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Active, not recruitingNCT07541820Yoga4ADHDUpdated Apr 21, 2026

Tailored Yoga Therapy for Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

An interventional study of Tailored yoga therapy. and Functional movement. in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, sponsored by King's College London. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-21.

Sponsored by King's College London · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study will explore the feasibility, acceptability, and potential benefits of a group-based tailored yoga programme designed for adults experiencing symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The yoga intervention will be compared to an active control (group-based functional movement classes).

Read the detailed description

The primary aim of the study is to test the feasibility and acceptability of a tailored, group-based yoga intervention for adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, by monitoring recruitment, engagement, and completion rates, and through obtaining qualitative feedback from participants at the end of the intervention.

A secondary aim is to explore whether the yoga intervention is associated with improvements in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and related symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression), quality of life, and general functioning, compared to a control intervention (group-based functional movement sessions). The secondary outcomes will be assessed with self-report questionnaires at the start, middle and end of the yoga and control interventions, and three months after completion of the interventions.

The investigators will also examine aspects of cognitive and physiological functioning through laboratory testing at the start and end of the intervention, focusing on measures of autonomic activation (e.g., the 'fight or flight response), bodily awareness, attention, and response inhibition. Physiological functioning, such as sleep quality, activity levels, and heart rate, will be monitored throughout the six-week study with wearable devices (e.g., Fitbit activity trackers), to provide longer-term, real-world insights into the possible benefits of the intervention.

The investigators will explore whether the yoga intervention is associated with improvements in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and related symptoms/abilities, including emotional regulation, social behaviour, attention, focus, interoception and stress reactivity. The investigators will also explore whether the yoga intervention is linked with improved bodily stress markers (heart rate variability), sleep, and physical activity.

This feasibility randomised controlled trial will include 20 participants who will be randomly allocated (1:1) to either the group-based tailored yoga therapy intervention (n=10), or a group-based functional movement class (n=10). The latter will be a structured class focusing on light strength, mobility and flexibility.

All participants will attend an initial in-person laboratory testing session at the start and end of the 6-week intervention. Each week, both intervention group and control group will attend an in-person one-hour group session. Each week, participants will be asked to practice at least twice, using a 20-minute video recording on demand from home. Outcomes will be measured using self-report, lab-based, and digital wearable measures.

02

Conditions studied

  • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms
  • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Keywords

  • Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
  • Yoga
  • Therapy
  • Feasibility
  • Treatment
03

In context

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity

1,514 studies on the registry are indexed under Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; 255 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 72 across 1,207 interventional studies indexed under Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity.

Browse Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity studies →

Lead sponsor

King's College London is the lead sponsor of 506 studies on the registry; 125 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Are aged 18 or older.
  • Score above the clinical cut-off threshold on the Adult Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Self-Report Scale.
  • Are fluent in English.
  • Have normal or corrected eyesight.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Major physical health disorders or disabilities that may affect participation (e.g., uncontrolled epilepsy, significant mobility challenges).
  • Major mental health disorders that may affect participation (e.g., active psychosis, severe alcohol/substance use disorder).
  • Current recipient of any other mind-body therapy for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
  • Current participation in a regular yoga activity.
  • Current pregnancy.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Tailored yoga

    A 6-week group-based yoga programme designed for people experiencing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms.

    Behavioral: Tailored yoga therapy.

  • Other
    Functional movement

    Participants will receive an active control of functional movement.

    Behavioral: Functional movement.

Interventions

  • BehavioralTailored yoga therapy.

    Participants in this arm will participate in a six-week study. They will attend one hour-long group-based in-person session per week, as well as practising from home at least twice weekly following along an online video (which will be a practice of what was learnt in-person that week). Each group yoga session will start with some Pranayama (yogic breathwork) to engage participants' attention and to help them focus. The intervention will progress from purely activating yogic breathwork techniques, to some calming and grounding techniques to aid relaxation, bodily awareness and to reduce stress. Sessions will also involve some faster movements to align the body with typically faster mental activities as seen within individuals with ADHD. Some sessions may progress to include some mindful somatic movements and some longer held poses to enhance relaxation and tension release. Towards the end of the intervention there will be longer opportunities for mindful awareness through meditation.

