Scientific Research Database
Research on the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programs
As taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
677 papers · 1,773 findings · 200 journals · 1970–2024
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Read more →677 papers found
- 2024· Medicina· Research ReviewOrme-Johnson, David W.; Barnes, Vernon A.; Rees, Brian; Tobin, Jean; Walton, Kenneth G. (2024). Effectiveness of meditation techniques in treating post-traumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicina, 60(12), 2050.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of meditation techniques for post-traumatic stress disorder, comparing effect sizes across meditation categories.
- Review Paper—Health: Across randomized controlled trials, all categories of meditation significantly reduced PTSD symptoms; Transcendental Meditation showed the largest effect (Hedges' g = −1.13), significantly greater than mindfulness-based stress reduction (−0.52) and other approaches, with no serious adverse effects reported; the authors recommend a Phase 3 clinical trial.
- 2023· Consciousness-Based Leadership and Management, Volume 2 (Palgrave Studies in Workplace Spirituality and Fulfillment)· EmpiricalNader, Tony; Carroll, Matthew; Travis, Frederick; Bray, Michelle; Gruener, Gregory; Rothenberg, David; Brown, Carla; Brown, Marc (2023). A larger lens: Medical students benefit from Consciousness-Based self-care. In A. K. Maheshwari (ed.), Consciousness-Based Leadership and Management, Volume 2. Palgrave Macmillan.
Qualitative study of Loyola University medical students learning Transcendental Meditation as Consciousness-Based self-care, reporting how the practice fit demanding schedules and supported their well-being.
- Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Medical students reported that Transcendental Meditation fit their demanding schedules, that they gained productive time through the practice, and that it supported their well-being during training.
- 2022· World Journal of Social Science· EmpiricalOrme-Johnson, David W.; Cavanaugh, Kenneth L.; Dillbeck, Michael C.; Goodman, Rachel S. (2022). Field-effects of consciousness: A seventeen-year study of the effects of group practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs on reducing U.S. stress. World Journal of Social Science, 9(2).
Seventeen-year time-series study of eight U.S. national stress indicators in relation to the size of the group practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs.
- Sociological—Reduced Crime: Eight U.S. national stress indicators—including crime, infant mortality, drug-related deaths and fatal accidents—improved while the TM and TM-Sidhi group exceeded the required threshold and worsened when the group shrank (p's < .0001).
- 2022· Frontiers in Psychology· EmpiricalConti, Gilda; Doyle, Colm; Fearon, Paschal; Oppedisano, Valeria (2022). A demonstration study of the Quiet Time Transcendental Meditation program in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 765158.
Pilot demonstration study of the Quiet Time Transcendental Meditation program in schools in the United Kingdom and Ireland, assessing feasibility and acceptability to inform a larger randomized trial.
- Academic Performance: The Quiet Time Transcendental Meditation program was feasible and acceptable in UK and Irish schools when practiced regularly, providing a basis for powering a larger randomized controlled trial.
- 2022· Studies in Asian Social Science· EmpiricalCavanaugh, Kenneth L.; Dillbeck, Michael C.; Orme-Johnson, David W. (2022). Evaluating a field theory of consciousness and reduction in U.S. homicide: Analysis of monthly data for 2007–2016. Studies in Asian Social Science, 8(1).
Time-series analysis of monthly U.S. homicide trends from 2007 to 2016 in relation to the size of the group practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs at Maharishi International University.
- Sociological—Reduced Violent Conflict: During 2007–2011, when the U.S. group of TM and TM-Sidhi practitioners exceeded the square-root-of-one-percent threshold, monthly U.S. homicide trends improved significantly (p < .0001); when the group fell below the threshold in 2012–2016, homicide rates rose.
- 2021· Medicina· Research ReviewSeetharaman, Manju; Krishnan, Gowtham; Schneider, Robert H. (2021). The future of medicine: Frontiers in integrative health and medicine. Medicina, 57(12), 1303.
Editorial reviewing the growing evidence base for integrative health and medicine, including meditation and other traditional and complementary approaches, and arguing for their integration with modern medical care.
