Miyoga-a randomized controlled trial of a novel mindfulness yoga program to enhance attention for child-parent dyads with unilateral and bilateral cerebral palsy

Abstract

Background and Objective(s): Fifty percent of children with cerebral palsy (CP) have cognitive difficulties. Yet, there are limited interventions addressing this. Mindfulness-based interventions improve cognitive abilities in the adult population. This study investigates the effectiveness of an embodied mindfulness-based yoga program, MiYoga, in a waitlist randomized controlled trial targeting sustained attention in children with bilateral or unilateral cerebral palsy. Study Design: Wait list randomized controlled trial. Study Participants & Setting: Forty-two child and parent dyads (57.1% males; mean age 9y 1mo, SD 3y; GMFCS I=22, II=12, III=8; mean Full-scale IQ- 84.6, SD 20.4) out of 270 eligible families were recruited from the community to a tertiary referral centre. They were randomized to either the 8 weeks MiYoga group (n=21) or 8 weeks Waitlist control group (n=21). Materials/Methods: MiYoga was an 8-week program that consisted of six 90-minute sessions and 2 phone consultations to help participants integrate MiYoga practices into their everyday life. In addition, during the 8-week duration of the program, children-parent dyads were asked to partake in a minimum of 20 minutes daily home practices along with the MiYoga DVD and the MiYoga poster. The primary outcome of interest was children's sustained attention measured by variables from the Conner's Continuous Performance Task (CPT) - the Hit Reaction Time Block Change (HitRT block change) as well as the Omissions and Commissions Block Change variables. Results: Children in the MiYoga group demonstrated significantly better sustained attention post intervention compared to the control group on the HitRT Block Change variable of the CPT (attention was better sustained for the duration of the task) F(1,33)=4.98, p=0.03, partial eta squared=0.14 (ANCOVA). Further analysis confirmed that the MiYoga group demonstrated ability to focus and maintain attention on task across the blocks in the treatment group post MiYoga compared to waitlist control group. Conclusions/Significance: MiYoga, a family focused lifestyle intervention, was associated with improvements in sustained attention for children with unilateral and bilateral CP.L6184697372017-09-29 <br />