A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Vajrasana on Physical and Mental Health among Adolescents at Selected PU Colleges in Mysore

 

Mrs. Ansu K. Jose¹, Ms. Saraswathi K.N.², Prof. Sheela Williams³

¹II MSc (N) Student, JSS College of Nursing, Mysore

²Asst. Professor, JSS College of Nursing, Mysore

³Principal, JSS College of Nursing, Mysore

 

ABSTRACT:

Background: Adolescence is the period of life between childhood and maturity, one of the most crucial stages through which the human individual passes in the journey from conception to death. Emotional balance affects the physical and mental health of adolescents. Vajrasana is a type of asana and the regular practice of Vajrasana regulates the physical and mental health.1

Methodology: A quasi experimental non equivalent pre test and post test control group design was adopted for the study. The samples were selected by non- probability convenience sampling. 60 adolescents were selected for the study. The tools used for the data collection were proforma for selected personal variables and self administered physical and mental health scale. On day 1 pre test done for both experimental and control group. Vajrasana was administered for 12 days for experimental group and routine care for control group. On the day 14th, post test was conducted for both groups.

Results: The data analyses were done by using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that there is a significant reduction in the mean post test  physical and mental health scores of adolescents in experimental group than the control group as evident from the ‘t(58)’ value 2.81 and 2.0 at 0.05 level of significance. There is no significant association found at 0.05 levels between level of physical and mental health of adolescents and their selected personal variables.

Conclusion: Physical and Mental illness are more common in adolescents.  Yogic asana was effective in improving physical and mental health of adolescence. The nurse educators and administrator should take the responsibility for administration of Yogic asana for improving physical and mental health among youth.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Adolescents describe the teenage years between 13 and 19 and can be considered the transitional stage from childhood to adulthood. However, the physical and psychological changes that occur in adolescents can start earlier, during the preteen years (ages 9-12)¹.  Yoga is highly recommended as a choice for good mental and physical health. Vajrasana helps to keep blood pressure under control, strengthens thigh and calf muscles as well as it helps in stabilizing the mind.²

 

NEED FOR THE STUDY:

According to World Health Organization more than 2.6 million young people aged 10 to 24 die each year, mostly due to preventable causes. About 16 million girls aged 15 to 19 give birth every year. Young people, 15 to 24 years old. In any given year, about 20% of adolescents will experience a mental health problem, most commonly depression or anxiety. An estimated 150 million young people use tobacco. Approximately 430 young people aged 10 to 24 die every day through interpersonal violence. Road traffic injuries cause an estimated 700 young people to die every day.³

 

 

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

“A study to assess the effectiveness of Vajrasana on physical and mental health among adolescents at selected PU Colleges in Mysore”

 

OBJECTIVES:

1.To assess the level of physical and mental health among adolescents in experimental and control group.

2To determine the effectiveness of Vajrasana program on physical and mental health among adolescents in experimental group.

3To find the association between physical and mental health of adolescents with their selected personal variables.

 

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS:

Effectiveness:

Effectiveness refers to the significant improvement in the physical and mental health among adolescents after the administration of Vajrasana as measured by increased post test score of self administered rating scale.

 

Vajrasana:

In this study, Vajrasana refers to the asana administering among adolescents to improve physical and mental health.

 

Physical health:

In th physical health refers to be the absence of illness, injury and pain which is assessed   self administered physical health scale.

 

Mental health:

In this study mental health refers as, psychological well being which is assessed by modified   self administered mental health scale.

 

Adolescents:

In this study adolescent refers to girls between 15 to 18 years of age.

 

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS:

H₁: The mean post test scores of adolescents mental and physical health who have undergone Vajrasana will be significantly lesser than their mean pretest scores.

H_2:   The mean post test score of physical and mental health of adolescents who have undergone Vajrasana will be significantly lesser than the post test scores of adolescents that have not undergone Vajrasana.

H_3:   There will be significant association between physical and mental health among adolescents with their selected personal variable.

 

METHODOLOGY:

Research design: Quasi experimental (non equivalent pre test-post test control group) .

Sampling technique: Non probability convenience sampling .

Sample: 60 adolescents of selected PU Colleges in Mysore.

