The Mediation Role of Yoga in The Relationship Between Personality Types and Anxiety/Depression

Abstract

This study intends to put forward the results of the mediating effect of yoga on tendency of individuals to anxiety and depression according to personality types. Personality Types Scale (Big5), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Yoga Self-Efficacy Scale (YSES) were used within the scope of the study. A survey was conducted with 165 participants practicing yoga, who were in Istanbul between August-2019 and December-2019, for the study. SPSS 22.00 and AMOS 22.00 package programs were used to analyze the data obtained from the participants. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was applied to each scale within the scope of investigation of the construct validity of the scales. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients of the scales were calculated to perform the reliability analysis. These values are (.786), (.805) and (.875) for Big5, HADS, and YSES, respectively, and each of the scales has a high confidence level. Afterwards, the mediating effect of YSE Scale was investigated with the AMOS program and the results obtained were re-evaluated with the Sobel Test. It appears that yoga has complete mediation effects between HADS and personality types. Yoga practices of people reduce their tendency to anxiety and depression.