  • BehavioralFunctional movement.

    Participants in this arm will similarly participate in a six-week study. They will attend one hour-long group-based in-person session per week, as well as practising from home at least twice weekly following along an online video (which will be a practice of what was learnt in-person that week). The functional movement control sessions will serve as an exercise class, with educational aspects. All sessions will follow a similar structure of light strength exercises, mobility exercises and end with some flexibility exercises. This control condition was selected to control for the physical aspects the yoga intervention, allowing us to isolate the possible benefits of yoga due to breathwork and mindfulness.

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Feasibility outcomes.

    The investigators will monitor recruitment, engagement and completion rates to assess feasibility, and will obtain qualitative participant feedback at the end of the intervention.

    Time frame: From enrolment to the 3-month follow-up.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Exploratory assessment of self-reported change in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

    The outcomes will be assessed with self-report questionnaires at the start, middle and end of the yoga and control interventions, and 3-months after completion of the intervention.

    Time frame: From enrolment to the 3-month follow-up.

Other outcomes

  1. Changes in self-reported general health symptoms.

    The investigators will assess anxiety levels (Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7), interoceptive awareness (Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness), health (Patient Health Questionnaire - 8), quality of life (36-item Short Form survey), and social functioning (Work \& Social Adjustment Scale).

    Time frame: From enrolment to the 3-month follow-up.

  2. Laboratory-based assessments to test changes in autonomic arousal.

    The investigators will examine aspects of physiological functioning through laboratory testing at the start and end of the intervention, focusing on measures of autonomic activation (e.g., the 'fight or flight response), through electrocardiogram and skin conductance.

    Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention.

  3. Laboratory-based assessments to test changes in executive functioning attention.

    The investigators will test attention through The Sustained Attention Task.

    Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention.

  4. Laboratory-based assessments to test changes in executive functioning inhibition control.

    The investigators will test response inhibition through the Stop Signal Task.

    Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention.

  5. Wearable-derived measures of physiological functioning.

    Physiological functioning will be monitored throughout the six-week study and follow-up period with wearable devices (Fitbit Inspire 3 activity tracker watches).

