Determining the Effectiveness of Zen Technique on Psychological Well-being and Pain in Elderly Residents of Kahrizak Nursing Home
December 5, 2025 Seyedeh Robabeh Riazi, Fatemeh Golshani, Anita Baghdasarians et al.
A quasi-experimental study with 42 elderly residents (ages 65-85) from a nursing home in Tehran, Iran, tested whether Zen meditation training improves psychological well-being and reduces pain. The experimental group attended 20 sessions of Zen meditation (100 minutes each, three times weekly) while the control group received no intervention. Results showed that Zen meditation significantly boosted psychological well-being, including self-acceptance, positive relations, autonomy, and personal growth. However, pain reduction was small and not statistically significant compared to controls. The authors suggest Zen meditation may be a beneficial mental health intervention for older adults but note that combining it with other pain management strategies may be needed.