Yoga: The New Antidepressant

Yoga: The New Antidepressant
Katie McCabe

Photo taken by Lululemon Athletica

Yoga transforms a person’s physical and mental state. As an individual focuses on yoga’s mindfulness, his breathing becomes rhythmic and his body shifts. Behavior Modification published research evaluating yoga’s effects on a depressed individual taking anti-depressant medication. They found the relaxation techniques and physical exertion performed during yoga produced positive behavioral results.


Depression is affecting many Americans today than ever before. Current studies and trials show that only 60% of participants benefit from the use of antidepressants or psychotherapy. The popularity and usage of yoga as a coping mechanism for depression has increased steadily. Yoga is also a relatively inexpensive treatment compared to the consumption of drugs and therapy sessions. Two aspects of yoga were examined specifically in order to determine the overall benefit. Physical activity and mindfulness skills became the key factors when determining the overall positive effects of yoga.


The form of yoga chosen to be test was vinyasa yoga, a form of yoga that focuses on breath-linked movement. Each breath in vinyasa yoga is coordinated with a change in posture and form. Mindfulness skills develop as a result from the main focus of yoga, which is to promote good mental and physical health. The practice of yoga has proven to decrease rumination, a thinking process that centers on the negative feelings and symptoms of depression. However, concentrating on mindfulness can shift an individual’s focus to more pleasant activities. The physical exertion of yoga provides individuals with muscle movement, pain alleviation and the release of endorphin hormones. The study hypothesized that the action of yoga would display an overall improvement for those suffering from depression.


In order to track an individual’s progress, the study concentrated on the acceptability and feasibility of yoga, as well as the participant’s behavior, mindfulness, and depression symptoms. The study involved 11 participants, 10 women and 1 man. Each participant was given an individual yoga lesson before participating in the 8-week study. During each week, participants would attend vinyasa yoga classes and record their overall reaction and behavioral changes. Different scales such as the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) and Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) were used to track an individual’s progress. The FFMQ (Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire) was used administered before and after the 8-week yoga trial. The varying methods provided the study with an overall comprehension of the effects of vinyasa yoga.


Most of the participants reported that they liked yoga and attended on average one class per week. Qualitative data displayed both emotional and physical improvement for the participants. Calm and relaxed feelings, improved sleep, weight loss, and decreased pain were common themes experienced. The study also revealed an increased trend of mindfulness aspects. The study found many similarities between yoga and psychotherapy, such as the multifaceted behavioral intervention aspect of each. In order to enhance the influence of yoga, a tailored class or specific instructor could alter the class to focus on those with depression. Yoga may soon become the newest and trendiest antidepressant.


Work Cited

Uebelacker, Lisa A., and Geoffrey Tremont. "Open Trial of Vinyasa Yoga for Persistently Depressed Individuals: Evidence of Feasibility and Acceptability." Behavior Modification. 34.3 (2010): 247-264. 

Student + Dying = Studying

Photo by: Billaday

I am laying here in my bed doing homework. Beside me are a notebook, a pen, and my cellphone.  Facebook beckons me from its tab on my laptop screen. My situation is not unique; many college students like myself have difficulty developing self-management skills, and in a recent study called “Effectiveness of a College Level Self-Management Course on Successful Behavior Change,” Jean H. Choi and Kyong-Mee Chung explore the effectiveness of taking a college level self-management course. Choi and Chung observed three different intensity leveled groups. At the end of the course only the group enrolled in the high-intensity self-management course showed successful behavior changes, which included increases in productivity and efficiency.

            The control group was enrolled a “Clinical Psychology” course. The course was aimed to promote understanding of the history, theory, and the current trend of clinical psychology. To be honest, the class really did not do much at all. No behavioral principles or self-management strategies were taught. The students were not required to track their behavior, or do activities. The group was assigned no project requirements.

The low intensity group took a class called “Behavior Therapy” that focused on the understanding and application of learning theory to modify or treat problematic behaviors across diverse settings. The course focused on behavior skills and general therapy. It did not include self-management skills training. The students had to conduct their projects independently. The text required for the course was Martin and Pear’s (2007) Behavior Modification: What It Is And How To Do It. Three chapters from Self-Directed Behavior were used as the supplementary material.

The high intensity group used Self-Directed Behavior as their instructional text. Their course was titled “Self-Directed Behavior.” Like in all groups, students were asked to choose a behavior they wanted to modify (i.e.: weight loss, higher grades, etc.). But the high intensity group had to make a plan to change the behavior. They were taught theories and practical applications and were required to do group projects that helped them learn to apply the strategies they were learning and get feed back from each other. The students also had to record their behavior daily and do an in-class presentation and a final research report. Instructor feed back was given frequently to each of the students.

