A mixed methods study of the current and potential future use of yoga in schools to enhance social and emotional wellbeing of primary school-aged children in Northern Ireland

Rutherford, Paul 2026. A mixed methods study of the current and potential future use of yoga in schools to enhance social and emotional wellbeing of primary school-aged children in Northern Ireland. DHS Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

This doctoral thesis investigates the feasibility, acceptability, and contextual challenges of integrating yoga in Northern Ireland (NI) primary schools to support children’s social and emotional wellbeing (SEW). Amid rising concerns over youth mental health and the need for universal, non-stigmatising interventions, yoga has emerged as a promising but underexplored practice within UK educational settings. This research addresses a gap in evidence relating to its integration in the specific socio-political and cultural context of NI. The study was conceptually grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (EST), with the later application of his Bioecological Model (PPCT), enabling a multi-level analysis of the factors shaping yoga’s reception and impact in educational settings. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Phase One involved a scoping questionnaire completed by 93 primary schools to map current provision and identify perceived barriers and enablers. Phase Two adopted a single case study design with two embedded units of analysis, two schools, where interviews were conducted with principals, teachers, pupils, and yoga instructors (n=18). Qualitative data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Yoga was perceived as a cost-effective, adaptable strategy for enhancing self-regulation, resilience, and classroom engagement, particularly in the post-pandemic context. Breathwork, mindful movement, and guided stillness emerged as core components, with self-regulation identified as the central mechanism of change. However, implementation was shaped by religious sensitivities, staffing constraints, curriculum pressures, and unequal access. The study offers original contribution through the development of a flexible context-sensitive intervention model with built-in design safeguards, the application of a socioecological lens to intervention design, and the inclusion of children’s voices in shaping understandings of yoga as an embodied wellbeing tool. The thesis concludes with policy, practice, and research recommendations, and a reflexive account of the researcher’s positionality. It advocates for inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and contextually responsive approaches to wellbeing in education.

Item Type:	Thesis (DHS)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	20 February 2026
Last Modified:	20 Feb 2026 11:22
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185080

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