- Review Paper—Health: This editorial surveys evidence for traditional, complementary and integrative approaches—including meditation—and argues that integrating these modalities with conventional medicine represents a frontier for future health care.
- 2021· Education· EmpiricalVela-Valenzuela, Omar; Dillbeck, Michael C.; Sacristán, Cándido (2021). Effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on intellectual ability, personal well-being and academic performance in Mexican high school students. Education, 142(2), 102–110.
Nine-month longitudinal study of Mexican high school students comparing 50 students practicing Transcendental Meditation with 48 matched non-meditating controls on intelligence, well-being and national exam performance.
- Academic Performance: High school students practicing Transcendental Meditation for nine months scored higher on national academic examinations than matched non-meditating controls.
- Intelligence: Students practicing Transcendental Meditation showed greater improvement on Raven's Progressive Matrices intelligence scores over nine months than matched controls.
- Psychological Health: Students practicing Transcendental Meditation reported higher personal well-being after three months compared with matched controls.
- 2021· Educación· EmpiricalFergusson, Lee C.; Ortiz Cabrejos, Javier; Bonshek, Anna (2021). Health and school performance: An exploratory quantitative study of school children in Huay-Huay, Perú. Educación, 30(59), 65–89.
Exploratory quantitative survey of primary and secondary students in Huay-Huay, Perú, using a 47-question instrument on self-reported health and school performance in relation to Transcendental Meditation practice.
- Health—General: Primary and secondary students in Huay-Huay, Perú, completed a 47-question survey about their experience with Transcendental Meditation; a majority rated the practice as mostly beneficial to physical, cognitive and emotional health.
- Academic Performance: Students also reported benefits for school performance, with stronger reported effects among those practicing more regularly.
- Academic Performance: Gender and grade level did not appear to influence the outcomes; the self-report design has no comparison group.
- 2021· Journal of Latinos and Education· EmpiricalFergusson, Lee C.; Ortiz Cabrejos, Javier; Bonshek, Anna (2021). Aymara childrens' practice of Transcendental Meditation in Perú: A learning history model of parent and teacher perceptions. Journal of Latinos and Education.
Qualitative learning-history study using semi-structured interviews with parents and teachers in Puno, Perú, to understand perceptions of Aymara children's practice of Transcendental Meditation.
- Self Development: Semi-structured interviews with parents and teachers in Puno, Perú, using a learning-history approach, identified fifteen themes in children's practice of Transcendental Meditation.
- Academic Performance: Parents and teachers linked the practice to changes in academic performance, emotional flexibility, empathy and responsibility.
- 2021· JACEP Open· EmpiricalAzizoddin, Desiree R.; Kvaternik, Noelia; Zhou, Guohai; Hasdianda, Mohammad Adrian; Johnsky, Lily; Im, Dana; Boyer, Edward W.; Beck, Meghan; Jones, Natasha; Chai, Peter R. (2021). Heal the Healers: A pilot study evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, and exploratory efficacy of a Transcendental Meditation intervention for emergency clinicians during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. JACEP Open, 2(6), e12619.
Single-arm pilot study of a three-month Transcendental Meditation intervention for 32 emergency physicians, nurses and physician assistants at two urban hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, assessing feasibility, burnout and psychological health.
- Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Thirty-two emergency clinicians (physicians, nurses and physician assistants) at two urban hospitals learned Transcendental Meditation during the COVID-19 pandemic; 90.6% attended at least six of eight training sessions.
- Psychological Health: Participants showed significant reductions in burnout (Cohen's d = 0.43–0.45) and in symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and sleep disturbance (d = 0.70–0.87) over three months.
- Organizational Performance and Well-Being: This was a single-arm pilot without a control group, so improvements cannot be attributed to TM alone.
- 2021· Journal of Nuclear Cardiology· EmpiricalBokhari, Sabahat; Schneider, Robert H.; Salerno, John W.; Rainforth, Maxwell V.; Gaylord-King, Carolyn; Nidich, Sanford I. (2021). Effects of cardiac rehabilitation with and without meditation on myocardial blood flow using quantitative positron emission tomography: A pilot study. Journal of Nuclear Cardiology, 28, 1596–1607.
