Reduced Trauma Symptoms and Perceived Stress in Male Prison Inmates through the Transcendental Meditation Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial

01 Nov 2016Sanford Nidich, EdD; Tom O’Connor, PhD; Thomas Rutledge, PhD;Jeff Duncan; Blaze Compton, MA; Angela Seng; Randi Nidich, EdD

Significant reductions in total trauma symptoms, anxiety, depression, dissociation, and sleep disturbance subscales, and perceived stress in the TM group were found compared with controls (all p values < 0.001). The high-trauma subgroup analysis further showed a higher magnitude of effects in the TM group compared with controls on all outcomes, with Cohen effect sizes ranging from 0.67 to 0.89.

Randomized Controlled Trial
5 effects
181 subjects

Reported Outcomes

DeterminantsOutcomeDetails

Meditation Selfcare risk & protective factor
Minor Protective Factor Meditation
Selfcare

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Brain outcome
Minor decreased risk of Post-traumatic stress...
Brain system

Low evidence
-89.0%

Meditation Selfcare risk & protective factor
Minor Protective Factor Meditation
Selfcare

Sleep Musculoskeletal outcome
Minor increase risk of Sleep
Musculoskeletal system

Low evidence
113.0%

Meditation Selfcare risk & protective factor
Minor Protective Factor Meditation
Selfcare

Stress Brain outcome
Minor decreased risk of Stress
Brain system

Low evidence
-36.0%

Meditation Selfcare risk & protective factor
Minor Protective Factor Meditation
Selfcare

Depression Brain outcome
Minor decreased risk of Depression
Brain system

Low evidence
-176.0%

Meditation Selfcare risk & protective factor
Minor Protective Factor Meditation
Selfcare

Anxiety Brain outcome
Minor decreased risk of Anxiety
Brain system

Low evidence
-44.0%