Effects of Mindfulness and Sufi Meditation on Anxiety and Mental Health of Females
Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research October 18, 2019 L. Gul, S. Jehangir
Sufi meditation was more effective than Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in lowering anxiety and enhancing mental health among 200 female participants. Participants were divided into high- and low-anxiety groups based on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, then randomly assigned to either mindfulness or Sufi meditation. Pre- and post-test measures showed that the mindfulness group scored significantly higher on anxiety than the Sufi meditation group. The authors suggest that Sufi meditation's effectiveness may stem from its alignment with the participants' belief system. The results provide a basis for future research combining both meditation types.