Randomized four-group pilot enrolled 56 patients with coronary heart disease; 37 completed follow-up. TM-containing groups showed preliminary descriptive improvements in myocardial flow reserve. Small samples and attrition limit conclusions.
- Health—Cardiovascular: TM-containing groups showed preliminary improvements in myocardial flow reserve measured by quantitative PET compared with non-TM groups.
- Cardiovascular: Effect-size-oriented findings from this pilot require confirmation in larger trials.
- 2020· Visions: The Journal of Rogerian Nursing Science· EmpiricalPerkins, Joyce B.; Aquino-Russell, Catherine (2020). Practicing transcendence in meditation speeds nurses' evolutionary development. Visions: The Journal of Rogerian Nursing Science, 26(4).
Phenomenological study of the lived experiences of doctoral nursing students practicing Transcendental Meditation, interpreted through the lens of Unitary Human Caring Science.
- Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Doctoral nursing students described Transcendental Meditation practice as an experience of transcendence that supported their personal and professional growth, interpreted within Rogers' Science of Unitary Human Beings.
- 2020· Warmadewa Medical Journal· EmpiricalFergusson, Lee C.; Bonshek, Anna (2020). A strategy for improving the functional health and well-being of Cambodian university faculty and staff. Warmadewa Medical Journal, 5(1), 30–47.
Concurrent quasi-experimental mixed-methods study of Transcendental Meditation practice by faculty and staff at three regional Cambodian universities, examining physical, mental and social health. A modified version of a study previously published in ASEAN Journal of Education.
- Organizational Performance and Well-Being: A concurrent quasi-experimental mixed-methods study examined Transcendental Meditation practice by faculty and staff at three regional Cambodian universities.
- Psychological Health: Converging quantitative and qualitative data suggest benefits for the physical, mental and social health of university personnel.
- Organizational Performance and Well-Being: The authors note the design cannot rule out expectation, attention or selection effects. This is a modified version of a study previously published in ASEAN Journal of Education.
- 2020· Revista de Ciências da Saúde· Empiricalde Oliveira, Daniel Vicentini; Bertolini, Sônia Maria Marques Gomes; Chatalov, Ellis Gilson; Franco, Maura Fernandes; de Lima, Maria do Carmo Correia; Freire, Gabriel Lucas Morais; de Oliveira, Rogéria Vicentini; Nascimento Júnior, José Roberto Andrade do (2020). Factors associated with transcendental meditation practice in older people. Revista de Ciências da Saúde, 10(3), 85–91.
Cross-sectional comparison of 113 older adults in Brazil—60 Transcendental Meditation practitioners and 53 non-practitioners—examining sociodemographic and health factors associated with the practice.
- Health—Aging: In a cross-sectional comparison of 113 older adults in Brazil, the 60 TM practitioners reported better self-perceived health than the 53 non-practitioners (91.7% vs 77.4% good or excellent).
- Health—General: Practitioners reported less hospitalization in the previous semester than non-practitioners (5% vs 24.5%).
- Health—Aging: Practitioners were younger and more educated on average, and the cross-sectional design cannot establish that TM caused the differences.
- 2020· Medicina· Research ReviewTravis, Frederick (2020). On the neurobiology of meditation: Comparison of three organizing strategies to investigate brain patterns during meditation practice. Medicina, 56(12), 712.
Review comparing three strategies for organizing meditation research—combining all practices, studying each practice individually, or grouping practices into categories—and their consequences for identifying brain patterns during meditation.
- Review Paper—Physiology: Compares three strategies for organizing meditation research: combining all practices, studying each practice individually, or grouping practices into categories.
- Electroencephalographic: Grouping meditations by their described procedures yields defining brain patterns within each category and clear differences between categories.
- Review Paper—Physiology: Averaging across dissimilar practices can produce averaged patterns representative of none of them.
- 2020· Stress· EmpiricalKlimes-Dougan, Bonnie; Chong, Li Shen; Samikoglu, Ali; Thai, Michelle; Amatya, Palistha; Cullen, Kathryn R.; Lim, Kelvin O. (2020). Transcendental meditation and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning: A pilot, randomized controlled trial with young adults. Stress, 23(1), 105–115.