    Time frame: From enrolment to the 3-month follow-up.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • King's College London
    London, United Kingdom
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Yildiz S, Grinstead J, Hildebrand A, Oshinski J, Rooney WD, Lim MM, Oken B. Immediate impact of yogic breathing on pulsatile cerebrospinal fluid dynamics. Sci Rep. 2022 Jun 28;12(1):10894. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-15034-8. PubMed 35764793 ↗
  • Wilens TE, Biederman J, Faraone SV, Martelon M, Westerberg D, Spencer TJ. Presenting ADHD symptoms, subtypes, and comorbid disorders in clinically referred adults with ADHD. J Clin Psychiatry. 2009 Nov;70(11):1557-62. doi: 10.4088/JCP.08m04785pur. PubMed 20031097 ↗
  • Weaver LL, Darragh AR. Systematic Review of Yoga Interventions for Anxiety Reduction Among Children and Adolescents. Am J Occup Ther. 2015 Nov-Dec;69(6):6906180070p1-9. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2015.020115. PubMed 26565100 ↗
  • Shiels K, Hawk LW Jr. Self-regulation in ADHD: the role of error processing. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010 Dec;30(8):951-61. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.06.010. Epub 2010 Jun 28. PubMed 20659781 ↗
  • Shanker S, Pradhan B. Effect of yoga on children with autism spectrum disorder in special schools. Ind Psychiatry J. 2022 Jul-Dec;31(2):367-369. doi: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_212_21. Epub 2022 Aug 30. PubMed 36419691 ↗
  • Siebieszuk A, Plonski AF, Baranowski M. Breathwork for Chronic Stress and Mental Health: Does Choosing a Specific Technique Matter? Med Sci (Basel). 2025 Aug 13;13(3):127. doi: 10.3390/medsci13030127. PubMed 40843749 ↗
  • Sengupta P. Health Impacts of Yoga and Pranayama: A State-of-the-Art Review. Int J Prev Med. 2012 Jul;3(7):444-58. PubMed 22891145 ↗
  • Rubia K. Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Its Clinical Translation. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018 Mar 29;12:100. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00100. eCollection 2018. PubMed 29651240 ↗
  • Rafi H, Murray R, Delavari F, Perroud N, Vuilleumier P, Debbane M, Piguet C. Neural Basis of Internal Attention in Adults with Pure and Comorbid ADHD. J Atten Disord. 2023 Feb;27(4):423-436. doi: 10.1177/10870547221147546. Epub 2023 Jan 12. PubMed 36635890 ↗
  • Martin J. Why are females less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD in childhood than males? Lancet Psychiatry. 2024 Apr;11(4):303-310. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(24)00010-5. Epub 2024 Feb 7. PubMed 38340761 ↗
  • Malhotra V, Javed D, Wakode S, Bharshankar R, Soni N, Porter PK. Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners. J Family Med Prim Care. 2022 Feb;11(2):720-727. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1662_21. Epub 2022 Feb 16. PubMed 35360798 ↗
  • Hariprasad VR, Arasappa R, Varambally S, Srinath S, Gangadhar BN. Feasibility and efficacy of yoga as an add-on intervention in attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder: An exploratory study. Indian J Psychiatry. 2013 Jul;55(Suppl 3):S379-84. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.116317. PubMed 24049203 ↗
  • Gunaseelan L, Vanama MS, Abdi F, Qureshi A, Siddiqua A, Hamid MA. Yoga for the Management of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Cureus. 2021 Dec 16;13(12):e20466. doi: 10.7759/cureus.20466. eCollection 2021 Dec. PubMed 35070529 ↗
  • Fritz K, O'Connor PJ. Effects of a 6 Week Yoga Intervention on Executive Functioning in Women Screening Positive for Adult ADHD: A Pilot Study. Front Sports Act Living. 2022 Feb 24;4:746409. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.746409. eCollection 2022. PubMed 35280225 ↗
  • Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Sci Rep. 2023 Jan 9;13(1):432. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y. PubMed 36624160 ↗
  • Faheem M, Akram W, Akram H, Khan MA, Siddiqui FA, Majeed I. Gender-based differences in prevalence and effects of ADHD in adults: A systematic review. Asian J Psychiatr. 2022 Sep;75:103205. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2022.103205. Epub 2022 Jul 14. PubMed 35878424 ↗
  • Cohen SCL, Harvey DJ, Shields RH, Shields GS, Rashedi RN, Tancredi DJ, Angkustsiri K, Hansen RL, Schweitzer JB. Effects of Yoga on Attention, Impulsivity, and Hyperactivity in Preschool-Aged Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2018 Apr;39(3):200-209. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000552. PubMed 29538185 ↗
  • Cheshire A, Richards R, Cartwright T. 'Joining a group was inspiring': a qualitative study of service users' experiences of yoga on social prescription. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2022 Mar 14;22(1):67. doi: 10.1186/s12906-022-03514-3. PubMed 35287676 ↗
  • Cascade E, Kalali AH, Wigal SB. Real-World Data on: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Medication Side Effects. Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2010 Apr;7(4):13-5. PubMed 20508803 ↗
  • Brown RP, Gerbarg PL, Muench F. Breathing practices for treatment of psychiatric and stress-related medical conditions. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2013 Mar;36(1):121-40. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2013.01.001. PubMed 23538082 ↗
  • Birdee G, Nelson K, Wallston K, Nian H, Diedrich A, Paranjape S, Abraham R, Gamboa A. Slow breathing for reducing stress: The effect of extending exhale. Complement Ther Med. 2023 May;73:102937. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102937. Epub 2023 Mar 5. PubMed 36871835 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 21, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07541820
Lead sponsor
King's College London
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 21, 2026
Start date
Feb 23, 2026
Primary completion
Oct 30, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Apr 21, 2026

Study contacts

Susannah Pick, PhD
principal investigator · King's College London

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Feb 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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