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) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA mixed-methods study of 62 bilingual teacher-leaders found that practicing Transcendental Meditation significantly reduced emotional exhaustion, perceived stress, and mood disturbance compared to a waitlist control group. Qualitative analysis using Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth framework indicated that meditation helped participants access cultural assets such as familial, linguistic, and resistant capital, which supported well-being. Rest itself emerged as a form of resistance. The findings expand Community Cultural Wealth theory and support the effectiveness of culturally responsive wellness practices for sustaining educators of color.
Study at a glance
| 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 |
| Key finding | 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.