Effects of Transcendental Meditation practice on brain functioning and stress reactivity in college students.
Fred Travis, David A F Haaga, John Hagelin, Melissa Tanner, Sanford Nidich, Carolyn Gaylord-King, Sarina Grosswald, Maxwell Rainforth, Robert H Schneider
International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology February 1, 2009 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.09.007 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractCollege students who learned Transcendental Meditation (TM) showed improved brain integration scores and reduced sleepiness over ten weeks, while those who had not yet learned showed declines or no change. The study also found differences in how quickly students adapted to repeated loud tones. These results suggest that practicing TM may benefit college students' cognitive and physiological functioning.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 38 |
| Population | College students |
| Intervention | Transcendental Meditation |
| Duration | 10-week posttest |
| Key finding | Transcendental Meditation practice led to significant increases in Brain Integration Scale scores and reductions in sleepiness compared to a delayed-start control group. |
Abstract
This randomized controlled trial investigated effects of Transcendental Meditation (TM) practice on Brain Integration Scale scores (broadband frontal coherence, power ratios, and preparatory brain responses), electrodermal habituation to 85-dB tones, sleepiness, heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and P300 latencies in 50 college students. After pretest, students were randomly assigned to learn TM immediately or learn after the 10-week posttest. There were no significant pretest group differences. A MANOVA of students with complete data (N=38) yielded significant group vs treatment interactions for Brain Integration Scale scores, sleepiness, and habituation rates (all p<.007). Post hoc analyses revealed significant increases in Brain Integration Scale scores for Immediate-start students but decreases in Delayed-start students; significant reductions in sleepiness in Immediate-start students with no change in Delayed-start students; and no changes in habituation rates in Immediate-start students, but significant increases in Delayed-start students. These data support the value of TM practice for college students.