Meditation and college students' self-actualization and rated stress.
Psychological Reports October 1, 1994 DOI: 10.2466/pr0.1994.75.2.1007 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 62 |
| Population | College students |
| Intervention | Mantra meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Both mantra meditation and yogic relaxation increased self-actualization similarly, but meditation produced larger gains in relaxed behavior. |
Abstract
This paper concerns the efficacy of meditation and relaxation in promoting self-actualization and changes in self-reported stress among 62 college students. Two groups were given mantra meditation and a yogic relaxation technique referred to as Shavasana. Pre- and posttest measures were taken on the Personal Orientation Inventory and the Behavioral Relaxation Scale. Both groups showed significant increases in scores on self-actualization; however, no differences were found between groups. Meditation training was associated with larger gains in scores on measures of systematic relaxed behavior than of the relaxation training.