To Connect Within and Be Agentic: A Field Experiment Examining the Impact of a Yoga-Based Intervention on Well-being

Mental health issues among young adults pose a significant challenge globally. Knowledge about yoga’s mechanisms of action to promote well-being in young adults is limited. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a yoga-based intervention (YBI) to promote well-being and the mediating effects of self-connection (SC) and sense of agency (SOA).

A sample of management students (n = 152) answered questionnaires assessing well-being, SC, and SOA. The design was a randomized wait-list controlled experimental study involving a yoga group (YBI; n = 78) and a wait-list control group (WLC; n = 74), with data collected before (T1) and after the intervention (T2). The 10-day holistic YBI consisted of daily sessions of 75 minutes covering philosophy of yoga and combining breathwork, body stretching, meditation, and reflection.

Compared to those in the WLC group, mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated a significant positive change in SC (partial η² = 0.025) and well-being (partial η² = 0.028) for participants in the YBI group. Further, results from the mediation analysis indicated that YBI improved the levels of well-being among management students by enhancing their SC and SOA.

The study supports the effectiveness of the intervention and provides insights into how yoga improves well-being. Further, the study provides experimental evidence on the efficacy of YBI in enhancing the well-being of management students and suggests that YBI can be appropriately incorporated in higher-education institutions to support student well-being.

This study is not preregistered.