Yoga practice enhances the level of self-esteem in pre-adolescent school children Dr. Bhardwaj Abhishek Kr.*, Dr. Agrawal Gaurav** *Senior Research Fellow, Department of Yog Research, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India **Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Dev Sanskriti University, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India Online published on 21 November, 2013. Abstract Yoga had been reported to have shown the beneficial effects on different psycho-physiological variables. The present study aimed to assess the effect of yoga on the level of self-esteem in pre-adolescents school going children. Forty-four participants (from a school in Haridwar, India) ages ranged between 10 and 12 years (group mean ages 11.27 ± 0.82 years) were randomized to a yoga group and a control group. The yoga group practiced yoga (breathing techniques, postures and relaxation technique), for 35 minutes daily for six days a week for one month while the control group didn't receive any intervention. Self-esteem was assessed using the Indian adaptation of Battle's self-esteem inventory for children before and after one month of intervention. This was an experimental-control group study. Unpaired t-test was used to compare data recorded after one month. The yoga group showed a significant increase in the level of overall (p<0.05), general (p<0.01) and social self-esteem (p<0.01). Yoga improved the self-esteem level in pre-adolescent school children so same should be employed as part of school curriculum. Top Keywords Self-esteem Pre-adolescence Yoga. Top |