Examining the Effects of Meditation Techniques on Psychosocial Functioning
David B. Wolf, Neil Abell
Research on Social Work Practice 2003 DOI: 10.1177/104973102237471 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Alternate mantra (placebo) |
| Duration | Testing times separated by 4 weeks; pretest, posttest, and follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The maha mantra group showed significantly greater increases in sattva and decreases in stress, depression, and tamas from pretest to posttest compared to alternate mantra and control groups, but no significant effect on rajas. |
Abstract
Objective: An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of chanting the maha mantra on stress, depression, and the three gunas—sattva (enlightenment), rajas (passion), and tamas (inertia)—described in the Vedas as the basis of human psychology. Primary hypotheses of the study were that the maha mantra group would increase sattva and decrease stress, depression, rajas, and tamas significantly more than the other groups.
Method: Participants were tested at pretest, posttest, and follow-up, with testing times separated by 4 weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to a maha mantra group, an alternate mantra (placebo) group, and a control group.
Results: MANOVA results supported these hypotheses from pretest to posttest at p < .05 for all dependent variables except rajas.
Conclusions: The authors suggest that the maha mantra has potential in addressing problems related to stress and depression and that it be considered as one possible component of a spiritual approach to social work practice.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 28
- The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin May 14, 2012
- School-based Meditation Practices for Adolescents: A Resource for Strengthening Self-Regulation, Emotional Coping, and Self-Esteem Children & Schools July 1, 2010
- The emerging role of meditation in addressing psychiatric illness, with a focus on substance use disorders. Harvard Review of Psychiatry 2009
- Rhythmic Chanting and Mystical States across Traditions. Brain Sciences January 13, 2021
- How Chanting Relates to Cognitive Function, Altered States and Quality of Life Brain Sciences October 27, 2022
and 23 more in the library