Feasibility of a Virtual Adaptation of a Yoga Intervention for Veterans with Chronic Pain and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

<b><i>Purpose/Objective:</i></b> This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a yoga intervention for veterans with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain (CP) that was adapted for virtual implementation. <b><i>Research Method/Design:</i></b> This pilot feasibility study at a large, mid-Atlantic Veteran's Affairs (VA) Medical Center with veterans with both PTSD and CP examined the adaptation of an eight-session virtual yoga group intervention. Participants (<i>n</i> = 18, 11 completers) were primarily male (82.4%), African American (76.5%), with no prior yoga experience (70.6%). A measure of client satisfaction was administered at completion and attendance rates were examined. Self-reported symptom measures were also assessed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There were no instances of injuries or other adverse effects related to the study. This study yielded a 39% attrition rate, consistent with in-person yoga interventions. Mean number of sessions attended was 5.53 (SD = 1.73). Participants rated overall satisfaction as high (<i>M</i> = 28.09; SD = 3.96; potential range 8-32). <b><i>Conclusions/Implications:</i></b> This study provides initial data on the acceptability of a virtual yoga intervention for veterans with comorbid PTSD and CP, with attrition and satisfaction rates in line with prior in-person iterations. Implications of virtual adaption and considerations for future efforts will be discussed. This study was not preregistered but has been registered subsequently on ClinicalTrials.gov [CTR #: NCT06123065].