 

Variables of the study

Dependent variable:   Physical and mental health among adolescents.

Independent variable: Vajrasana.

 

Personal variables:           Age, education of father, education of mother, occupation of father, occupation of mother, type of family, family income per month and previously attended yoga classes.

 

Setting of the study:

JSS PU College for experimental group and Somani PU College for control group in Mysore.

 

Description of tool:

Section A: Proforma for selected personal variable of adolescents

1.  It includes age; education of father, education of mother, occupation of father, occupation of mother, type of family, family income per month, previously attended yoga classes.               

 

Section B: Self administered physical and mental health scale It is a 50 self administered questions which is used to measure the physical l health.. When the test is scored, a value of 0 to 3 is assigned for each answer and then the total score is compared to a key to determine the physical and mental health. Out of 25 questions there 13 questions were negative statements which was assigned for reverse scoring, that is 2,1,0 and the remaining 12 questions positive questions had   0,1,2 scoring in physical health scale. In negative questions the options were most of the times 2, sometimes 1, never 0 and in positive statements the options were most of the times 0, sometimes 1, never 2

 

Physical health:

0 – 25   indicates good physical health

26-50   indicates poor physical health

 

Mental health:

0-25    indicates good mental health

26-50   indicates poor mental health

 

Mental health: 12 positive and 13 negative statements which had direct and reverse scoring respectively 2, 1,0 and 0,1,2. When the test is scored, a value of 0 to 3 is assigned for each answer and then the total score is compared to a key to determine the mental health. Mental  health scale. In negative questions the options were most of the times 2, sometimes 1, never 0 and in positive statements the options were most of the times 0, sometimes 1, never 2.

Higher total scores indicate poor physical and mental health.

 

Development of Yogic asana:

The researcher took 2 weeks of training. Researcher assessed the baseline data of physical and mental health by using self administered physical and mental health scale. It took 40 minutes to administered the tool self for the groups. The adolescents were informed that it is planned for continuous 12 days. The exercises were conducted in a quiet, well ventilated room with a group of 30 members.

 

RESULTS:

Section I: Description of selected personal variables

Table 1 Frequency and percentage distribution of adolescents in experimental and control group according to their selected personal variables n=60

Personal Variables	Experimental group n= 30		Control group n= 30		Total
	f	%	f	%	f  %
Age in years a.15  b.16	12 18	40 60	19 11	63.3 36.6	31(51.6) 29(48.3)
Religion a. Hindu b. Christian c. Muslim d. Others	30 0 0 0	100 0 0 0	30 0 0 0	100 0 0 0	60(100) 0 0 0
Education of father a. No formal b. Primary c. Higher secondary d. PUC  and above	2 18 10 0	6.6 60 33.3 0	6 22 2 0	20 73.3 6.6 0	8(13.3) 40(66.6) 12(39.9) 0
Education of mother a. No formal b. Primary c. Higher secondary d. PUC and above	9 15 6 0	30 50 20 0	11 9 10 0	36.6       30 33.3 0	20(33.3) 28 (40.00) 16(26.6) 0
Occupation of father a. Coolie b. Government c.  Private d. Self employed	0 2 6 22	0 6.6 20 73.3	0 2 6 22	0 6.6 20 73.3	0 (4)6.6 (12)16.6 (44) 43.3
Occupation of mother   a.       Housewife b.       Government c.       Private d.       Self employed	25 1 3 1	83.3 3.3 10 3.3	23 0 7 0	76.6 0 23.3 0	(48)    80 (1)   1.6 (10) 16.6 (1)   1.6
Type of family a. Nuclear b. Joint c. Extended	10 20 0	43.3 66.6 0	25 5 0	83.3 16.6 0	(35) 58.3 (25) 41.6
Family Income per month a. Below 5000 b. 5001-10001 c. 10001-15000 d. 15000above	0 13 17 0	0 43.3 56.6 0	0 25 5 0	0 83.3 16.6 0	0 (38)  63.3 (22)  36.6 0
Previously Yoga classes a. Yes b. No	0 30	0 100	0 30	0 100	0 (60)100

 

 

 

