[Symposium 71] Exploring the potential of Traditional Indian yoga as a psychotherapy based on clinical experiences from other countries

[SY-71-04] FROM THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST STAGE OF EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON THE USE OF THERAPEUTIC YOGA IN PEOPLE DEPENDENT ON ALCOHOL

*Gantsetseg Tumur-Ochir^1,2, Nasanjargal Lkhgavasuren¹, Enkhchimeg Birenbaral¹, Uranchimeg Erdenebaatar¹, Enkhchimeg Chuluunbaatar¹, Binderiya Bayanmunkh², Uuriintuya Batmend^2,3, Naidan Bat-Ulzii^3,4, Bayarmaa Ganbold⁵, Gijir Jamsran¹, Enkhnaran Tumurbaatar^2,3, Enkhsaikhan Tumurbaatar¹, Kherlenzaya Enkhtungalag¹, Elena Kazantseva^1,6, Hiromi Mori⁷, Yukiko Kezuka⁷, Kimura Keishin⁷ (1.National Center for Mental Health of Mondolia(Mongolia), 2.Mongolian Neuroscience Society (Mongolia), 3.Brain and Mind Research Institute, Mongolian Academy of Sciences (Mongolia), 4.Department of Psychology, National University of Mongolia (Mongolia), 5.Creative Brain" Psychology Institute NGO(Mongolia), 6.SodMed Mental Health Center(Mongolia), 7.Japan Yoga Therapy Society(Mongolia))

Keywords:

alcohol,exercise,psychology,society

Research from countries such as Japan, Thailand, and the United States has demonstrated that incorporating therapeutic yoga into addiction recovery programmes improves treatment outcomes. However, there is limited research on this approach among individuals with alcohol use disorders in Mongolia. This study aims to examine the impact of combining yoga therapy with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on alcohol abstinence, refusal ability, and quality of life.A clinical trial has been conducted since March 2025 in collaboration with the Japanese Society of Therapeutic Yoga, involving in-patient members of a hospital-based “Self-Help Group”. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (yoga + CBT) and a control group (CBT only) in a 1:1 ratio. Each participant in the experimental group practised yoga daily for 3 months. Data collection used three internationally validated instruments: the Alcohol Relapse Risk Assessment Scale (ARRS), WHOQOL-BREF, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). We administered these in four phases through one-on-one interviews. The study received ethical approval from the Ministry of Health of Mongolia. Data were analysed using SPSS 25.A total of 121 individuals aged 27–71 participated, with 66 in the experimental group and 55 in the control group. By comparing baseline and fourth-week scores, the experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in physical health (35.87 to 44.57), mental well-being (32.87 to 46.13), and social relationships (34.3 to 42.6), while the control group saw declines in all three areas. Self-esteem scores also improved in the experimental group (from 39.2 to 42.03) but declined in the control group.In conclusion, integrating therapeutic yoga into conventional treatment significantly enhanced participants’ physical and mental health, self-esteem, and social functioning compared to CBT alone.