The Effectiveness of Yoga Practice on Positive Psychology Constructs: Meaning in Life, Gratitude and Marital Intimacy

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of yoga exercises on three dimensions of mental health: meaning in life, gratitude and marital intimacy. The population consisted of married women between the ages 20-55 years from the city of Kermanshah. The participants had high school diplomas and higher education. The research design was pre-test and post-test with a control group. Forty subjects were selected randomly among the volunteers participating in yoga classes in Mersad, Kosar and Shohada sports facilities. The subjects were randomly assigned in two groups: Yoga Group and Control Group. The Yoga Group participated in yoga sessions for two days a week (12 sessions and each session was for 90 minutes). Each yoga session consisted of 10 minutes in awareness rotation, 15 minutes of stretching, 45 minutes asana and 20 minutes of shavasana and the Control Group did not participate in any sessions. All the participants were evaluated via the Meaning of Life Questionnaire (MLQ), Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6) and Intimacy Scale (IS). The statistical method of covariance was used to analyze the data. The results of covariance analysis showed that there were significant differences between the two groups. The meaning of life, gratitude and intimacy in the experimental group were increased significantly (p˂0.1) after 12 sessions of yoga training. In conclusion, the yoga exercise had positive effects on meaning in life, gratitude and intimacy. Likewise, yoga exercises reflect the holistic benefits of well-being experienced by those who practiced yoga. Therefore, the prevalence of this practice by psychotherapists as well as in settings such as schools and universities and offices is recommended. Therefore, the prevalence of this practice from psychotherapists’ point of view is to recommend having such a yoga program in schools, universities and offices.