The Effects of a Yoga Intervention on Female First-Semester College Students' Anxiety, Resilience, and Quality of Life

Abstract

The transition from high school to university represents a critical developmental period marked by increased academic, social, and personal demands. Female, first-semester college students are particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges, including elevated anxiety, reduced resilience, and diminished quality of life. Guided by the biopsychosocial framework, this study conceptualized mental health as an interaction among psychological, physical, and social factors during the transition to college. Prior research supports physical activity, especially yoga, as an effective strategy for improving psychological well-being by integrating physical, emotional, and social components. Yoga has been shown to reduce anxiety, enhance resilience, and improve quality of life; however, most existing studies have been conducted outside the United States or within non-representative college population. Additionally, first-semester female college students represent a unique and understudied subgroup, as this population experiences heightened stress during the initial transition to university and demonstrates higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to their male and upper-class peers. Overall, there is limited evidence regarding yoga’s effects on first-semester female college students within American universities. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an 8-week yoga intervention on anxiety, resilience, and overall quality of life among female, first-semester college students. METHODS: Participants were female, first-semester students at East Carolina University and screened for eligibility. Half of those who met eligibility requirements were assigned to the intervention group (n=6) and the other half to a control group (n=5). The 8-week intervention was grounded in the biopsychosocial model and included physical poses to enhance strength and flexibility, mindfulness-based breathwork to support emotional regulation, and group-based sessions to promote social connectedness. Mental health outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention using validated measures including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), and the SF-12 Health Survey. RESULTS: Eleven participants completed the study (intervention n = 6; control n = 5). In the intervention group, anxiety scores decreased from 8.50 ± 2.51 to 6.17 ± 2.48 (p = .06, Cohen’s d =.78), resilience increased from 3.62 ± .67 to 3.86 ± .68 (p = .24, Cohen’s d = .32), and mental quality of life improved from 51.40 ± 7.12 to 55.77 ± 1.23 (p = .07, Cohen’s d = .71). Between-group analyses revealed a significant difference in depression change scores (t(9) = 2.39, p = .041, Cohen’s d = 1.45), driven by increased depressive symptoms in the control group and stable depression levels in the intervention group. No significant between-group differences were observed for anxiety, resilience, or quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the small sample size, findings suggest that an 8-week biopsychosocially informed yoga intervention may help reduce anxiety, improve mental quality of life, and protect against worsening depressive symptoms in female, first-semester college students. Larger studies, such as, are encouraged to further explore yoga as a preventive mental health strategy during the college transition. At the university level, these findings support the integration of mind-body interventions, such as yoga, into campus health promotion and student wellness initiatives.