Yoga in Kids

Yoga training in an urban elementary school for children with emotional-behavioral disabilities.


Naomi Steiner, MD, Principle Investigator


An estimated 20 to 25% of school-aged children experience mental health disorders. Schools are struggling to support children who present with emotional behavioral disabilities, including anxiety, depression, aggression, conduct disorder, hyperactivity and attention difficulties. Yoga is a multimodal form of exercise that includes specialized breathing techniques, postures, relaxation, meditation and visualization. It is receiving increased attention as a therapy to support well-being and specifically to teach stress reduction and coping skills in children. An increased body of research has shown benefits of yoga in children.

Dr. Steiner’s research team has just recently run a study examine the efficacy of delivering yoga to a group of children with evidence of emotional behavioral disorders at school. The study has taken place over the past few years and data is currently being analyzed. Preliminary data shows encouraging results from teachers who found students who received two yoga sessions a week to have increased focus at school along with decreased emotional behavioral symptoms.

“A child who learns a language learns a culture”

-Dr Naomi Steiner

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