Effectiveness of pranayama on stress and coping among housewives in a selected community, Salem.

A Study was Conducted to Assess the Effectiveness of Pranayama on Stress and Coping among Housewives in Selected Community, Salem. Quasi experimental one group pretest posttest design was adopted for this study. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 60 samples. Pre test was done to assess the level of stress and coping among housewives by using structured interview schedule. Pranayama was implemented to the housewives for 21consecutive days. Post test was done on 24th day of intervention. The data were gathered and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical method. The findings revealed that during pre test 28 (46.67%) and 32 (53.33%) of the samples had mild and moderate stress respectively. 34 (56.67%) and 26 (43.33%) of them had moderate and high level of coping respectively. During post test 47 (78.33) and 13 (21.67%) of the samples had mild and moderate stress respectively, whereas 10 (16.67%) and 50 (8.33%) of them had moderate and high level of coping respectively. The paired‘t’ value for stress was13.05 and for coping was 11.21 which are greater than the table value 1.96 at p≤0.05 level indicating the difference in mean was true difference and pranayama was effective in reducing stress and attaining high level of coping among housewives. Hence H1 was retained. Significant association was found between monthly income (χ2 = 15.00) and husband’s occupation (χ2=11.72) with the level of stress. Hence H2 was retained for the above mentioned variables and there was significant association found between number of children (χ2=11.04) with the level of coping. Hence H3 was retained for the above mentioned variables. There was negative correlation (r = -0.482) between the level of stress and coping. Hence H4 was retained. Pranayama is a non pharmacological, cost effective and very practicable measure to reduce the level of stress and improve the level of coping among housewives