Aim: Given the increasing importance of mental health in young adults and the effective role of exercise in enhancing cognitive-emotional functions, this study aimed to investigate the effect of yoga training on psychological flexibility and emotional processing in young women.

Method: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test/post-test design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of young women aged 20 to 30 years who referred to the Iran Zamin Momtaz Yoga Institute in Tehran in 2024. From this population, 30 individuals were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: experimental (n=15) and control (n=15). The instruments used included the Bond et al. (2007) Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ) measuring psychological flexibility, the Baker et al. (2010) Emotional Processing Scale (EPS), and a yoga training protocol. The experimental group underwent eight 90-minute yoga sessions, after which a post-test was administered to both groups. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).

Results: The results of multivariate analysis of covariance indicated a significant difference in the mean scores of psychological flexibility and emotional processing after yoga training compared to the control group. Specifically, yoga training led to increased psychological flexibility and improved emotional processing (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: The findings confirm the effectiveness of yoga training in enhancing cognitive and emotional processes in young women. These results can provide a scientific basis for designing yoga-based psychological interventions in counseling centers.