A Group CBT-Yoga Protocol Targeting Pain-Related and Internalizing Symptoms in Youth

There is a high prevalence of pain-related somatic symptoms among children with internalizing disorders. Despite the documented comorbidity between somatic and internalizing symptoms in youth, there are limited empirically supported interventions that simultaneously target these issues. In light of this, the current pilot study investigated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a novel 12-week manualized group-based CBT-yoga protocol, which aimed to target co-occurring physical and internalizing symptoms in a sample of youth. Twenty-eight children between the ages of 10 and 12 years old who had clinically relevant internalizing symptoms and pain-related somatic symptoms were enrolled in the 12-week intervention protocol. Attendance rates and parent and child responses on social validity scales provided measures of feasibility. Preliminary efficacy was examined through a series of paired sample t tests, measuring changes in internalizing and somatic symptoms, and pain-related coping following the intervention. Results suggest strong levels of child- and parent-rated feasibility. Preliminary data also reveal improvements in internalizing and somatic symptoms following the intervention, in addition to improvements in pain-related coping. These findings provide initial support for the feasibility and acceptance of an integrative group-based intervention combining cognitive–behavioral strategies with yogic practices.