Exploring the effects of Isha Kriya on job performance: A pilot study of organizational citizenship and counterproductive behaviors
I. Alba Sánchez, Patricia Carmina Inzunza Mejía, Dulce Livier Castro Cuadras
Dékau Perú December 18, 2025 DOI: 10.55996/dekape.v3i1.352 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental pilot study with non-equivalent control group Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 20 |
| Population | Academic employees in an academic setting |
| Intervention | Isha Kriya meditation |
| Duration | 90-day intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Organizational citizenship behavior Psychological intervention Prosocial behavior Intervention counseling Association psychology Organizational behavior Sample material Control management Applied psychology Clinical psychology Regression analysis Organizational commitment Job performance Work physics Exploratory research |
| Key findings | Daily meditation practice was associated with a moderate increase in Organizational Citizenship Behaviors and a slight reduction in Counterproductive Work Behaviors, with a weak positive association between meditation frequency and OCB. |
Abstract
This pilot study explores the effects of daily meditation practice on job performance, Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB), and Counterproductive Work Behaviors (CWB) in an academic setting. Using a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group, a 90-day intervention based on the Isha Kriya meditation technique was implemented. The experimental group (n=17) and the control group (n=3) completed validated instruments at two time points: pre- and post-intervention. Results showed a moderate increase in OCB scores and a slight reduction in CWB scores among the experimental group. Participants also reported improved subjective job performance, as reflected in self-reported academic evaluations. Linear regression models were applied to assess causality; findings suggested a weak but positive association between meditation frequency and OCB, and a non-significant association with CWB. Given the small sample size and variability in adherence, the study should be interpreted as preliminary evidence. Nonetheless, these pilot findings contribute to the growing body of literature on meditation and organizational psychology, and suggest that low-cost, accessible practices like meditation could serve as effective interventions to promote well-being and prosocial conduct within institutions.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 14
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Contemplating Mindfulness at Work Journal of Management November 19, 2015
- Conceptual and methodological issues in research on mindfulness and meditation. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Effects of Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya , a Multicomponent Breath-Based Yogic Practice ( Pranayama ), on Perceived Stress and General Well-Being Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine September 22, 2017
and 9 more in the library