Effect of a Yoga Based Meditation Technique on Emotional Regulation, Self‐compassion and Mindfulness in College Students
Naresh K. Patel, L. Nivethitha, A. Mooventhan
Explore November 1, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2018.06.008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 72 |
| Population | College students aged 18 to 25 years recruited from a residential college |
| Intervention | Mastering Emotions Technique (MEMT) |
| Dose | 45 min a day |
| Duration | 2 weeks |
| Measures | Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | After two weeks of daily MEMT practice, participants showed significant increases in cognitive reappraisal, positive affect, self-compassion, and mindfulness scores, and significant reductions in negative affect and expressive suppression compared with baseline. The authors suggest MEMT is effective for improving emotion regulation and related outcomes in college students, with no adverse effects reported. |
Abstract
HighlightsPractice of MEMT 45 min a day for 2 weeks improves emotional regulation, positive affect, self compassion and mindfulness and reduces negative affect.All the subjects were actively participated in intervention.No adverse effects were reported throughout the study period.Intervention is feasible, easy, safe and cost‐effective.
Background: Emotion regulation is often a challenge for the college students. Yoga practice has been shown to reduce stress and improve mindfulness that is related to emotion regulation. Mastering emotions technique (MEMT) is one of the yoga‐based meditation techniques that are designed to control emotions among practitioners. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no known study reporting its scientific evidence‐based effects on emotion and its related variables. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of MEMT on emotion regulation, self‐compassion, and mindfulness in college students.
Materials and Methods: Seventy‐two subjects with the age varied from 18 to 25 years were recruited from a residential college. All the subjects underwent MEMT for the duration of 45 min a day for a period of 2 weeks. Assessments such as Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Self‐Compassion Scale (SCS), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) were taken before and after the intervention.
Results: Results of this study showed a significant increase in the scores of cognitive reappraisal, positive affect, self‐compassion, and MAAS along with a significant reduction in the scores of negative affect, and expressive suppression after the practice of MEMT compared to its respective baseline.
Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that practice of MEMT is effective in improving emotion regulation, positive affects, self‐compassion, and mindfulness while in reducing negative affects among college students.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Effects of Yoga Respiratory Practice (Bhastrika pranayama) on Anxiety, Affect, and Brain Functional Connectivity and Activity: A Randomized Controlled Trial Frontiers in Psychiatry May 21, 2020
- Efficacy of yoga for posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Psychiatry Research October 1, 2024
- Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocol Frontiers in Psychology August 24, 2023
- Rajyoga Meditation Experience Induces Enhanced Positive Thoughts and Alters Gray Matter Volume of Brain Regions: A Cross-sectional Study Mindfulness May 8, 2021
- The integration of meditation into higher education: a systematic literature review. Journal of American College Health January 15, 2025
and 11 more in the library