Effectiveness of a structured meditation programme in reducing anxiety symptoms: A randomized controlled trial among adults with generalized anxiety disorder
International Journal of Advanced Psychiatric Nursing February 1, 2026 Sasmita Rout, Prabhanshu .
An 8-week structured meditation programme significantly reduced anxiety and improved psychological well-being in adults with generalized anxiety disorder. In a randomized controlled trial of 110 adults aged 25–50, those who received guided meditation sessions showed a decrease in anxiety scores on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale from an average of 25.9 to 18.0 and on the GAD-7 from 13.8 to 9.4, while the control group receiving usual care showed smaller changes. Well-being scores on the WHO-5 increased by 31.2% in the meditation group versus 9.8% in controls. These results suggest meditation can be an effective adjunct treatment for GAD.