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Meditation for Quality Improvement of Medical Encounters: Single-Intervention, Vedanta-Based Meditation Effects on Vital Signs and Mood Indices

J. Srinivasan, Patrick J. Breheny

January 30, 2012 DOI: 10.1177/2156587211434083 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Pre-post single-intervention study
Sample size 99
Population 99 volunteers
Interventions relaxation exercises mental imagery
Duration 15-minute single intervention
Measures heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, temperature, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Likert scales for mood
Topics Meditation
Key points A 15-minute guided Vedanta-based meditation produced statistically significant immediate improvements in vital signs and mood, with the largest effects on blood pressure, respiratory rate, and Beck Depression Inventory scores, as well as depression, anxiousness, happiness, and peacefulness. Males showed greater physiological benefit and females greater psychological benefit.

Abstract

A 15-minute, single-intervention, individually guided, Vedanta-based meditation was evaluated for acute effects on vital signs and mood indices. This study included 99 volunteers. Subjects were led in meditations incorporating breathing techniques, relaxation exercises, mental imagery, and silent mantra repetition. Pre- and post-intervention vital signs and mood indices were assessed, including heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, temperature, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Likert scales for mood. The meditation was shown to have statistically significant effects in the immediate improvement of vital signs and mood indices. The most substantial effects occurred for blood pressure, respiratory rate, Beck Depression Inventory, depression, anxiousness, happiness, and peacefulness. Also, males experienced greater physiological benefit whereas females experienced greater psychological benefit. The results of this study could be useful in developing gender-specific meditations to improve vital signs and mood indices in acute settings.

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

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