Effects of a Yoga Exercise Program on Cognitive Distortion, Communication Skills, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Psychological Characteristics Among Probationary Employees

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a ten-week yoga exercise program, implemented for probation employees, on psychological characteristics, cognitive distortions, communication skills, and intolerance of uncertainty. The Cognitive Distortion Scale, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, and the Communication Skills Scale were administered to 71 volunteer employees. Thirty-three employees who indicated they would regularly participate in the yoga exercise program were assigned to the intervention group, and 38 employees were assigned to the control group. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was employed. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 24 software. The intervention group showed a significant adjusted posttest advantage in communication skills, although the time × group interaction was not significant. Psychological symptom scores showed favorable within-group reductions in anxiety, depression, and hostility in the intervention group; however, the adjusted group and time × group effects for overall symptoms were not significant. The total cognitive distortion scores showed a nonsignificant favorable trend. Conversely, intolerance of uncertainty increased significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group, indicating an unfavorable change. The yoga exercise regimen demonstrated limited and mixed effects in reducing anxiety, depression, and feelings of hostility within a group setting, and improving communication skills. The findings suggest that yoga can be integrated into institutional training and psychological support programs for employees.