Examining the feasibility and fidelity of implementing Mind Body Self-Regulation Yoga (MBSRY) in multiple youth service settings

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Author:

Nicole Nicotera

PIs:

Professor Nicole Nicotera

CO-Investigator(s):

Erica Viggiano (LCSW, CACIII, C-IAYT, RYT-500. Integrative Life Services)

Funding Sources:

GSSW Research Committee

Research Type:

Active

Unit:

Graduate School of Social Work

Research Interest:

health and wellness

Is MBSRY feasible for implementation in multiple youth service settings? Can MBSRY be implemented with fidelity by a variety of qualified interventionists? Does MBSRY produce favorable findings outside of the initial pilot study?

This study builds on our pilot study of MBRSY aimed at youth who have been and are currently exposed to numerous traumas at personal, familial, and societal levels. A quasi-experimental design will be employed with youth at two community partner organizations. New facilitators will be trained in and implement MBSRY. The Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale-Adolescents will serve as the dependent variable and has been validated for use with healthy and psychiatric adolescent populations. We will also gather data on fidelity and transportability to different sites-populations of youth. Literature suggests a need for alternative treatments and non-verbal interventions for trauma survivors, such as trauma informed yoga and other mind-body approaches. Some existing trauma treatments are ineffective for 33% to 44% of those with PTSD. Our study aims to build evidence for transportability and benefit of trauma informed yoga and mindfulness based somatic interventions for youth.