As a natural extension of our interests in the mind-body relationship, in recent years, our lab has become increasingly interested in research on yoga. Yoga has the potential to play an important role in improving the health and well-being of substantial numbers of US citizens, and a richer understanding of yoga interventions will aid in that mission. In addition, having this reliable, valid yoga assessment tool will advance the science of complementary and integrative medicine. A recent NCCIH-funded study supported our work to develop a tool, the Essential Properties of Yoga Questionnaire (EPYQ), to characterize yoga interventions through ratings of the extent to which a given yoga intervention includes different elements. The EPYQ is thus designed to advance the research literature on yoga. We are currently funded by NCCIH to conduct a clinical trial of mind-body interventions to improve emotion regulation and pain and are supported through NCCIH to be a network to advance research on emotional well-being and mind-body interventions.
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/news/press-releases/nih-networks-to-advance-emotional-well-being-research
Selected Publications:
Adhikari, B., Starkweather, A., Xu, W., Acabchuk, R. L., Ramesh, D., Eze, B., Yang, Y., Yang, G. S., Walker, J., Laubenbacher, R., & Park, C. L. (2022). A feasibility study on yoga’s mechanism of action for chronic low back pain: psychological and neurophysiological changes, including global gene expression and DNA methylation, following a yoga intervention for chronic low back pain. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8 (1), 1-16.
Park, C. L., Finkelstein-Fox, L., Sacco, S., Braun, T., & Lazar, S. (2021). How does yoga reduce stress? A clinical trial testing psychological mechanisms. Stress and Health, 37, 116-126.
Park, C. L., Finkelstein-Fox, L., Groessl, E. J., Lee, S. Y., & Elwy, A. R. (2020). Exploring how different types of yoga change psychological resources and emotional well-being across a single session. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 49, 102354
Greenberg, J., Braun, T. D., Snyder, M.L., Finkelstein-Fox, L., Park, C. L., Schifano, E., Conboy, L. A., & Lazar, S. W. (2018). Is less more? A systematic manipulation of home practice time in a mind-body program. Behaviour Research and Therapy.
Park, C. L., Elwy, A. R., Maiya, M. Sarkin, A. J., Riley, K. E., Eisen, S.V., Gutierrez, I., Finkelstein-Fox, L., Lee, S. Y., Casteel, D., Braun, T., & Groessl, E. J. (2018). The Essential Properties of Yoga Questionnaire (EPYQ): Psychometric Properties. International Journal of Yoga Therapy.
