Transcendental Meditation and Reduced Trauma Symptoms in Female Inmates: A Randomized Controlled Study.
Sanford Nidich, Angela Seng, Blaze Compton, Tom O'connor, John Salerno, Randi Nidich
The Permanente Journal January 1, 2017 DOI: 10.7812/tpp/16-008 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractIncarcerated women experience higher rates of trauma than the general population. In a pilot randomized controlled trial, 22 female inmates at a correctional facility were assigned to either a Transcendental Meditation (TM) program or a wait-list control group. After four months, the TM group showed significant reductions in total trauma symptoms, intrusive thoughts, and hyperarousal compared with controls. Effect sizes were large, ranging from 0.65 to 0.99. Compliance with the TM program was 81%. The findings suggest TM may be a feasible and effective intervention for reducing trauma symptoms in incarcerated women, though larger studies are needed.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 22 |
| Population | Female inmates at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility with at least 4 months left of incarceration |
| Intervention | Transcendental Meditation |
| Duration | 4-month intervention |
| Key finding | Transcendental Meditation significantly reduced total trauma symptoms, intrusive thoughts, and hyperarousal in incarcerated women compared to a wait-list control group. |
Abstract
Compared with the general population, trauma experiences are higher among incarcerated women. To evaluate the effects of Transcendental Meditation (TM) on trauma symptoms in female offenders. Twenty-two inmates at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, OR, with at least 4 months left of incarceration were enrolled in this randomized controlled pilot study. Subjects were randomly assigned to either the TM group (n = 11) or a wait-list control group (n = 11). Subjects were measured at baseline and 4-month posttest using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version (PCL-C; primary outcome) with intrusive thoughts, avoidance, and hyperarousal subscales (secondary outcomes). Twenty of the subjects (10 in each group) took part in their treatment assignment and completed posttesting. Significant reductions were found on total trauma (p < 0.036), intrusive thoughts (p < 0.026), and hyperarousal (p < 0.043) on the PCL-C. Effect sizes ranged from 0.65 to 0.99 for all variables. Eighty-one percent of the TM subjects were compliant with their program. The results of this study indicate feasibility of the TM program in a female prison population and suggest that TM may be an effective tool for decreasing trauma symptoms. Future large-scale research is warranted.