Assessment of Satva Bala Following Ten-Days Residential Vipassana Course in Young Adults: A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study Protocol
Dr. Sunil Revati Tulshiramji Mehetre, Dr. Ramesh M.Bansode
Intemed International Journal of Research in Integrated Medical Sciences October 12, 2026 DOI: 10.68108/intemed.v2.i7.14 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective single cohort study (protocol) Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 250 |
| Population | First-time young adult participants aged 18 to 40 years at Dhamma Punna Vipassana Meditation Centre in Pune, excluding those with diagnosed major mental disorder, major physical illness, ongoing psychiatric treatment or psychotropic medication, or previous completion of a ten-day Vipassana course |
| Duration | Ten-day residential course with monthly assessments for three months |
| Measures | 14-item Ayurveda-derived Satva Bala questionnaire, pulse, blood pressure |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The protocol proposes to estimate immediate and three-month changes in Satva Bala scores among first-time participants completing a ten-day residential Vipassana course. The authors state the design can describe within-person change and its persistence but cannot isolate a causal effect of meditation from self-selection, expectancy, the retreat environment, silence, diet, sleep schedule, or other concurrent features. |
Abstract
Background : Satva Bala describes the functional strength and steadiness of the mind in Ayurveda. A structured residential Vipassana course combines ethical discipline, sustained attention to respiration and bodily sensations, equanimous observation, silence, and a regulated daily routine. These components may influence several capacities represented in Satva Bala, but direct longitudinal evidence is limited.
Objective: To estimate immediate and three-month changes in Satva Bala among first time young adult participants completing a standard ten-day residential Vipassana course. Methods : This prospective single cohort study will recruit 250 adults aged 18 to 40 years at Dhamma Punna Vipassana Meditation Centre in Pune. Participants with a diagnosed major mental disorder, major physical illness, ongoing psychiatric treatment or psychotropic medication, or previous completion of a ten day Vipassana course will be excluded. The primary outcome is change in the 14 item Ayurveda derived Satva Bala questionnaire score from baseline to course completion. Monthly assessments will continue for three months. Pulse and blood pressure will be recorded before and after the residential course. The main analysis will use a linear mixed effects model with time as a categorical fixed effect and participant as a random intercept. Adjusted mean changes, 95 percent confidence intervals, standardized effect sizes, score distributions, category transitions, missing data, and adverse experiences will be reported.
Interpretation: The design can describe within person change and its persistence but cannot isolate a causal effect of meditation from self selection, expectancy, the retreat environment, silence, diet, sleep schedule, or other concurrent features. The study is intended to generate a transparent estimate and inform a later controlled trial and psychometric validation of the questionnaire.
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 |