Meditation as panacea: A longitudinal semantic network analysis of meditation coverage in campus newspapers from 1997-2018.
Yvonnes Chen, Cole Hansen, Hong Tien Vu
Journal of American College Health April 2023 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2021.1909042 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational content analysis using semantic network analysis Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | 494 campus newspaper articles about meditation published from 1997 to 2018 |
| Duration | 1997-2018 |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Campus newspapers Framing Semantic network analysis |
| Key findings | Five frames characterized campus newspaper coverage of meditation: building a campus meditation community, meditation benefits, yoga for mind-body awareness, meditation techniques, and secularizing meditation on campus. Coverage shifted from religious interest toward secular health-benefit views over time, and adverse effects discussed in the literature were entirely absent. The authors argue that emphasizing techniques and benefits could encourage participation and build a learning community. |
Abstract
Media framing of health issues reflects public opinion and impacts readers' perceptions and behavior. This study examines how meditation - a recommended stress coping strategy for college students - is framed in campus newspapers from 1997-2018. A total of 494 articles were analyzed. Semantic network analysis was used to automatically detect frames and the longitudinal trend. Five major frames emerged: (1) building a meditation community within a campus community, (2) meditation benefits, (3) yoga for enhancing mind and body awareness, (4) meditation techniques, and (5) secularizing meditation on campus. There is a shift in coverage from interest in religion to secular views of health benefits throughout the years. Discussions of adverse effects that have emerged from the literature were entirely absent. The trend of secularizing meditation practices on college campuses is evident. Emphasizing the techniques and benefits could encourage participation and build a learning community.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists PLoS One May 24, 2017
- Unwanted effects: Is there a negative side of meditation? A multicentre survey PLoS One September 5, 2017
- TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION, ALTERED REALITY TESTING, AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGE The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease July 1, 1975
- Reiterated Concerns and Further Challenges for Mindfulness and Meditation Research: A Reply to Davidson and Dahl. Perspectives on Psychological Science 2018
and 3 more in the library