AUTHOR(S): Rajnish Kumar Pandey and Markandey Nath Tiwari

ABSTRACT:
Adolescence represents a pivotal developmental window characterized by rapid biological, psychological, and social changes. During this stage, young individuals grapple with the formation of self-identity, emotional regulation, and cognitive control, all of which have lasting implications for adult functioning. Self-esteem, attention, and emotional intelligence (EI) are particularly vulnerable and yet crucial developmental constructs that shape adolescent well-being, academic achievement, interpersonal relationships, and resilience against mental health disorders. The increasing prevalence of anxiety, depression, attentional difficulties, and social-emotional challenges among adolescents has necessitated the search for holistic, preventive, and sustainable interventions. Within this context, yoga has emerged as a culturally adaptable and evidence-informed practice with potential psychophysiological benefits. Rooted in ancient Indian philosophy and increasingly integrated into Western therapeutic paradigms, yoga encompasses physical postures (?sana), breathing techniques (pr???y?ma), and meditative practices (dhy?na), which collectively influence neurocognitive functioning, emotional regulation, and self-perception. This narrative review synthesizes empirical findings from interdisciplinary research spanning developmental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, educational interventions, and contemplative science to examine how structured yoga interventions may foster improvements in self-esteem, attentional capacity, and emotional intelligence during adolescence. Drawing from randomized controlled trials, longitudinal cohort studies, neuroimaging data, and meta-analyses, the review highlights consistent evidence supporting yoga’s efficacy in enhancing adolescents’ intrapersonal awareness, executive attention, and emotional adaptability. Notably, yoga’s regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, modulation of default mode network (DMN) activity, and promotion of parasympathetic tone are explored as underlying mechanisms facilitating these psychological shifts. While yoga is increasingly adopted in educational and clinical contexts across diverse cultural settings, the review also addresses critical limitations such as methodological heterogeneity, short intervention durations, lack of active control groups, and socio-contextual variability. Special attention is paid to gender differences, cultural appropriateness, and school-based implementation models to provide a nuanced understanding of yoga's applicability in adolescent development. Ultimately, the review argues for yoga as a promising adjunct to traditional psychoeducational and therapeutic frameworks, capable of cultivating resilience, attentional focus, and emotional intelligence in youth.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/yogic.2025.v10.i2a.1759

Pages: 18-27  |  1746 Views  729 Downloads