Effect of Meditation on Social/Emotional Well-Being in a High-Performing High School
Jane E. Bleasdale, Margaret C. Peterson, Sanford Nidich
Professional School Counseling 2019 DOI: 10.1177/2156759x20940639 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 52 |
| Population | High-performing high school students |
| Interventions | Transcendental Meditation silent reading |
| Duration | 4 months |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Education |
| Key findings | Students practicing Transcendental Meditation twice daily showed significantly greater reductions in perceived stress, anxiety, anger, and depression than an active control group doing silent reading, with near-significant improvements in fatigue and self-esteem. The authors suggest the program has implications for school counselors. |
Abstract
This study explored the impact of a meditation program on stress, anxiety, and depression in a high-performing high school. Using a randomized controlled design with 52 students, the study took place over 4 months. Students participated in Transcendental Meditation (treatment) or silent reading (active control) twice daily. We observed significant reductions in perceived stress (p = .040), anxiety (p = .028), anger (p = .047), depression (p = .024), and fatigue (p = .075), and improvement in self-esteem (p = .054). The program has important implications for school counselors because of the impact on social/emotional well-being.
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 8
- The effect of Transcendental Meditation on self-esteem, self-efficacy, and gratitude, for increasing empowerment of female youth in Uganda. Health care for women international 2024
- Práctica de meditación por alumnos de primaria y secundaria en Perú: un estudio confirmatorio de salud y desempeño escolar Revista Innova Educación November 9, 2021
- Stress, Coping, and Transcendental Meditation: A Proto-Theoretical Model and Pilot Study of Indigenous Peruvian Students in Home Isolation During the COVID-19 Pandemic Journal of Latinos & Education February 2, 2025
- Test de Autoevaluación de Meditación Transcendental: a psychometric study of Peruvian school children and adolescents Revista Innova Educación July 1, 2024
- Improving physical and mental health of college students through Consciousness-Based Education. Journal of American College Health December 1, 2023
and 3 more in the library
Cites 7
- Sitting-meditation interventions among youth: a review of treatment efficacy. Pediatrics August 24, 2009
- Effects of the Transcendental Meditation Technique on Trait Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine October 9, 2013
- Effect of Transcendental Meditation on Employee Stress, Depression, and Burnout: A Randomized Controlled Study The Permanente Journal January 30, 2014
- Focused attention, open monitoring and automatic self-transcending: Categories to organize meditations from Vedic, Buddhist and Chinese traditions. Consciousness and Cognition December 2010
- A randomized controlled trial on effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on blood pressure, psychological distress, and coping in young adults. American Journal of Hypertension October 1, 2009
and 2 more in the library