Meditation Effective in Reducing Teacher Burnout and Improving Resilience: A Randomized Controlled Study
Laurent Valosek, Staci Wendt, Jan Link, Allan I. Abrams, Jerry Hipps, James Grant, Randi Nidich, Marie Loiselle, Sanford Nidich
Frontiers in Education March 4, 2021 DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2021.627923 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 78 |
| Population | Teachers |
| Intervention | Transcendental Meditation program |
| Duration | Four-month posttest |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Teachers Burnout Stress Wellness |
| Key findings | The Transcendental Meditation program significantly reduced emotional exhaustion and improved resilience, perceived stress, fatigue, and depression in teachers compared to a wait-list control group. |
Abstract
Teacher burnout affects job performance and mental and physical health. This study evaluated the effects of a meditation-based wellness program on burnout, resilience, psychological distress, and fatigue. Seventy-eight participants, randomly assigned to the Transcendental Meditation program (n = 39) or to a wait-list control group (n = 39), were administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Resilience Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and the National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System fatigue and depression scales at baseline and at four-month posttest. Intention-to-treat with all 78 participants was used for all analyses. Significant reduction on emotional exhaustion, the main scale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, was found for the meditation group compared to controls (p = 0.019). Significant improvements were also found on resilience (p = 0.014), perceived stress (p < 0.001), fatigue (p = 0.001), and depression (p = 0.091). Eighty-seven percent were compliant with their meditation home practice. Findings indicate that meditation is effective in improving burnout and associated resilience, psychological distress, and fatigue factors. Teachers may benefit from in-school wellness programs.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Resilience among meditators and non-meditators: a matched sample study Mental Health, Religion & Culture September 9, 2026
- Effect of Transcendental Meditation on the Social Emotional Well-Being of Bilingual Teacher-Leaders Journal of Education January 25, 2026
- EEG Effects of Vibroacoustic Stimulation and Guided Mindfulness Meditation on Cognitive Well-Being, Concentration, and Relaxation Psychology International September 29, 2025
- Effects of transcendental meditation on mental health and work productivity among university staff in Australia: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders September 23, 2026
- Improving happiness, resilience, and self-efficacy while reducing stress for rural Lebanese women using the Transcendental Meditation practice: A randomized controlled trial. Women's Health 2026
and 6 more in the library
Cites 10
- Mindfulness for Teachers: A Pilot Study to Assess Effects on Stress, Burnout, and Teaching Efficacy Mind, Brain, and Education August 16, 2013
- A Workplace Mindfulness Intervention May Be Associated With Improved Psychological Well-Being and Productivity. A Preliminary Field Study in a Company Setting Frontiers in Psychology February 28, 2018
- 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
- Effect of Transcendental Meditation on Employee Stress, Depression, and Burnout: A Randomized Controlled Study The Permanente Journal January 30, 2014
- Non-trauma-focused meditation versus exposure therapy in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Psychiatry December 1, 2018
and 5 more in the library