PURPOSE
This study examined the effects of a yoga exercise program on stress response, physical fitness and self-esteem among middle-aged women.
METHODS
Participants were 39 middle-aged females from District Y in Seoul who were assigned to either a treatment (N=19) or to a control group (N=20). The treatment participated three times a week in a yoga exercise program which included classes and practices. Data collection instruments included the Symptoms of Stress Inventory (1977), the Rosenberg's self-esteem scale (1965) and measurements of grip strength, flexibility and balance. The data were analyzed using the SPSS-WIN 12.0 program.
RESULTS
The treatment group had significantly lower score for stress response (t=-6.18, p<.001) and higher scores on grip strength (t=2.52, p=.018), balance (t=3.24, p=.003), and self-esteem (t=4.46, p<.001). There was no significant difference in flexibility (F=0.51, p=.479).
CONCLUSION
The yoga exercise program can be used as a nursing intervention for middle-aged women to reduce stress and improve self-esteem.

Citations

• Yoga fitness with middle-aged women: benefits for physical and mental health
  A. Yefremenko, O. Nasonkina, Ya. Aleksenko, M. Marchenkov, H. Poltoratska, T. Fedorina
  Scientific Journal of National Pedagogical Dragomanov University Series 15 Scientific and pedagogical problems of physical culture (physical culture and sports).2024; (10(183)): 109.     CrossRef
• Navigating Societal Stressors Through Yoga in Korea
  Jasmyn Kim, Sua Im, Rokbit Sanghee Lee, Jinmoo Heo
  Leisure Sciences.2024; : 1.     CrossRef
• 중년여성 요가참여자의 객체화된 신체의식과 요가만족 간의 구조적 관계 연구*
  예진 이, 용수 이
  The Korean Journal of Physical Education.2023; 62(5): 265.     CrossRef
• Effects of Forest Therapy on Psychological Improvement in Middle-aged Women in Korea
  Bum-Jin Park, Won-Sop Shin, Chang-Seob Shin, Poung-Sik Yeon, Chung-Yeub Chung, Si-Hyung Lee, Dong-Jun Kim, Youn-Hee Kim, Chang-Eun Park
  Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.2022; 55(5): 492.     CrossRef
• Influence of Comprehensive Lifestyle Intervention (LSI) Program on Health, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged Women
  Su-Jin Jung, Seung-Ok Lee, Min-Jun Choi, Jun Heo, Soo-Wan Chae, Baik-Hwan Cho
  Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.2022; 12(3): 127.     CrossRef
• Effects of Forest Therapy on Health Promotion among Middle-Aged Women: Focusing on Physiological Indicators
  Bum-Jin Park, Chang-Seob Shin, Won-Sop Shin, Chung-Yeub Chung, Si-Hyung Lee, Dong-Jun Kim, Youn-Hee Kim, Chang-Eun Park
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2020; 17(12): 4348.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
This study was performed to identify the relationship between Sense of Humor, Coping Humor, Perceived stress and self-esteem in the middle-aged women. METHODS: Data were collected from the 20th of June to the 30th of August in 2009 from 145 middle-aged women living in Seoul. Data analysis was done with SPSS/WIN 12.0 program for descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: The mean score of the humor sense was 55.94+/-6.52, coping humor was 21.11+/-3.82, perceived stress was 22.21+/-3.03 and self-esteem was 27.50+/-2.88. Subcategories of sense of humor were that emotional expressiveness was average 20.75+/-2.70, meta-message sensitivity was average 20.12+/-2.74 and liking of humor was average 15.13+/-3.44. Sense of humor was difference according to the economic status(t=2.000, p=.047), coping humor was difference according to the on medication use(t=2.227, p=.027). There was a significant correlation between the coping humor, perceived stress and the self-esteem. When the coping humor was higher, perceived stress was lower and the self-esteem was higher. CONCLUSION: This study showed that medication and economic status influences the humor scores and the sense of humor and coping humor were related to perceived stress and self-esteem in middle-aged women Therefore, these findings can provide the basis for the development of nursing intervention to increase the ability to coping with stress.