FOR AND AGAINST Stress management programmes

摘要

A centuries old practice that has been tested for its ability to cope with 21st century stressors is yoga. In 2011, for example, Hartfiel et al reported in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health (bit.ly/lS4X6bl) on a study of employees at a British university. Volunteers were randomly assigned either to a group provided with six weeks of yoga classes of one hour a week during the study, or to a control group given the same classes after completion of the study. In comparison with the control group, the group taking yoga classes during the trial reported marked improvements in feelings of clear-mindedness, composure, elation, energy, confidence, life purpose, satisfaction and self-confidence. This study illustrates a further problem with evidence: you can't make people do yoga and it could be that the people who volunteer for such studies are the ones most likely to benefit. Measuring feelings such as "life purpose" and "elation" does not really provide the evidence necessary to build a business case for providing such activities.