ARTICLE REVIEW
Yoga and Social Support Reduce Prenatal Depression, Anxiety, and Cortisol
Natanya Janelle Gladner
Psychology 200 Yoga and Social Support Reduces Prenatal Depression, Anxiety and Cortisol In an article by Field, Diego, Delgado, & Medina (2012), the effects that yoga and a good social support system for pregnant women had on their depression and anxiety levels are examined. More specifically, the more immediate effects and longer term effects that either yoga or a strong social support produced. In this twelve week study the participating women were divided into two separate groups, one group participated in yoga and the other in a support group that had no discussion leader. This article concludes that although yoga has a more …show more content…
The women were then selected randomly to participate in either yoga. In order to be considered for participation the women had to be pregnant with only one child, had to have no previous complications while being pregnant including medical illnesses, and younger than forty years old with no drug use (Field et al, 2012). The women that were selected to participate were generally of low income families, ranging in age from eighteen to thirty-eight years of age and of African American or Hispanic descent that graduated high school. These women were compensated per session for transportation needs and childcare if needed an amount of $20. The women that were in the yoga group participated in a class, designed for women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, led by a professional yoga instructor once a week for twenty minutes for twelve weeks. Those who were recruited into the social support group met on the same schedule. These women were analyzed at three intervals throughout the study: the first being before treatment, the second at the end of treatment, and the last between one to three weeks after the baby is born (Field et al). To measure the levels of depression and anxiety at certain intervals women were given questionnaires related to the way they felt and then those questionnaires were analyzed for a …show more content…
The results of the study suggest that yoga and social support may be good in reducing cortisol levels and reducing depression and anxiety in pregnant women over a short period of time, yet all studies have limitations. The limitations of this study are as follows, the SCID test was only given at the beginning of the study and these sessions were shorter than others that were administered in previous studies (Field et al, 2012). The authors end by saying that this study was just the beginning and in order to determine if the effects lead to lower premature births and low birth weight more research needs to be done with the problems
Yoga and Social Support Reduce Prenatal Depression, Anxiety, and Cortisol
Natanya Janelle Gladner
Psychology 200 Yoga and Social Support Reduces Prenatal Depression, Anxiety and Cortisol In an article by Field, Diego, Delgado, & Medina (2012), the effects that yoga and a good social support system for pregnant women had on their depression and anxiety levels are examined. More specifically, the more immediate effects and longer term effects that either yoga or a strong social support produced. In this twelve week study the participating women were divided into two separate groups, one group participated in yoga and the other in a support group that had no discussion leader. This article concludes that although yoga has a more …show more content…
The women were then selected randomly to participate in either yoga. In order to be considered for participation the women had to be pregnant with only one child, had to have no previous complications while being pregnant including medical illnesses, and younger than forty years old with no drug use (Field et al, 2012). The women that were selected to participate were generally of low income families, ranging in age from eighteen to thirty-eight years of age and of African American or Hispanic descent that graduated high school. These women were compensated per session for transportation needs and childcare if needed an amount of $20. The women that were in the yoga group participated in a class, designed for women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, led by a professional yoga instructor once a week for twenty minutes for twelve weeks. Those who were recruited into the social support group met on the same schedule. These women were analyzed at three intervals throughout the study: the first being before treatment, the second at the end of treatment, and the last between one to three weeks after the baby is born (Field et al). To measure the levels of depression and anxiety at certain intervals women were given questionnaires related to the way they felt and then those questionnaires were analyzed for a …show more content…
The results of the study suggest that yoga and social support may be good in reducing cortisol levels and reducing depression and anxiety in pregnant women over a short period of time, yet all studies have limitations. The limitations of this study are as follows, the SCID test was only given at the beginning of the study and these sessions were shorter than others that were administered in previous studies (Field et al, 2012). The authors end by saying that this study was just the beginning and in order to determine if the effects lead to lower premature births and low birth weight more research needs to be done with the problems