Can yoga and kindness heal trauma? small study tests a new approach
NCT ID NCT06657950
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This pilot study tested a 12-week program combining gentle yoga and mindful self-compassion for women who have experienced interpersonal violence and feel distressed. Eleven women took part to see if the program was feasible, acceptable, and safe. The goal was to improve mood and reduce stress, but because it was a small, early trial without a control group, results are preliminary.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Integrative hatha yoga and mindful self-compassion training
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a gentle, non-drug way to help women survivors of violence feel less distressed and more at ease.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 11 participants and no comparison group. Results may not apply to everyone, and the program may not work for all.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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11 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2024
- Finished
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May 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Female 2. Ages 18-65 3. Report having experienced interpersonal violence (defined to include all forms throughout the lifespan, confirmed with the Trauma History Questionnaire (THQ\]) 4. Report being distressed, defined by a score of \>5 on the Kessler-6 screener 5. Speak and understand English well enough to understand questionnaires when they are read aloud 6. Have access to a telephone through owning one, a relative/friend, or an agency 7. Have access to a device that will support use of the video platform we are using to conduct assessments and for home practice yoga video sessions Exclusion Criteria: 1. Inability to be physically active, determined by a score \>1 on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) and physician non-consent of participation 2. Planned surgery in next 6 months, as this would interfere with study participation 3. Pregnancy, as yoga should be modified for pregnancy Women who meet criteria for the following: 4. Current mania as determined by the Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and OCD and Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders (DIAMOND) 5. Lifetime history of psychotic disorders (DIAMOND) 6. Current probable severe substance use disorder (DIAMOND) 7. Current diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or history in past year (DIAMOND) 8. Moderate or high risk for suicide on the adapted Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale screen version-recent (C-SSRS) and/or endorsement of suicidal plan/intent in the past 3 months 9. Non-stable course of psychiatric treatments (medication, psychotherapy) for the last 8 weeks 10. Plan to move from the area in the next 6 months, as this may preclude study participation given enrollment timeframes 11. Self-report of experiencing intimate partner violence currently or within past six months (assessed by the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale 2 \[R-CTS2\]), as this would require a different type of intervention 12. Current weekly yoga practice or current participation in mindfulness-based programming, as these are the study interventions
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Butler Hospital
Providence, Rhode Island, 06442, United States
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