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Virtual Yoga and Mindfulness Training Among Juvenile Court Involved Youth
Journal of Adolescent Health ; 70(4):S69-S70, 2022.
Article in English | EMBASE | ID: covidwho-1936616
ABSTRACT

Purpose:

Juvenile court involved youth (JCIY) experience unique psychosocial challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic generated additional stressors for this vulnerable population. Promoting mindfulness strategies may increase well-being among JCIY, but few such interventions have been developed. We sought to evaluate the impact of a longitudinal mindfulness intervention incorporating healing-centered, anti-oppression yoga delivered through a virtual platform on multiple psychological outcomes among JCIY involved in community-based monitoring.

Methods:

We partnered with YogaRoots on Location (YROL), a healing-centered, anti-oppression yoga instruction group, to implement a longitudinal mindfulness training program to youth aged 11-21 involved in the Allegheny County Community Intensive Supervision Program (CISP). Starting in March 2020, this program transitioned to a remote format in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sessions were delivered via Zoom and incorporated Raja yoga practice, breathing techniques, meditation and mindfulness exercises, and strengths-based social justice exploration. Sessions lasted one hour and occurred weekly. Youth attending nine sessions completed end-of-program (EOP) evaluations. Baseline surveys assessed demographic characteristics and prior experiences with racism and trauma. EOP surveys were administered to assess for changes in multiple psychological

outcomes:

mindfulness, acceptance and action, resilience, future orientation, emotion dysregulation, and psychological distress. Demographic data were summarized with descriptive statistics. McNemar or Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to compare outcomes at baseline and EOP.

Results:

99 youth completed baseline assessments. Mean age of participants was 16.2 (SD 1.4). 85 (86%) were male. 60 (61%) identified as Black/African-American, 17 (17%) White, and 14 (14%) other racial identities. 7 (7%) were Hispanic/Latino. 74 (75%) youth reported prior experiences of trauma, with 47 (47%) reporting three or more. Perceptions of racism were common, with 63 (64%) youth reporting being treated unfairly by a police officer and 67 (68%) being accused of something they did not do at school. 16 youth (16%) completed EOP surveys. No significant changes in any psychological outcomes were noted from baseline to EOP among this cohort of youth who completed nine or more sessions. Many reported likelihood of using yoga in the future to deal with stress (11;69%), to calm down (12;75%), and to deal with racism (8;50%).

Conclusions:

JCIY face significant psychosocial stressors, and many report histories of trauma and discrimination. The COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate existing challenges for these youth, and further supports are needed to engender well-being in this population, including strategies to retain youth in programming. Despite its feasibility and acceptability among JCIY, mindfulness training, particularly in a virtual format, may have limited immediate impact on psychological outcomes due to broader structures of oppression and situational factors. Reflecting the transiency of this population, changing living situations, going “on the run,” and other challenges, retaining youth in ongoing programming is challenging. Additional follow-up is needed to determine the effects of such interventions on long-term youth coping and resilience as well as to elucidate implementation facilitators to increase receipt of such skills-building programs for this population. Sources of Support Heinz Endowments.
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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Topics: Traditional medicine Language: English Journal: Journal of Adolescent Health Year: 2022 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Topics: Traditional medicine Language: English Journal: Journal of Adolescent Health Year: 2022 Document Type: Article