            At the beginning of the study and at the end of the study, the participants were asked to fill out a multi-question survey. This survey used several methods to obtain information about the goals and goal management that the participants had in place. The Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) was the main scale on which the study was based. The participants made a goal for each point on a 5-point scale ranging from -2 (least favorable) to 2 (most favorable). This scale required precise and objective goal setting, allowing for more accurate results. Other scales were also used to measure the goals and efficiency of the participants. The Generalized Expectancy of Success Scale-Revised (GESS-R) asked participants to rate 25 items regarding probability of success. The Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (I-E) asked participants consider 21 situations and pick whether the cause of the problem would be handled internally or externally. The Motivation and Expectancy Change Scale (MECS) explored participants’ motivations and how they expected to change by using a 5-point scale. These scales and different methods made sure to assess the students correctly and give those conducting the study accurate and quantifiable information.

            After all of the groups completed the survey the second time, only the high intensity group showed significant signs of success. Going through a high intensity course may sound intimidating, but learning how to deal with obstacles and achieve goals for credit in a class does not seem like a bad idea if you are a college student who struggles with something. UNC does not offer self-management courses for credit. However, there are several online tips and strategies as well as events geared toward helping students self-manage. Thinking back, I remember countless emails that offered me help and mentoring. I wish I had taken hold of those opportunities then. I know some study strategies would help me now.    

Works Cited  

Choi, Jean H. and Kyong-Mee Chung. “Effectiveness of a College-Level Self-Management Course on Successful Behavior Change” Behavior Modification. 12 Dec. 2011. Web. 15 Mar 2012.

Watson D. L., Tharp R. G. (2006). Self-Directed Behavior (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth

Martin G., Pear J. (2007). Behavior modification: What is it and how to do it (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall

To Eat, Or Not To Eat

Photo by: Danielle Helm

               
Tumblr, a social blogging platform with an estimated 13 million users, recently took a stand against eating disorders.  With a frightening increase of self-hamring blogs and user content promoting eating disorders, the site placed a blanket ban on content outwardly promoting eating disorders.  While the site’s ability to regulate this new term of agreement is questionable at best, it brings to light eating disorders’ pervasiveness.  A recent study the Behavior Modification Journal, explored the sources of eating disorders and found, as to be expected, television advertisements to be the largest culprit.

The study consisted of two groups of women, one group containing 25 women with eating disorders and a second control group of 25 women without a history of eating disorders.  Of the eating disorder group, or ED group as the study labels it, 20 were diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, 3 were diagnosed.  The group without a history of eating disorders was used as the control group for the experiment.

                The actual experiment itself gauged the two groups’ reactions to two separate series of five minute advertisements selected by the scientists. One set of advertisements focused solely on beauty products that emphasized female beauty and slenderness. These beauty advertisements were intended to act as a stimulus for scientists to gauge thoughts of negative self image. The second set of ads were non beauty related and were for products like diapers and hammers. These were the control group used to evaluate the participants general reactions towards TV ads in general.

Before and after each group watched one of the five minute blocks of advertisements, they were given a series of questions that gauged their mood, emotions, thoughts of self worth, and body image.  After the beauty related advertisements specifically, the participants were asked to answer questions about the women in them.  They had to answer whether they thought the specific women were thinner than they were, their healthiness, and how happy they thought they would be in real life. These questions acted as a marker to relate the participants’ personal self image with how their perceptions of people who were considered thin and attractive.

The data between the two groups indicated, as to be expected, that the beauty ads emphasizing thinness created disproportionately negative thoughts of self worth for the eating disorder group.  Their emotions and rankings of self worth after were significantly lower than their starting point prior to viewing. They reported feeling unhappier, less attractive, and more hopeless than they did at the beginning of the experiment. The control group displayed similar results but with less emotional shift between their state before and after the ads. The non eating disorder group reported feeling noticeably happier than the eating disorder group prior to viewing and has comparatively less negative reactions after.  Though their reactions were less polarized, the data from the control group did provide obvious evidence that the beauty advertisements produced negative self image.

As a premise of the experiment, the scientists acted under the assumption that negative body image leads to eating disorders. Though this may be viewed as slightly presumptuous, they explain that psychological studies indicate a person’s body image has a direct correlation to their probability of developing eating disorders; the more negative a person’s body image, the more likely they are to engage in eating disorders. No, this is not terribly groundbreaking material, but as the premise for the experiment, it had to be explained in order to assess the scientists’ conclusion. Their hypothesis was that advertisements had the ability to explicitly dictate viewers’ body image, and they were wildly correct. All participants in the study indicated emotional and cognitive influence from the ads they watched. The beauty advertisements influenced the women negatively across the board. 

While the findings of the study were not necessarily unexpected, they play a major role in the overall issue of eating disorders. The study provides scientific evidence that television advertisements are pushing viewers towards unhealthy lifestyles. Sites like Tumblr who wish to prevent eating disorders’ proliferation, can use the study’s evidence to back their blanket ban of images promoting anorexia.  Though the results may be considered common knowledge to a degree, that knowledge is now validated and peer reviewed. Now it carries force. 

