Comparison of Use of Meditation and Rest in Treatment of Test Anxiety
Psychological Reports December 1, 1983 DOI: 10.2466/pr0.1983.53.3.931 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 35 |
| Population | Undergraduate volunteers |
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | Meditation and a control condition were equally effective in reducing test anxiety, with no consistent moderators of outcome. |
Abstract
Undergraduate volunteers (16 men, 19 women) were randomly assigned to either a meditation or a control condition balanced for expectancy to compare the function of these treatments in the alleviation of test anxiety. Self-report, performance, and physiological indices were assessed as moderated by gender, Scholastic Aptitude Test score, frequency of practice, repression, and expectancy of relief. The treatments were equally effective in reducing test anxiety. The moderators showed no consistent relation to outcome. Results are discussed with reference to different procedures for assessing these constructs.