Pilot randomized controlled trial of 34 young adults assigned to eight weeks of Transcendental Meditation training or a wait-list control, examining hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning.
- Biochemical: Thirty-four young adults were randomized to eight weeks of Transcendental Meditation training or a wait-list control in this pilot trial.
- Biochemical: Results suggest TM may help regulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning, with changes extending beyond the practice period itself.
- Response to Stress: The authors note the small pilot sample limits generalization and call for replication in larger randomized trials.
- 2020· International Journal of Indian Psychology· EmpiricalFergusson, Lee C.; Ortiz Cabrejos, Javier; Bonshek, Anna (2020). Long-term meditation practice in Puno, Perú: A five-level exploratory model of theory and research. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 8(3), DIP 18.01.086/20200803.
Qualitative study of six long-term Aymara practitioners of Transcendental Meditation in Puno, Perú (average 15 years of practice), comparing their reported experiences with international research findings across five levels.
- Self Development: Six long-term Aymara practitioners in Puno (average 15 years of practice) reported experiences organized into a five-level model: consciousness, mental, physical, behavioral and sociocultural.
- Quality of Life: The reported experiences of long-term meditators in Puno were largely consistent with prior international research findings.
- Quality of Life: Participants described a strengthened connection to their Aymara culture, an under-represented group in the published literature.
- 2020· Professional School Counseling· EmpiricalBleasdale, Jane E.; Peterson, Margaret C.; Nidich, Sanford (2020). Effect of meditation on social/emotional well-being in a high-performing high school. Professional School Counseling, 23(1), 1–8.
Randomized controlled trial of 52 students at a high-performing public high school, comparing four months of twice-daily Transcendental Meditation with a silent-reading active control.
- Psychological Health: Fifty-two students at a high-performing high school were randomized to Transcendental Meditation or a silent-reading control, practiced twice daily over four months.
- Psychological Health: The TM group showed significant reductions in perceived stress, anxiety, anger and depression compared with the control group.
- Social Behavior: Fatigue and self-esteem changes favored TM but did not reach conventional significance (p = .075 and p = .054).
- 2020· Heliyon· EmpiricalMovahed, Ali Heydari; Sabouhi, Fakhri; Mohammadpourhodki, Reza; Mahdavi, Sepideh; Goudarzian, Sima; Amerian, Malihe; Mohtashami, Mona; Kheiri, Mansoure; Imeni, Malihe (2020). Investigating the effect of transcendental meditation on spiritual wellbeing of Type-2 diabetic amputees: A clinical trial study. Heliyon, 6(12), e05567.
Clinical trial randomizing 54 Type-2 diabetic amputees to three Transcendental Meditation sessions or a control condition, measuring spiritual well-being before and after. Post-intervention scores did not favor the TM group.
- Psychological Health: Fifty-four Type-2 diabetic amputees were randomized to three Transcendental Meditation sessions or a control condition, with spiritual well-being measured before and after.
- Psychological Health: Post-intervention spiritual well-being scores were lower in the TM group than in the control group (88.40 vs 97.82), so the study does not show a TM benefit.
- Health—General: The intervention was limited to three instructional sessions, much briefer than standard TM training, which limits comparability with other trials.
- 2020· Brain and Cognition· EmpiricalAvvenuti, Giulia; Leo, Andrea; Cecchetti, Luca; Franco, Maria Fatima; Travis, Frederick; Caramella, Davide; Bernardi, Giulio; Ricciardi, Emiliano; Pietrini, Pietro (2020). Reductions in perceived stress following Transcendental Meditation practice are associated with increased brain regional connectivity at rest. Brain and Cognition, 139, 105517.
Three-month study of 19 TM participants and 15 controls associated reduced stress/anxiety with changes in resting-state functional brain connectivity. The small preliminary sample does not establish a causal mechanism.
- Psychological Health: TM participants showed reduced perceived stress and anxiety after three months.
- Electrophysiological: Stress/anxiety changes were associated with functional connectivity changes involving default-mode regions; connectivity with the insula also increased.
- Electrophysiological: No structural brain changes were observed in either group.