Objectives
Mental health issues among young adults pose a significant challenge globally. Knowledge about yoga’s mechanisms of action to promote well-being in young adults is limited. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a yoga-based intervention (YBI) to promote well-being and the mediating effects of self-connection (SC) and sense of agency (SOA).
Method
A sample of management students (n = 152) answered questionnaires assessing well-being, SC, and SOA. The design was a randomized wait-list controlled experimental study involving a yoga group (YBI; n = 78) and a wait-list control group (WLC; n = 74), with data collected before (T1) and after the intervention (T2). The 10-day holistic YBI consisted of daily sessions of 75 minutes covering philosophy of yoga and combining breathwork, body stretching, meditation, and reflection.
Results
Compared to those in the WLC group, mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated a significant positive change in SC (partial η2 = 0.025) and well-being (partial η2 = 0.028) for participants in the YBI group. Further, results from the mediation analysis indicated that YBI improved the levels of well-being among management students by enhancing their SC and SOA.
Conclusions
The study supports the effectiveness of the intervention and provides insights into how yoga improves well-being. Further, the study provides experimental evidence on the efficacy of YBI in enhancing the well-being of management students and suggests that YBI can be appropriately incorporated in higher-education institutions to support student well-being.
Preregistration
This study is not preregistered.