Behavioral Effects of Yoga Based Interventions in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Behavioral regulation during childhood and adolescence plays an important role in academic achievement, social functioning, and long term mental health. Yoga based interventions have increasingly been explored as strategies to enhance behavioral and emotional regulation in youth. However, evidence focusing specifically on behavioral outcomes in children and adolescents remains limited.
Objective: The present systematic review was conducted to consolidate the available evidence regarding the influence of yoga-based interventions on behavioral outcomes among children and adolescents.
Methods: A PRISMA-guided search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science identified 16 eligible intervention studies published since 2015 involving participants aged 7–18 years and examining yoga-based interventions with behavioral outcomes.
Results: Included studies comprised controlled trials and pre–post designs conducted in school and clinical settings. Yoga-based interventions were generally associated with improved attention, self-regulation, behavioral control, and social functioning, with reported reductions in impulsivity and behavioral problems across different populations.
Conclusion: Yoga based interventions may positively influence behavioral functioning in children and adolescents, particularly attention, self regulation, and social competence. However, heterogeneity in intervention protocols and outcome measures highlights the need for further well designed RCTs.