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Breathing Curriculum for Stress Reduction in High School Students: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial
Global Advances in Health and Medicine ; 11:75-76, 2022.
Article in English | EMBASE | ID: covidwho-1916528
ABSTRACT

Methods:

This cluster-randomized pilot compared 5-minute slow DB with treatment-as-usual among four 12th-grade public high school classes. Students individually participated in the curriculum after school during COVID-19-related hybrid teaching, with DB 3 times/week and breath science education once/week. Feasibility was based on overall compliance and qualitative assessments. Preliminary effectiveness was measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and a timed-exhale carbon dioxide tolerance test (CO2TT). Descriptive statistics and repeated analysis of variance were performed to quantify and compare cross-sectional and temporal outcomes between classes and time periods. Human subjects research approval was granted through WCG-IRB.

Results:

Forty-two students consented to participate. Intervention and effectiveness assessments' compliance varied from 29-91% across classes and weeks, and decreased on average 40% from baseline to follow-up. Compliance of ease/ tolerability assessments ranged from 41% to 86%, and averaged 55% for open-ended assessments. Usefulness, ease and tolerability ratings for the DB ranged from 1.63±0.74 to 2.88±0.35 on scales of 0-3 (“not at all” - “very much”);and from 2.24±0.84 to 2.60±0.55 for effectiveness assessments. Students reported enjoying the DB, CO2TT, and breath science;some found the extended exhales challenging and the curriculum and assessments time-consuming. Outcome measures demonstrated trends towards improvements (e.g., improved STAI and CO2TT before-to-after breathing exercises), but were not statistically significant.

Background:

Nearly 1 in 3 US adolescents meet the criteria for anxiety, an issue that has worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed a video-based, 5-week, slow diaphragmatic breathing (DB) stress-reduction curriculum for high school students and evaluated its feasibility and preliminary effectiveness.

Conclusion:

Implementation of this 5-week slow breathing curriculum was feasible and tolerable to this cohort. Compliance, tolerability, and effectiveness may be improved with in-class participation. Future research on simple and accessible slow-breathing exercises is warranted to address today's adolescent stress-management crisis.
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Type of study: Experimental Studies / Randomized controlled trials Language: English Journal: Global Advances in Health and Medicine Year: 2022 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Type of study: Experimental Studies / Randomized controlled trials Language: English Journal: Global Advances in Health and Medicine Year: 2022 Document Type: Article