Impact of stress reduction on negative school behavior in adolescents
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes June 3, 2004 B Bauza Lynnette, A Barnes Vernon, A Treiber Frank
African American adolescents with high normal blood pressure who practiced Transcendental Meditation for 15 minutes twice daily over four months showed fewer school absences, rule infractions, and suspension days compared to a control group receiving health education. The meditation group decreased absentee periods by an average of 6.4 while the control group increased by 4.8. Rule infractions decreased by 0.1 in the meditation group but increased by 0.3 in controls. Suspension days dropped by 0.3 in the meditation group versus an increase of 1.2 in controls. The authors conclude that school-based Transcendental Meditation positively affects these outcomes.