A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Meditation for Work Stress, Anxiety and Depressed Mood in Full‐Time Workers
Ramesh Manocha, Deborah L. Black, Jerome Sarris, Con Stough
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2011 DOI: 10.1155/2011/960583 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 178 |
| Population | Full-time adult workers |
| Intervention | Sahaja Yoga meditation |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Mood Randomized controlled trial Clinical psychology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 100 |
| Key findings | Mental-silence meditation significantly reduced work stress and depressed mood compared to relaxation and wait-list controls. |
Abstract
Objective. To assess the effect of meditation on work stress, anxiety and mood in full-time workers. Methods. 178 adult workers participated in an 8-week, 3-arm randomized controlled trial comparing a "mental silence" approach to meditation (n = 59) to a "relaxation" active control (n = 56) and a wait-list control (n = 63). Participants were assessed before and after using Psychological Strain Questionnaire (PSQ), a subscale of the larger Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI), the State component of the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI), and the depression-dejection (DD) subscale of the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Results. There was a significant improvement for the meditation group compared to both the relaxation control and the wait-list groups the PSQ (P = .026), and DD (P = .019). Conclusions. Mental silence-orientated meditation, in this case Sahaja Yoga meditation, is a safe and effective strategy for dealing with work stress and depressive feelings. The findings suggest that "thought reduction" or "mental silence" may have specific effects relevant to work stress and hence occupational health.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 26
- Prevalence of Mindfulness Practices in the US Workforce: National Health Interview Survey Preventing Chronic Disease December 30, 2016
- Short‐term Sahaja Yoga meditation training modulates brain structure and spontaneous activity in the executive control network Brain and Behavior November 28, 2018
- Quality of Life and Functional Health Status of Long-Term Meditators Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012
- Larger whole brain grey matter associated with long-term Sahaja Yoga Meditation: A detailed area by area comparison PLoS One December 28, 2020
- Dynamics of the Sphere Model of Consciousness: Silence, Space, and Self. Frontiers in Psychology 2020
and 21 more in the library
Cites 4
- Impact of regular meditation practice on EEG activity at rest and during evoked negative emotions. International Journal of Neuroscience June 2005
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits. A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research July 1, 2004
- Use of mind-body medical therapies. Journal of General Internal Medicine January 2004
- Evaluation of a Wellness-Based Mindfulness Stress Reduction intervention: a controlled trial. American Journal of Health Promotion 2001