A Yoga-Integrated Mind-Body Movement Intervention: Effects on Children’s Problem Solving, Mathematics Anxiety, and Physical Activity
A quasi-experimental study of a 10-week yoga-integrated mathematics program and its effects on children’s mathematics performance, anxiety, and physical activity.
Research overview
This study examined whether integrating a structured yoga-based mind-body movement program into routine mathematics lessons could support children’s academic, emotional, and physical development.
The researchers compared 48 third-grade students in two intact classrooms: 25 students received the 10-week yoga-integrated mathematics program, while 23 continued with traditional mathematics instruction.
Students in the intervention group showed greater gains in problem solving, computation, and overall mathematics achievement, alongside lower mathematics anxiety and higher self-reported physical activity. The authors recommend larger, randomized, multi-school studies with objective activity measures and longer follow-up.
Key findings
- The intervention group achieved significantly higher post-test scores in problem solving, computation, and total mathematics performance than the control group.
- Mathematics anxiety decreased significantly in the intervention group and was lower than in the control group at post-test.
- Students receiving the yoga-integrated program reported significantly higher physical activity after the intervention.
- The findings should be interpreted cautiously because the study involved 48 students in two intact classrooms and used self-reported physical activity.
Yardimeli staff participation
This publication includes participation from a Yardimeli Specialist Hospital staff member and lists Yardimeli Specialist Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia, as an institutional affiliation where applicable.
Citation
Kayıran D, Avci A, Türkmen EN and Haji Mohamud RY (2026) A yoga-integrated mind-body movement intervention: effects on children’s problem solving, mathematics anxiety, and physical activity. Front. Public Health 14:1874706. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1874706
Open-access license
© 2026 the article authors. This publication is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0). Reuse is permitted when the original authors, copyright owner, and journal publication are properly credited.