Contribuições da prática de yoga na percepção dos sintomas de estresse, ansiedade e depressão em estudantes universitários

Abstract

Introduction: University students are particularly susceptible to increased stress, anxiety, and depression, especially medical students. Yoga, a non-pharmacological alternative, has gained legitimacy due to its inclusion in Integrative and Complementary Practices, ease of application in Higher Education Institutions, and evidence on mental health parameters. This dissertation investigated the effects of yoga on the mental health of university students through a systematic review protocol, a systematic review, an integrative review, and an experimental study. The central objective was to determine if a yoga program could reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve self-reported quality of life. The research was structured into four articles, each addressing a specific aspect of yoga's effects in the academic context. Products: The systematic review analyzed 12 experimental studies with 1,660 participants. Yoga showed significant effects, most notably in reducing stress, followed by anxiety, and to a lesser extent, depression. Hatha Yoga was the most studied modality, with interventions lasting 6 to 12 weeks. Methodological quality was assessed using Cochrane tools: five studies had low risk of bias, six had moderate risk due to randomization and blinding issues, and one had high risk. The integrative review focused on stress, synthesizing 10 articles that showed yoga effectively reduces perceived stress, with moderate to small effects. Combining physical practices, breathing exercises, and meditation was particularly effective. Hatha Yoga was the most frequent modality. The review highlighted the need for more research on the optimal intensity and proportion of movements and meditation. The experimental study involved 48 medical students in two groups: Yoga Group (GY) and Meditation Counseling Group (GAM). Over 8 weeks, pre- and post-intervention assessments measured stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. In GY, anxiety scores (GAD-7) dropped from 13.4 ± 4.7 to 5.8 ± 4.4 (p < 0.001), indicating a large effect; in GAM, from 13.2 ± 5.0 to 8.8 ± 5.1 (p = 0.010). For stress (EPS10), GY scores fell from 27.5 ± 4.6 to 19.4 ± 2.4 (p < 0.001), a large effect; GAM scores decreased from 26.4 ± 6.4 to 20.2 ± 6.8 (p < 0.001). Depression (DASS-21) showed small to moderate effects in GY and moderate to large in GAM. Quality of life (SF-12) improved slightly in GY (p = 0.075 for physical health; p = 0.270 for mental health), without statistical significance. Conclusions: Yoga is an effective intervention for reducing stress, anxiety, and, to a lesser extent, depression among university students, especially in medical school. Implementing regular yoga programs in universities can promote a healthier academic environment. Future research should explore longer interventions and various yoga modalities to enhance these benefits further