Table 2 Physical Health Frequency and percentage distribution of levels of physical health among adolescents in experimental and control group                    n = 60                     

 

 

 

 

 

Table 3 Mental Health Frequency and percentage distribution of levels of mental health among adolescents in experimental and control group             n = 60       

 

 

 

Table 4 Physical Health Mean, median, standard deviation, and range of pre test and post test physical health scores of adolescents in experimental and control group          n=60     

 

 

 

Table 5 Mental Health Mean, standard deviation, median and range of pre test and post test mental health scores of adolescents in experimental and control group        n=60     

 

 

ii) Significance of difference between mean pretest physical and mental health level of adolescents in experimental and control group.

 

 

Table 6 Physical Health Mean, mean difference, standard deviation difference, SEMD and independent ‘t’ test for pre test  physical health scores  among experimental and control group.      n=60

t₍₅₈₎= 2.00; p<0.05

 

 

Table 7 Mental Health Mean, mean difference, standard deviation difference, SEMD and independent ‘t’ test for pre test mental health scores  among experimental and control group.        n=60

t₍₅₈₎= 2.00; p>0.05

 

 

Table 8 Physical Health Mean, Mean difference, standard deviation difference, SEMD and paired ‘t’ test of pre test and post   test mean physical health scores of adolescents        n = 60

t₍₂₉₎ :2.045; p<0.05, P>0.05 *- significant   

 

 

Table 9 Mental Health Mean, Mean difference, standard deviation difference, SEMD and paired ‘t’ test of mean pre test and post test  mental health scores of adolescents in experimental and control        n = 60

Group	Mean	Mean Difference	SD Difference	SEMD	Paired ‘t’ test value
Experimental Group (n=30) Pre-test Vs Post-test	48.81    40.12	8.71	±14.77	2.2	19.9*
Control Group (n=30) Pre-test Vs Post-test	63.12   63.21	0.1	±15.4	19.9	0.28

t₍₂₉₎ :2.045; p<0.05, P>0.05 *- significant                        

 

 

 

Table 10 Physical Health Mean, mean difference, SD difference SEMD and Independent ‘t’ value of post test physical health  scores among experimental and control group     n=60

 ‘t’ ₍₅₈₎: 2.00; p<0.05;  *- Significant 

 

 

 

Table 11 Mental Health Mean, mean difference, SD difference SEMD and Independent ‘t’ value of post test  mental health  scores among experimental and control group n=60

‘t’ ₍₅₈₎: 2.00; p<0.05;  *- Significant 

 

 

 

Section iii: association between levels of physical and mental health with their selected personal variables

There was no significant association between the    levels of physical and mental health among adolescence with their selected personal variables.

 

CONCLUSION:

The mean difference between post test physical health scores of experimental and control group is 19.21 and calculated, t₍₅₈₎ = 2.81 at 0.05 level of significance. The mean difference between post test mental health scores of experimental and control group is 23.1 and calculated, t₍₅₈₎ = 2.0 at 0.05 level of significance. Computed chi- square values and fishers test value for association, there was no association found.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

     True experimental approach.

     Can be replicated in community setting.

     Conducted to generalize the findings.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

“Glory to the Lord Almighty who is the source of strength and inspiration in every walk of my life”. I express my gratitude to all the students of JSS and Somani PU College for their cooperation.  I thank my guide Ms. Saraswathi. K.N., Asst. Professor Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Prof. Sheela Williams, Principal and HOD, Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, J.S.S College of Nursing, Mysore, and Mr Yogarathna M.C. Jayaram, Yoga instructor, Sandeepini Yoga and Nature Cure Research Centre, Mysore for honest effort in teaching me Yoga.

Words fall short to express my immense debts to my family members for their unconditional love, inspiration and encouragement throughout the fluctuating hard times.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1.       Philips E. D. How Alcohol leads to Depression: available frromhttp://www.you-holisticlife.blogspot.com

2.       National and international facts about mental illness.  Available from: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/miic-mmac/index.html

3.       Mental health and yoga : available from http://www mentalhealth . iph partnership .org/image

 

 

Received on 12.02.2014           Modified on 10.03.2014

Accepted on 20.03.2014           © A&V Publication all right reserved