Reference no: EM132848616

Treating major depression with yoga:A prospective, randomized, controlled trial Methods Investigators recruited 38 adults in San Francisco meeting criteria for major depression of mild-to-moderate severity, per structured psychiatric interview and scores of 14-28 on Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI). Twenty participants were randomized to 90-minute hatha yoga practice groups twice weekly for 8 weeks. Eighteen participants were randomized to 90-minute attention control education groups twice weekly for 8 weeks. Certified yoga instructors delivered both interventions at a university clinic. Primary outcome was depression severity, measured by BDI scores every 2 weeks from baseline to 8 weeks.

Results

In intent-to-treat analysis, yoga participants exhibited significantly greater 8-week decline in BDI scores than controls (p-value = 0.034). From baseline to final assessment at 8 weeks, the adjusted mean BDI score in the yoga group decreased by 9.47 points [95% CI, -12.37 to -6.57]; during the same interval, the adjusted mean BDI score in the control group decreased by 2.99 points [95% CI, -6.43 to -0.45]. In sub-analyses of participants completing final 8-week measures, yoga participants were more likely to achieve remission, defined per final BDI score ≤ 9 (p-value = 0.018). Effect size of yoga in reducing BDI scores was large, per Cohen's d = -0.96 [95%CI, -1.81 to -0.12]. No participant sustained injuries from either treatment.

Note: The BDI scores range from 0 to 63; the lower the number the less depressive symptoms experienced. Scores between

29-63 indicate severe depressive symptoms

20-28 indicate moderate symptoms

14-19 indicate mild symptoms

0-13 indicate absent to minimal depressive symptoms

Question: Are the study results statistically and clinically significant? Explain your answer.