EFFECT OF GAYATRI MANTRA CHANTING ON SHORT-TERM MEMORY IN STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED EXPERIMENTAL STUDY
Rajesh Kumar, Pramod Kumar Das, Vijay Singh Gusain
Journal of Applied Bioanalysis December 11, 2025 DOI: 10.69980/jab.v11i9.3441 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Students with disabilities aged 13–18 years |
| Intervention | Gayatri Mantra chanting |
| Dose | 108 times daily |
| Duration | 12 weeks, six days per week |
| Measures | B.B. Asthana Short-Term Memory Test |
| Key findings | Gayatri Mantra chanting significantly improved short-term memory in students with disabilities: the experimental group's mean score increased from 31.10 to 54.40, while the control group showed no meaningful change. The group effect was significant (p < .001, partial η² = .936). |
Abstract
Disabilities are associated with a range of physical, sensory, intellectual, and developmental conditions that may affect an individual's ability to acquire, process, store, and retrieve information. Many students with disabilities experience challenges in cognitive functions, particularly short-term memory, which plays a crucial role in attention, comprehension, language processing, problem-solving, and academic achievement. Conventional educational interventions primarily focus on remedial teaching; however, complementary mind-body interventions such as mantra meditation are increasingly being explored for their potential to enhance cognitive functioning. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Gayatri Mantra chanting on short-term memory among students with disabilities.
Methods: A randomized pre-test–post-test control group experimental design was employed. Forty students with disabilities aged 13–18 years were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The experimental group practiced Gayatri Mantra chanting 108 times daily, six days per week, for twelve weeks under expert supervision, whereas the control group continued their routine educational activities without any intervention. Short-term memory was assessed using the B.B. Asthana Short-Term Memory Test. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-test, and one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), with the significance level set at p < .05.
Results: The Gayatri Mantra chanting programme significantly improved short-term memory among students with disabilities. The experimental group's mean score increased from 31.10 to 54.40, while the control group showed no meaningful change. Paired t-test confirmed significant improvement in the experimental group (p = .001), and ANCOVA showed a significant group effect, F(1, 37) = 542.816, p < .001, partial η² = .936. These findings indicate a strong positive effect of Gayatri Mantra chanting on short-term memory.
Conclusion: Gayatri Mantra chanting appears to be an effective, safe, economical, and culturally acceptable complementary intervention for enhancing short-term memory in students with disabilities. Incorporating mantra chanting into educational and rehabilitation programmes may contribute to improved cognitive functioning and academic performance.