Reduced Trauma Symptoms and Perceived Stress in Male Prison Inmates through the Transcendental Meditation Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Author: Nidich S1, O'connor T2, Rutledge T3, Duncan J4, Compton B5, Seng A6, Nidich R7
Affiliation:
1Professor and the Director of the Center for Social and Emotional Health at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA. snidich@mum.edu.
2Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Western Oregon University in Monmouth. oconnortom@aol.com.
3Staff Psychologist at Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System in La Jolla, CA. thomas.rutledge@va.gov.
4Research Analyst for the Oregon Department of Corrections in Salem. jeff.b.duncan@doc.state.or.us.
5Affiliated Research Associate at the Center for Social and Emotional Health at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA. blazecompton@gmail.com.
6Affiliated Research Associate at the Center for Social and Emotional Health at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA. seng.angelak@gmail.com.
7Senior Researcher at the Center for Social and Emotional Health at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA. rnidich@mum.edu.
Conference/Journal: Perm J.
Date published: 2016 Oct 7
Other:
Volume ID: 20 , Issue ID: 4 , Special Notes: doi: 10.7812/TPP/16-007. [Epub ahead of print] , Word Count: 176
CONTEXT: Trauma events are four times more prevalent in inmates than in the general public and are associated with increased recidivism and other mental and physical health issues.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of Transcendental Meditationa (TM) on trauma symptoms in male inmates.
DESIGN: One hundred eighty-one inmates with a moderate- to high-risk criminal profile were randomly assigned to either the TM program or to a usual care control group.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Trauma Symptom Checklist and the Perceived Stress Scale were administered at baseline and four-month posttest.
RESULTS: 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.
CONCLUSION: Results are consistent with those of prior studies of the TM program in other populations and its effects on trauma symptoms and perceived stress.
PMID: 27723444 DOI: 10.7812/TPP/16-007
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