Abstract
This qualitative study fills a research gap and provides insight into how and why OT practitioners currently use yoga to benefit clients with multiple sclerosis. The following themes emerged through thematic data analysis of eight semistructured interviews: (1) OT and yoga are a natural and complementary fit, (2) holistic benefits for clients beyond therapy, (3) leveraging personal ties to yoga, and (4) use of yoga is dependent on client factors and clinical environment.
Primary Author and Speaker: Haylee A. Candray
Contributing Authors: Karen Atler, Charla Kinkel, Anna Leora Fox, Brett Fling, and Arlene Schmid
The purpose of this study was to fill a research gap, by providing initial insight into the use of yoga in occupational therapy (OT) practice for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). More specifically, this exploratory qualitative study aimed to answer how and why occupational therapists (OTs) integrate yoga into clinical practice for PwMS. Eight OTs, residing across the United States, completed an online survey acknowledging their use of yoga for PwMS as well as interest in being contacted for future research. These OTs were emailed to ask for their participation in a 20 minute semi-structured telephone interview regarding how and why they use yoga for PwMS. Telephone interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and inductively open coded. Themes, answering the questions of how and why OTs use yoga for PwMS, emerged through thematic data analysis and peer review including: (1) OT and yoga are a natural and complementary fit; (2) holistic benefits for clients beyond therapy; (3) leveraging personal ties to yoga; and (4) use of yoga is dependent on client factors and clinical environment. Since OTs use activities to promote health and well-being, yoga may be appropriate for PwMS because its use is context- and client-centered and allows for shared engagement in a meaningful activity for clients and therapists. Furthermore, as yoga and OT together are a natural and complementary fit, OTs use of yoga may be holistically beneficial to PwMS both during and after OT sessions. This study can inform future OT practice and is important to OT policy and science as it fills a gap in the research regarding OTs current use of yoga in intervention sessions for PwMS. Future research needs to establish the efficacy of integrating yoga into clinical OT practice as well as qualitatively assess PwMS' experience of engaging in yoga during OT.
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