The Impact of Trauma-Sensitive Yoga on Persons Who Are Incarcerated: Identifying, Understanding, and Controlling Emotions

Abstract

Background While persons who are incarcerated have high rates of previous trauma, further traumatization can result from the experience of incarceration. The inability to effectively process trauma can lead to maladaptive behavior, a serious concern for correctional administrators. Acquiring the skills to regulate emotions and mitigate feelings of impulsivity help persons who are incarcerated take responsibility for their actions to make better decisions, simultaneously encouraging prosocial behavior, decreasing institutional misconduct, and reducing behaviors that place one at risk for repeated involvement in the criminal justice system. Purpose Trauma-sensitive yoga (TSY) is one correctional intervention that can effectively address misconduct issues. Yet, the specific impact of TSY on populations who are incarcerated has not been empirically investigated. Methods A mixed-methods study, utilizing pretest and posttest interviewing, was conducted with male residents in a New York jail who completed a 4-week TSY program. Results Data indicated that those who participated in TSY experienced statistically significant improvements in self-esteem, self-control, resilience, institutional conduct, self-efficacy, and emotion regulation. Qualitative data also indicated high levels of connectivity with other TSY class participants. Implications This research implies that cost-effective interventions like TSY have the ability to produce beneficial outcomes within a short time, which is integral to furthering rehabilitative efforts within the transient nature of the jail setting.