The effects of Transcendental Meditation on emotional intelligence, stress, fatigue, and sleep quality among Ayurvedic medical students in India
Carol Paredes, Sandy Nidich, Gunvant Yeola, Asmita Wele, Santosh Kamble, Kamalakar Tehre, Robert Keith Wallace, Maxwell Rainforth
Frontiers in Education July 2, 2025 DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1583413 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental, longitudinal observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 176 |
| Population | Ayurvedic medical students at D. Y. Patil College of Ayurved and Research Center of Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) in India |
| Intervention | Transcendental Meditation |
| Duration | 6-month intervention period with assessments at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Transcendental meditation Emotional intelligence Stress reduction Fatigue Sleep quality Ayurveda medical students |
| Key findings | Transcendental Meditation led to substantial improvements in emotional intelligence and reductions in perceived stress, fatigue, and insomnia severity among Ayurvedic medical students over six months. |
Abstract
IntroductionEmotional intelligence (EI) is essential for resilience and adaptability in high-pressure environments such as medical education. Transcendental Meditation (TM) has been shown to enhance emotional regulation, reduce stress, and improve wellbeing. This quasi-experimental, longitudinal observational study evaluated the effects of TM on emotional intelligence, perceived stress, fatigue, and sleep quality among Ayurvedic medical students over a 6-month period.MethodsThis study included 176 Ayurvedic medical students at D. Y. Patil College of Ayurved and Research Center of Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) in India, comprising a TM group (n = 97) and a control group (n = 79). Global Emotional Intelligence (Global EI) and its subdomains (Wellbeing, Emotionality, Self-Control, and Sociability) were assessed using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, Short Form (TEIQue-SF). Secondary outcomes included perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale; PSS), fatigue (PROMIS Fatigue Short Form), and insomnia severity (Insomnia Severity Index; ISI). Assessments were conducted at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Linear mixed-effects models (LMMs) were used to evaluate Group × Time interactions for each outcome, controlling for age. An autoregressive [AR(1)] covariance structure was specified to account for repeated measures. Pairwise comparisons based on estimated marginal means were used to assess between-group differences at each timepoint.ResultsSignificant Group × Time interactions were observed for Global Emotional Intelligence (EI) (p < 0.001), perceived stress (p < 0.001), fatigue (p < 0.001), and insomnia severity (p < 0.001), indicating that the TM and control groups showed different patterns of change over time. Specifically, the TM group demonstrated substantial improvements in Global EI and significant reductions in perceived stress, fatigue, and insomnia severity by 6 months compared to the control group. Secondary analyses also revealed significant Group × Time interactions across all four Global EI subdomains (Wellbeing, Emotionality, Self-Control, and Sociability; all p < 0.001).ConclusionRegular practice of Transcendental Meditation (TM) led to meaningful improvements in emotional intelligence, reductions in perceived stress and fatigue, and enhanced sleep quality among Ayurvedic medical students. These findings support integrating TM into student wellness programs as an effective strategy for promoting psychological resilience in high-stress academic environments.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Stress Management Intervention for Healthy Individuals Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine July 22, 2014
- 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
- Focused attention, open monitoring and automatic self-transcending: Categories to organize meditations from Vedic, Buddhist and Chinese traditions. Consciousness and Cognition December 2010
- A randomized controlled trial on effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on blood pressure, psychological distress, and coping in young adults. American Journal of Hypertension October 1, 2009
- Effects of Transcendental Meditation practice on brain functioning and stress reactivity in college students. International Journal of Psychophysiology February 1, 2009
and 1 more in the library