Works Cited

Legenbaure, Tanja. Ruhl, Ilka. “Influence of Appearance-Related TV Commercials on Body Image State” Behavior Modification. 7 April 2010. Web. 14  March 2012.

Gambling!...Treatment

Photo by: Joelk75

By: Sarah Miller

Cha-ching! Everyone likes the sound of winning some money. Sadly, money does not grow on trees. One of the most common ways to win “free” money is to gamble. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines gambling as playing a game for money or property or to bet on an uncertain outcome. When gambling, the thrill of uncertainty draws people to the table. Unfortunately, gambling can have serious consequences. Just like drugs, alcohol, or any other obsession, gambling easily becomes addicting. With addiction, comes the need for treatment. According to University of Connecticut Health Center psychiatrists, David M. Ledgerwood and Nancy M. Petry, gambling treatments exist but many challenges hinder the process.

There are many forms of gambling treatment that are still being tested to determine whether they are helpful for pathological gamblers. There are self-guided approaches and cognitive-behavioral treatments. Hodgins, Currie, and el-Guebaly have tested self-guided approaches for treatment in 2001. They randomly assigned gamblers that were seeking treatment to one of three groups: “(a) self-help workbook”, “(b) workbook plus motivational telephone interview”, or “(c) a no-treatment control (placement on waiting list)”. They found that there were no major differences between the workbook and control groups. On the other hand, the participants who were given the workbook and motivational interview actually reported a steady decrease in their gambling habits, than the participants who just received the workbook. While the data gathered is helpful to the future of gambling treatment, there is still more research that needs to be done to determine how appropriate this form of treatment is. The second form of gambling treatment is cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. CBT is the most comprehensively and frequently studied interventions today. In strictly cognitive approaches, the therapist and patient distinguish the distortions of the patient’s gambling. They do this by recognizing modifications of thought and the illusion of winning. In CBT, “behavioral components may be added to reinforce non-gambling behaviors, encourage problem solving, improve social skills, and prevent relapse”. Ladouceur, Sylvain, and Boisvert studied cognitive therapy administered in individuals and groups. Sylvain gathered pathological gamblers and randomly assigned each participant to individual CBT or to the waiting-list (control group). After the treatment, the patients that were put under CBT treatment reported less gambling. This study proves that CBT can be helpful but the data within the experiment is weakened for multiple reasons. Most experiments on gambling have small sample sizes and a lack of follow-up data.

The most current research, by the authors David M. Ledgerwood and Nancy M. Petry, was a CBT study that was based around changing the environment of the gamblers. They believed that changing their environment would make their urges to gamble less likely. They made them develop new hobbies and focus on other things. These patients gained new cognitive skills. Their study included 231 patients that “were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: (a) Gambler Anonymous (GA) referral, (b) GA referral plus an eight-chapter CBT workbook, or (c) GA referral plus eight sessions of individual CBT”. CBT was more helpful that just receiving referral to Gamblers Anonymous. Also, the individual CBT sessions helped greatly in reducing gambling activities by participants. They used an intent-to-treat analysis, “(i.e., we included patients in our analyses even if they did not follow through with treatment”), which ultimately led to a higher outcome in follow-up information than in most studies on gambling.

Many challenges are hindering the progress of treatments for gambling. One of the main problems is that pathological gambling is defined as an impulse-control disorder but is also very similar to substance dependence. Substance dependence is characterized by indications of tolerance and withdrawal. Impulse-control disorders are characterized by the lack of being able to resist destructive impulses or drives. Both of these causes are very different from each other, which makes it very hard to construct treatment that can apply to both. The second problem is that pathological gambling tends to come with other co-occurring psychiatric and substance-use disorders. This makes it even more difficult and raises the question of whether or not gambling treatment should co-occur with treatment for these psychological disorders. If this was the case, each treatment would have to be different to fit the needs of the individual. The third problem, is that pharmacological treatments were supposed to be the most successful way to reduce gambling, just like with many other drugs, but so far there has been no medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating pathological gambling. Fourth, with so many problems in treatment, there is a high chance that the treatment will fail. If the treatment fails then many of these gamblers will relapse. Also, these participants may relapse even if the treatment is working. The final problem is that there is not enough research to be able to determine what is exactly needed for pathological gambling. Research on gambling is not as advanced as other problems, such as drug addiction. Further research will have to be done, in order to determine the best treatments for pathological gamblers.

The future of gambling treatment has a lot of promise but needs a lot of work. Research in the field of gambling has not reached the excessive standards that it must meet, in order to perfect the efficiency of gambling treatment. Recent research has helped to consider which options may be the most effective. Changing pathological gamblers’ environments and shifting their cognitive distortions are the most effective treatments so far, and currently have the most empirical support. Our society is still not positive on what the best possible treatment for pathological gamblers is. However, we are sure that the more research that is done, the closer we will be to perfecting this terrible addiction.

Work Cited

          David M. Ledgerwood and Nancy M. Petry Current Directions in Psychological Science , Vol. 14, No. 2 (Apr., 2005), pp. 89-94