Six-month follow-up of a mindfulness yoga program, MiYoga, on attention, executive function, behaviour and physical outcomes in cerebral palsy
Prepared by: Dr Bhamini Krishna Rao
Adaptive Sport/Recreation Categories
- Mindfulness-based Yoga
Study Type: Randomized controlled
Summary: Cerebral palsy (CP) arises from non-progressive damage to the infant brain, leading to motor and postural challenges. This article presents the 6-month follow-up results following the initial randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating MiYoga, an embodied mindfulness-based movement program designed for children with CP and their parents. MiYoga comprised an 8-week mindful movement program rooted in Hatha Yoga principles. The intervention involved six sessions lasting 90 minutes each, supplemented by two phone consultations. Program content encompassed Hatha Yoga, mindfulness meditations, informal mindfulness exercises, and interactive games. Throughout the 8-week duration, participants were encouraged to engage in a minimum of 20 minutes of daily practice at home. A DVD and poster illustrating yoga sequences, along with child-specific modifications, were distributed during the initial session. Top of FormBottom of Form
According to the RCT, MiYoga was linked to improved attention in children and reduced levels of mindfulness reported by parents, compared to the waitlist control, immediately after the intervention. Paired t-tests indicated no significant changes between post-MiYoga and follow-up, nor between pre-MiYoga and follow-up, for variables that initially showed intervention effects immediately after MiYoga, specifically children’s attention variables and parents' mindfulness. Significant improvements were found from pre-MiYoga to follow-up for children’s executive function and physical function as well as for parental well-being. In conclusion, this study highlighted the presence of delayed or sleeper effects in children’s executive function and physical function, as well as in parent’s well-being following participation in MiYoga.
Article Strengths
- The study observed significant improvements in children’s executive function and physical function, as well as in parental well-being from before MiYoga to the follow-up.
- It's plausible that those who continued MiYoga were the same participants who showed improvements at follow-up, potentially gaining additional benefits from ongoing practice.
- Randomised controlled trial design
Article Weaknesses
- The sample size was relatively small, particularly concerning executive function variables applicable solely to children aged eight and older. This could lead to attrition bias, where participants who were more engaged with the intervention or perceived benefits from the program were more likely to remain in the study.
- It is unclear whether participants continued practicing MiYoga beyond the intervention period.
Take Home Messages
- Programs like MiYoga offer children with CP and their parents a way to learn and include mindfulness and yoga techniques in their daily routines. This could encourage busy families to practice mindfulness more efficiently by being more attentive to their daily experiences.
- Such a lifestyle approach could provide extra support for children with CP alongside traditional rehabilitation options.
Impacts on Clinical Practice
- The evidence from a 6-month follow-up regarding the retention of MiYoga's effects on children's attention varied; hence, there is a need for booster sessions or ongoing MiYoga practice as a lifestyle choice to sustain its impact on attention.
MiYoga, which can be integrated into daily activities, might offer supplementary assistance to children with CP, complementing conventional rehabilitation choices and could offer parents a convenient and time-effective method to learn and practice mindfulness.