The role of yoga in enhancing spiritual and psychological health: Evidence from a large cross-sectional study

Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2026 Open access

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Authors: Gusztáv József Tornóczky, Henriett Nagy, István Karsai, Ana Conceição, Robert Podstawski, Attila Szabo
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2026.103330
Cited by: 1
References: 70

Abstract

Research has rarely explored yoga’s link to spirituality, and none have examined spiritual well-being via Fisher’s four-domain model. Comparative studies with active control groups are also lacking. This study examines the relationships between spirituality, subjective well-being (SWB), and mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, and stress) among yoga practitioners, physically active individuals, and inactive controls. A total of 1.167 Hungarian adults (79% females), mean age 34.52 years (SD ± 14.97), completed an online survey assessing spiritual health attitudes and behaviors, SWB, and mental health symptoms, along with the frequency of physical activity. Multivariate analyses showed significant group differences (Wilks’ Λ =.811, F(26, 2304) = 9.77, p

Fields of Study & Subjects

Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions Religion Spirituality and Psychology Workplace Spirituality and Leadership

Publication details

Journal / source
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
97
Pages
103330–103330
Publication date
16 February 2026
Language
EN