Document Type : Original Article
Authors
University of Central Florida College of Nursing, Orlando, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL, USA
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Student nurses’ experience of stress while enrolled in educational programs is
well‑documented; however, complementary and alternative therapies to alleviate or prevent nursing
program‑related stressors are not. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of a yoga
intervention on stress, self‑compassion, and quality of life in undergraduate nursing students.
METHODS: Seventy‑three undergraduate nursing students participated in this two‑group,
quasi‑experimental, repeated‑measures, study. Students self‑selected participation in a one‑hour
yoga class, offered each week for 12 weeks, and completed Stress, Self‑Compassion, and QOL
scales at baseline, week 6, and week 12. Information on intervention participation and yoga practice
outside the intervention was also solicited. Descriptive statistics and mixed‑model analysis of variance
were used to analyze the data.
RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between groups over time on perceived
stress or QOL. There were statistically significant differences between groups on self‑kindness
(F3, 69 = 3.86, P = 0.013).
CONCLUSIONS: Further research on the effects of yoga for stress reduction in nursing students
using randomized controlled trials is recommended.
Keywords
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