group; however, between-group differences were not statistically significant. No significant changes were observed in body image or difficulties in emotion regulation. Conclusion: Trauma-informed yoga may be a promising supportive intervention to improve stress coping and enhance mental well-being among performing arts students. Further studies with larger samples and longer follow-up periods are needed.