Feasibility and Acceptability of Transcendental Meditation for Indian Healthcare Professionals in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial

A pilot randomized controlled trial with 76 healthcare professionals in India tested whether Transcendental Meditation (TM) is feasible and acceptable. Good engagement was observed: all participants in the TM group attended the initial instruction session, and 90% attended at least four of five follow-up sessions. About two-thirds reported TM was feasible or very feasible, with 79% self-reported adherence. At 12 weeks, the TM group showed reductions in anxiety and burnout scores and improvements in well-being compared to controls, but no statistically significant change in perceived stress. The findings suggest TM is a feasible and acceptable intervention, though results are preliminary.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Healthcare professionals in India are vulnerable to experiencing a high level of burnout, which has consequences for individuals and organizations. This prospective pilot randomized controlled feasibility study examined, for the first time, the feasibility and acceptability of practicing the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique among healthcare professionals in India. A total of 76 healthcare professionals were randomized to either a TM intervention group or a control group using a stratified randomization method. The feasibility and acceptability measures were designed to assess whether the practice of TM was feasible and acceptable. Secondary outcomes were assessed using validated questionnaires, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4), the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), and the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS). Outcome measures were collected at baseline and 12 weeks post-intervention. Feasibility and acceptability outcomes indicated good engagement with the intervention. All participants assigned to the TM group attended the individual TM instruction session, and 34 of 38 participants (90%) attended at least four of the five follow-up sessions. Approximately two-thirds of participants reported that practicing TM was feasible or very feasible, and the overall self-reported adherence to TM practice was 79%. With respect to secondary outcomes, participants in the TM group demonstrated reductions in anxiety and burnout scores and improvements in well-being at the 12-week follow-up compared with the control group. However, no statistically significant change in perceived stress levels was observed, as measured by the PSS-4. The findings of this pilot randomized controlled feasibility trial demonstrated that TM can be considered as a feasible and acceptable intervention for healthcare professionals in rural India. Preliminary improvements were observed in anxiety, burnout, and well-being. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously given the exploratory nature of this trial. Substantive studies are recommended to confirm these findings.