The Effectiveness of Yoga for Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction:

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by intrusive and repetitive behaviors impairing daily life. Although cognitive-behavioral therapy and medications are primary treatments, recent studies highlight yoga potential benefits.

Purpose:

This study aimed to summarize the effectiveness of yoga in managing OCD symptoms and improving overall mental well-being.

Methods:

A comprehensive literature review was conducted across PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases, identifying a total of 252 records. After removing 124 duplicates, 128 articles were screened based on title and abstract. Studies were excluded if they were reviews, meta-analyses, editorials, case reports (N = 26), and lacked yoga-based interventions (N = 11), or focused on conditions other than OCD (N = 45). Forty-six full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, with 39 exclusions for being reviews, editorial, case reports (N = 21), addressing conditions other than OCD (N = 4), or being out of topic (N = 14). Seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this review. Qualitative rating of included studies was performed by the Qualitative Assessment Tool for quantitative studies.

Results:

The included studies showed that yoga interventions led to significant reductions in OCD symptom severity, as measured by standardized assessment tools such as the Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Various forms of yoga, including kundalini and rajyoga, were associated with improved mental health outcomes, reduced anxiety levels, and enhanced overall well-being. However, the generalizability of these findings is limited due to heterogeneity in study design, small sample sizes, and variations in intervention protocols.

Conclusions:

The findings suggest that yoga-based interventions may be effective as adjunctive therapies alongside conventional treatments for OCD. However, well-designed randomized controlled trials with standardized methodologies are needed to establish definitive conclusions.