# Merging Yoga and self-management to develop Skills (MY-Skills)

> **NIH NIH R34** · COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $252,817

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Project Title: Merging Yoga and self-management to develop Skills (MY-Skills)
Adult caregiving dyads (i.e., caregivers and care recipients) are virtually neglected and ignored in health
interventions; especially as programing relates to improving individuals’ chronic pain. Further, yoga and self-
management are effective and useful modalities for improving pain-related disability and is relevant to the
mission of NCCIH. However, yoga and self-management have not been combined for the caregiving dyad.
Thus, the goal of this innovative planning grant is to treat the caregiving dyad with an 8-week intervention to
improve pain-related disability and health outcomes for individuals in the caregiving dyad. The Aims are:
Aim 1: Develop and manualize the MY-Skills intervention.
Aim 2: Assess feasibility and acceptability of MY-Skills and research procedures including planned
assessments.
Methods: Using focus groups, clinical reasoning, literature, and findings from previously tested interventions of
yoga and self-management, we will develop, refine, and standardize the MY-Skills intervention for chronic pain.
In parallel, we will develop a control group that includes exercise and health and wellness education. In a small
randomized controlled trial, we will examine feasibility and acceptability of the 8-week MY-Skills procedures
and intervention compared to a control group, with 30 caregiving dyads randomly assigned to the two groups
(15 dyads for My-Skills and 15 dyads for control group; N = 60 participants/30 dyads). Surveys will be
administered and focus groups will be conducted to understand participant satisfaction and experiences with
MY-Skills. After each intervention session, interventionists, caregivers, and care recipients will rate their
satisfaction with the session content and activities. Members of the caregiving dyad will complete pre and post-
assessments regarding the primary outcome, pain-related disability and secondary outcome measures guided
by the Biopsychosocial model including assessment of the dyadic relationship. Our primary hypothesis is that
MY-Skills will be feasible and acceptable to caregiving dyads, as measured by benchmarks for recruitment,
screening, attendance, and completion of assessments and intervention. Our expected outcomes include MY-
Skills intervention workbooks for participants and manuals (i.e., training methods and methods to assess
interventionist fidelity) for interventionists leading the MY-Skills intervention and control group.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9841359
- **Project number:** 5R34AT009688-03
- **Recipient organization:** COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Christine Ann Fruhauf
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $252,817
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-01-12 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9841359

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9841359, Merging Yoga and self-management to develop Skills (MY-Skills) (5R34AT009688-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9841359. Licensed CC0.

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