METHOD

Subjects

The subjects were 20 girls, whose ages ranged between 10 & 13 years, who were selected at random from a total of 34 girls of the same age range studying in a residential school.

Design

The 20 subjects were randomly assigned to two groups using a standard random number table (7). One group was given training in yoga, which included physical activity, instructions to relax, and awareness of physical and other sensations. The comparison group was given physical training, so that this group would also have a comparable amount of physical activity as the yoga group, but without instructions about relaxation and awareness. Physical training and Yoga were practiced by the respective groups for one hour fifteen minutes per day, for 7 days a week. Both groups were assessed at the beginning and end of a month, during which they carried on their respective practices.

Assessment

The Tower of London test requires the subjects to move an array of colored beads mounted on three vertical rods, to match a particular goal arrangement (2). For each subject, increasingly complex goals were set, so that a subject had to complete three tasks, the first requiring 2 moves to reach the goal, the second 4 moves, and the third, 5 moves. Subjects were assessed based on planning time, execution time, and number of moves.

Yoga

The yoga training included physical postures (asanas), voluntarily regulated breathing (pranayama), internal cleansing practices (kriyas), meditation, devotional songs (bhajans) and relaxation techniques.

Physical Training

Physical training consisted of standing and sitting exercises, jogging, bending forward, backward, and side ways, and lifting dumbbells.

Analysis

Post-pre comparisons of the data were made using Wilcoxon paired signed ranks test, for each group separately.