Digital Yoga And Mindfulness To Improve Mental Health And Social-Emotional Learning In Underserved Children

With rising mental health challenges among children in underserved communities, accessible interventions are urgently needed. Yoga and mindfulness (YM) practices, recognized as complementary health approaches, have shown potential to reduce anxiety, depression, and enhance emotional regulation. To explore scalable delivery, we implemented a digital YM (DYM) program in an afterschool setting within economically disadvantaged areas in the Jackson metropolitan area, Mississippi. PURPOSE: To evaluate DYM’s impact on mental health and social-emotional learning (SEL) in racial/ethnic minority children from underserved communities. METHODS: A one-group pre/post-test mixed-methods design captured quantitative impacts and qualitative insights for a holistic assessment of DYM’s effectiveness. Forty-three students (Mage = 7.63, SD = 1.64; 60% girls; 96% Black/African American) completed the program, with 12 afterschool teachers (83% female) providing qualitative feedback. Over six weeks, ten 40-minute DYM sessions were conducted via Zoom, with interactive displays, and included five minutes of breathing, 20 minutes of yoga, and 15 minutes of mindfulness activities. RESULTS: Quantitative findings showed significant improvements in emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and hyperactivity (p < .05, ds = -0.40 to -0.31). Although no significant gains were found in social-emotional learning domains (p > .05), small effect sizes were noted in emotional regulation, sense of belonging, and engagement (ds = 0.25 to 0.37). Qualitative results identified four key themes: positive engagement in DYM sessions, emotional regulation support, improved social interactions, and culturally relevant, equitable mental health support. CONCLUSION: DYM programs show promise in addressing the mental health needs of children in underserved communities, underscoring their potential for broader application in educational settings. Teacher feedback further emphasizes the value of culturally relevant interventions tailored to the unique needs of these students. Given the scalability of digital programs, DYM can be adapted to various educational and community contexts, enhancing the accessibility of mental health resources and promoting inclusive support for SEL. Supported by: Supported by the JSU Faculty Research Seed Grant and the Jackson Public School District Grant.