Buddha image meditation is a potent predictor for mental health outcomes: A cross-sectional study among Thai high-school students.
Justin DeMaranville, Tinakon Wongpakaran, Nahathai Wongpakaran, Danny Wedding
PLoS One 2025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0326432 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Cross-sectional Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 443 |
| Population | Thai high school students aged 15-18 enrolled in grades 10-12 in secular or Buddhist boarding schools in northern Thailand |
| Interventions | Buddha image visualization Manomayiddhi breathing meditation |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Contemplation Spiritual practice Inner reflection Mental exercise Quietude Manomayiddhi Breathing meditation Daily meditation frequency Adolescent mental health Teenage wellbeing Youth psychological health Adolescent emotional health Youth wellbeing High-school students Young people Mental health outcomes Buddha image visualization Buddhist meditation Spiritual visualization Inner imagery Religious meditation Mental wellbeing benefits Psychological wellness Inner peace Resilience Self-esteem Stress reduction Anxiety relief Depression management |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Buddha image visualization, Manomayiddhi, and breathing meditation were each predictive of positive mental health outcomes in adolescents, with daily practice associated with the best scores. |
Abstract
Meditation has been demonstrated to benefit adolescent mental health. This research examined various meditation styles practiced in northern Thailand to determine which were associated with positive and negative mental health outcomes in adolescents. High school students who were 15-18 years old and who were enrolled in grades 10-12 in either secular or Buddhist Thai boarding schools were recruited following their school's willingness to participate. They provided information about meditation styles and their practice frequency during the last month (i.e., breathing, kasina (color), Buddha image visualization, Manomayiddhi, mindfulness, recollections, and vipassanā). The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Resilience Inventory (RI-9), Outcome Inventory-21 (OI-21), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were completed. Multiple linear regression model analysis was used to identify the effects of meditation styles on mental health outcomes. Among 443 participants, 390 were females (87.9%). The mean age was 16.35 ± 0.96 years. The three most common meditation styles practiced were breathing, Buddha image visualization, and mindfulness (46.5%, 26.2%, and 22.8%, respectively). Buddha image visualization was a significant predictor of RSES (B = 1.69, 95%CI = 0.77, 2.61), RI-9 (B = 2.95, 95%CI = 0.68, 2.95), OI-Anxiety (B = -2.38, 95%CI = -3.34, -1.41), OI-Depression (B = -1.94, 95%CI = -2.64, -1.24), and PSS-10 (B = -2.47, 95%CI = -3.65, -1.28), whereas Manomayiddhi was a predictor of RI-9 (B = 2.47, 95%CI = 0.74, 2.47), OI-Anxiety (B = -2.32, 95%CI = -3.41, -1.23), OI-Depression (B = -1.53, 95%CI = -2.32, -0.74), and PSS-10 (B = -2.14, 95%CI = -3.46, -0.81). Breathing meditation predicted OI-Depression (B = -0.87, 95%CI = -1.45, -0.29). Daily meditation frequency was associated with the best mental health scores (p < 0.001). Buddha image visualization, Manomayiddhi, and breathing meditation were predictive of adolescents' mental health. A higher practice frequency is associated with positive mental health outcomes.
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 21
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
- Prevalence of meditation-related adverse effects in a population-based sample in the United States Psychotherapy Research June 2, 2021
- Neurobiological Changes Induced by Mindfulness and Meditation: A Systematic Review. Biomedicines November 15, 2024
- The Mindful Brain: A Systematic Review of the Neural Correlates of Trait Mindfulness. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience November 1, 2024
- The effects of mindfulness-based interventions in COVID-19 times: a systematic review Journal of Human Growth and Development June 23, 2022
and 16 more in the library