Take a Breath, Break The Silence: The Effects of Yogic Breathing and Testimony About Battering on Feelings of Self-Efficacy in Battered Women

Abuse in an intimate relationship is a common and devastating problem worldwide. This study explores the effects of testifying about one's abuse and learning Yogic breathing (prânâyâma) techniques on self-efficacy. Forty women, self-identified as abused within the last two years by an intimate partner, were randomly assigned to either tell the story of their abuse (testimony), participate in Yogic breathing exercises, participate in a combined testimony/Yogic breathing condition, or participate as waiting controls. Analyses showed that the combination of testimony and Yogic breathing was associated with the greatest improvement in self-efficacy scores. Implications of these findings for interventions and therapy for abused women are discussed.