Peacebuilding Through Yoga? Qualitative Assessment of a Yoga Program in a Social Housing Complex in Santa Marta, Colombia

Abstract

The goal of the study was to assess perceived mental and physical health benefits of a yoga intervention for people living in Ciudad Equidad, a social housing complex in Colombia. The study participants voluntarily enrolled to complete two yoga sessions per week, each lasting 1.5 hours, during a 3-month period. Additionally, they participated in baseline and postintervention focus groups. This qualitative assessment was intended to identify perceived changes in aggressiveness, interpersonal relationships, and stress after participating in the yoga sessions. Data analysis revealed that participants perceived changes over time in relation to when they began the intervention.