In general, the Highly Sensitive Person(HSP) who has a high sensory-processing sensitivity is easy to be affected by the internal and external stimulates. Therefore highly sensitive individuals suffer from stress, anxiety, depression more than non-HSP...
In general, the Highly Sensitive Person(HSP) who has a high sensory-processing sensitivity is easy to be affected by the internal and external stimulates. Therefore highly sensitive individuals suffer from stress, anxiety, depression more than non-HSP, and also HSP has lower self-esteem than non-HSP. The purpose of this study was to research the effect of an 8-week Hatha yoga program on the stress, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem of the Highly Sensitive Person.
33 adults who aged 19 to 36 years old in D city of South Korea, were assigned into HSP Hatha yoga groups(n=8), non-HSP Hatha yoga groups(n=9), HSP control groups(n=8), or non-HSP control groups(n=8), and were verify the effects of the Hatha yoga program. Participants completed Perceived Stress Scale(PSS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale(DASS-21), and Rosenberg self-esteem scale questionnaires. The Hatha yoga program was conducted two times a week for 60 minutes. The collected data pre and post the Hatha yoga program were statistically analyzed using mean, standard deviation, homogeneity, and variance with IBM SPSS v.26. After 8-weeks of the Hatha yoga program, conducted a Semi-structural interview with HSP Hatha yoga groups(n=7), non-HSP Hatha yoga groups(n=6) about the effect of the Hatha yoga program. The results of these studies were summarized as follows:
First, there were no statistically significant differences among all of the group's dependent variables. In other words, it was confirmed their homogeneity of variance.
Second, for searching the effect of the Hatha yoga program on HSP and non-HSP, within-subject, between-group effect sizes, and interaction were analyzed with two-way Repeated measure ANOVA. There were no significant differences in within-subject, between-group effect sizes. However, the interaction effects on time × level of SPS(HSP or non-HSP) and time × intervention(participating in Hatha yoga program or not) showed a significant decrease in perceived stress, DASS=21 stress, and depression. The result shows the Hatha yoga program is effective for perceived stress, DASS-21 stress, and depression for HSP more than non-HSP if they participate continuously. Similarly, it is effective for perceived stress, DASS-21 stress, and depression more than control group if they participate it continuously even they are not HSP.
Third, for comparing HSP Hatha yoga groups and non-HSP Hatha yoga groups, within-subject, between-group effect sizes, and interaction were analyzed with repeated measure ANOVA. The within-subject effect sizes showed significant differences in all of the dependent variables. Conversely, there were no significant differences in between-group effect sizes. However, the interaction effects on time × level of SPS(HSP or non-HSP) showed a significant decrease in perceived stress and depression. To put it differently, the Hatha yoga program is effective for perceived stress and DASS-21 depression for HSP more than non-HSP if they participate continuously.
Result of Semi-structural interview, both HSP and non-HSP Hatha yoga group's participants made reference to the positive effects of the Hatha yoga program for all of the dependent variables. As the difference among the groups, HSP group participants mentioned music and birds singing which they were able to hear during yoga class, yoga Mantra, and the instructor's closing word. There is some possibility of showing it is not only getting negative effection easily from the stimulation and/or environment but also feeling the aesthetic parts deeply because of the features of HSP.
In conclusion, findings support the assumption that the Hatha yoga program gives the participant's stress, anxiety, depression and self-esteem the beneficial effect and that Hatha yoga can have more benefits for HSP than non-HSP.
This study provided the possibility for the Hatha yoga program become one of the methods of the solution for HSP who easy to get some problems with their mental health.