Exploring co-meditation as a means of reducing anxiety and facilitating relaxation in a nursing school setting.
Violet M Malinski, Vidette Todaro-Franceschi
Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association December 2011 DOI: 10.1177/0898010111398334 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pretest/posttest design with participants as their own controls Pilot study Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 26 |
| Population | Nursing school students, faculty, and staff aged 19 to 51 years |
| Intervention | Co-meditation |
| Duration | 1 month of practice |
| Measures | blood pressure, pulse, respirations, anxiety inventory forms |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key points | Co-meditation may reduce anxiety and enhance relaxation, as suggested by improved vital signs and anxiety inventory scores, with participants reporting feeling calmer and more centered after one month of practice. |
Abstract
The purpose of this pilot study was to explore whether co-meditation, shared or cross-breathing, could reduce anxiety and enhance relaxation in a nursing school setting. The specific outcomes to be assessed in the quantitative component were blood pressure, pulse, respirations, and anxiety, both state and trait. A qualitative component explored participants' experiences with co-meditation following 1 month of practice. Rogers's Science of Unitary Human Beings formed the theoretical basis for this study. The study employed a pretest/posttest design with participants as their own controls. Quantitative data were collected from a convenience sample of 26 students, faculty, and staff aged 19 to 51 years, male and female. Fourteen participants returned for the qualitative component. Findings suggest that co-meditation may be useful in reducing anxiety, as measured by vital signs and the anxiety inventory forms. Participants reported feeling calmer and more relaxed, balanced, and centered following 1 month of practice. Findings suggest that co-meditation has potential to help transform a nursing educational environment from one that is potentially anxiety provoking to a calmer, more caring one.