All Studies · Anxiety & Stress · Brandao (2024)

Brandao (2024)

High · RCT · Clinical-Grade RCT · n = 106
Quality Index (Adjusted QI) 0.911
0 Low < 0.56 Moderate 0.56–0.77 High ≥ 0.78 1
Study Details
ConditionAnxiety + stress (students, COVID)
Clinical domainAnxiety & Stress
PopulationUniversity students
Sample sizen = 106
Country / SettingPortugal - university setting, online delivery (COVID-19 pandemic)
Protocol clusterGeneral/Varied KY
Duration6 weeks; six weekly 60-min sessions via Zoom
Control typeActive Control
ComparatorAutogenic Training (active control) + No intervention (passive control); 3-arm 1:1:1 design
Outcomes & Effect Sizes
Primary outcomeStress/Burnout
Scales usedSCS; DERS; SWBS; perceived stress
Key resultSelf-compassion increased substantially; emotion regulation improved; spiritual wellbeing increased
Effect sized = 0.72 (self-compassion); moderate-large; online delivery feasibility confirmed
ES value0.72 (d)
Retention84% (89/106 completed)
SafetyNo adverse events; online delivery feasible
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Methodological Summary

Randomized 3-arm; COVID context; online delivery; medium-large sample

KY Protocol Components

Kundalini Yoga Online for University Students (COVID-19 pandemic) DESIGN: RCT with 3 arms: KY (experimental) vs. Autogenic Training (active control) vs. No intervention (passive control); 1:1:1 ratio. POPULATION: N=106 healthy Portuguese university students. DURATION: 6 weekly sessions, 60 minutes each. DELIVERY: Online via Zoom, group format. INSTRUCTOR: Registered yoga teacher certified by IKYTA and KRI. TIMING: October/November 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic with social distancing measures in Portugal). SESSION STRUCTURE: 1. Chanting opening mantras 2. Warm-up breathing exercises (Pranayama — promoting amount, quality, flow, and direction of vital energy) 3. Specific sequence of physical postures (Kriya) involving breath patterns, eye focus, and hand positions, to create predictable outcome in consciousness 4. Relaxation 5. Meditation 6. Chanting closing mantras MATERIALS: Standardized handout provided to participants (available in Supplemental Appendix). TRADITION: "KY as taught by Yogi Bhajan" FOLLOW-UP: 3 time points — baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), 1-month follow-up (T2). OUTCOMES: Psychological distress, emotion regulation, self-compassion, self-concept, spiritual well-being, subjective happiness.

Quality Item Scores — 1 fail · 2 partial · 3 pass · ★ critical
★A1
3
A2
3
★B1
3
★B2
3
B3
3
B4
2
★B5
3
B6
2
★B7
2
★B8
3
B9
3
★C1
3
C2
2
C3
3
JP1
3
Critical fails0
Raw QI0.911
SAF1
Adjusted QI0.911
Final ratingHigh