Reduction of PTSD in South African University Students Using Transcendental Meditation Practice.
Carole L Bandy, Michael C. Dillbeck, Vincent Sezibera, Lian Taljaard, Mirah Wilks, David Shapiro, Jody De Reuck, Richard Peycke
Psychological Reports June 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1177/0033294119828036 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 68 |
| Population | South African college students clinically diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder |
| Intervention | Transcendental Meditation technique |
| Dose | twice daily |
| Topics | Meditation PTSD |
| Keywords | Transcendental meditation Education Mental health School Sexual abuse University Violence War |
| Key findings | Transcendental Meditation practice twice daily significantly reduced PTSD symptomatology and depression in college students, with results associated with regularity of practice. |
Abstract
A study was conducted on South African college students using the Transcendental Meditation technique to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder. Students meeting the criteria for possible posttraumatic stress disorder were included. Thirty-four students at the experimental university in South Africa clinically diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder were instructed in and practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique twice daily compared to 34 diagnosed posttraumatic stress disorder comparison students at the comparison university. The multivariate effect was significant for both the posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology and depression. Results were significantly associated with regularity of practice. The study replicates recent findings and offers an alternative educational treatment for higher education.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- Biological mechanism study of meditation and its application in mental disorders General Psychiatry July 13, 2020
- Effectiveness of Meditation Techniques in Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) December 12, 2024
- Peace through health: traditional medicine meditation in the prevention of collective stress, violence, and war. Frontiers in Public Health 2024
- The impact of Transcendental Meditation on psychological distress and coping in the lives of women in Uganda: A randomized controlled trial. Health care for women international February 5, 2026
- Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Transcendental Meditation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) April 3, 2025
and 5 more in the library
Cites 10
- Effects of the Transcendental Meditation Technique on Trait Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine October 9, 2013
- CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF EFFECTS OF TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION PRACTICE ON INTERHEMISPHERIC FRONTAL ASYMMETRY AND FRONTAL COHERENCE International Journal of Neuroscience 2006
- Effects of Transcendental Meditation in Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study Military Medicine June 1, 2011
- Impact of Transcendental Meditation on Psychotropic Medication Use Among Active Duty Military Service Members With Anxiety and PTSD. Military Medicine 2016
- Significant reductions in posttraumatic stress symptoms in Congolese refugees within 10 days of Transcendental Meditation practice. Journal of Traumatic Stress February 1, 2014
and 5 more in the library