Objective:
Treatment plans for youth with chronic illness are often solely focused on illness symptomatology, resulting in missed opportunities to address other components of the chronic illness experience. Because yoga incorporates physical activity and meditation, this practice has the potential to improve physical and psychosocial health while improving overall quality of life. Thus, this topical review (a) briefly summarizes preliminary evidence for the impact of yoga on quality of life in pediatric populations with chronic medical conditions, (b) evaluates the current feasibility and acceptability of yoga interventions, (c) describes limitations of current research, and (d) provides an agenda for future research and clinical directions.
Method:
Topical review.
Results:
The current literature on yoga interventions in pediatric populations with chronic medical conditions is limited by methodological issues, impacting the interpretability of findings. While more rigorous methodology is needed, preliminary findings suggest promise for the feasibility and acceptability of yoga interventions. Further, the current data indicates practicing yoga may positively impact quality of life outcomes in pediatric populations with chronic illness.
Conclusion: Yoga interventions may have the potential to improve quality of life in youth with chronic medical conditions. However, further research is warranted to advance the literature and determine whether yoga is an efficacious and effective treatment for pediatric populations with chronic illness.
Implications for Impact Statement
Beyond addressing illness symptoms, yoga may have the potential to improve overall quality of life in youth with chronic illness, highlighting the importance of integrative medicine. Currently, methodological rigor is limited in this area; thus, future studies involving randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and standardized yoga intervention protocols are needed to advance this line of research.
