Effect of Transcendental Meditation on the Social Emotional Well-Being of Bilingual Teacher-Leaders
Margaret Peterson, Jane Bleasdale, Sandy Nidich
Journal of Education January 25, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/00220574261419506 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 62 |
| Population | Bilingual teacher-leaders |
| Intervention | Transcendental Meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Transcendental meditation Burnout Transcendental number Emotional exhaustion Stress linguistics Developmental psychology Qualitative research Clinical psychology Negative mood Psychotherapist Social emotional learning Emotional stress Qualitative property |
| Key findings | Transcendental Meditation significantly reduced emotional exhaustion, perceived stress, and mood disturbance among bilingual teacher-leaders, and qualitative analysis showed it enhanced access to cultural assets supporting well-being. |
Abstract
This mixed-methods study examined the impact of Transcendental Meditation (TM) on stress and burnout among bilingual teacher-leaders. Sixty-two educators were randomly assigned to TM or waitlist control groups. Quantitative results showed significant reductions in emotional exhaustion, perceived stress, and mood disturbance for the TM group. Qualitative findings, interpreted through Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework, revealed that meditation enhanced access to cultural assets (i.e., familial, linguistic, and resistant) that supported well-being. Rest emerged as a form of resistance. This study expands CCW theory and offers evidence for the effectiveness of culturally responsive wellness practices in sustaining educators of color.