Research on the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programs

615 papers found

• 2015· Personality and Individual Differences· Empirical
  Schötz, Eva; Otten, Simone; Wittmann, Marc; Schmidt, Stefan; Kohls, Niko; Meissner, Karin (2015). Time perception, mindfulness and attentional capacities in transcendental meditators and matched controls. Personality and Individual Differences, 93, 16–21.

  Matched cross-sectional comparison of 20 experienced TM practitioners and 20 controls. Online publication was in 2015; final volume and pagination are from the 2016 issue. Group differences cannot establish training effects.

  • Perceptual Acuity: TM practitioners performed more consistently in multisecond duration reproduction and more accurately in minute estimation and duration discrimination.
  • Self Development: Practitioners reported higher mindfulness than matched nonmeditating controls.
  • Cognitive Performance: Attentional capacities measured by the Attention Network Test did not differ between groups.
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• 2015· Journal of Human Hypertension· Research Review
  Orme-Johnson, David (2015). Comment on 'Investigating the effect of the Transcendental Meditation Technique on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis'. Journal of Human Hypertension, 30(6), 412.

  Letter to the editor commenting on the Bai et al. blood-pressure meta-analysis. Published online in 2015 and assigned to the 2016 print issue; indexed here under 2015 as approved. It reports no new trial or systematic review.

  • Review Paper—Health: Argues that baseline blood pressure may confound age-related subgroup differences in the reviewed trials.
  • Review Paper—Health: Questions interpretation of study-duration effects because duration varies little and is confounded with initial blood pressure.
  • Review Paper—Health: Discusses sex differences and suggests further controlled investigation; numerical outcomes cited in the letter belong to earlier studies.
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• 2015· BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine· Empirical
  Leach, Matthew J.; Francis, Andrew; Ziaian, Tahereh (2015). Transcendental Meditation for the improvement of health and wellbeing in community-dwelling dementia caregivers [TRANSCENDENT]: a randomised wait-list controlled trial. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 15, 145.

  Twelve-week pilot randomized wait-list controlled trial in 17 dementia caregivers. Response speed improved relative to control, while other between-group outcomes were nonsignificant. The small trial was underpowered for firm efficacy conclusions.

  • Cognitive Performance: Response speed improved relative to the wait-list control (p = .03).
  • Psychological Health: Other primary and secondary between-group changes, including wellbeing measures, were not statistically significant.
  • Health—General: Adverse events were reported by 63% of TM-treated participants, generally transient and mild to moderate, and only possibly related to treatment.
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• 2015· Journal of Management for Global Sustainable Development· Empirical
  Herani, Gobind M.; Kumar, Ashok (2015). Performance of Transcendental Meditation in Pakistan and Suggestions in light of Worldwide Consciousness Based Education (CBE) Learning. Journal of Management for Global Sustainable Development, 1.

  Descriptive interviews with TM teachers and 30 practitioners, including life-history material, about TM in Pakistan and possible consciousness-based education. Complete pagination and a DOI were not verified. Practitioner accounts are not controlled effectiveness evidence.

  • Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Describes practitioner experiences and implementation recommendations for TM and consciousness-based education in Pakistan.
  • Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Interview material discusses uptake and barriers; the report provides no controlled or standardized estimates of educational or health effects.
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• 2015· PLOS ONE· Empirical
  Duraimani, Shanthi; Schneider, Robert H.; Randall, Otelio S.; Nidich, Sanford I.; Xu, Shichen; Ketete, Muluemebet; Rainforth, Maxwell A.; Gaylord-King, Carolyn; Salerno, John W.; Fagan, John (2015). Effects of Lifestyle Modification on Telomerase Gene Expression in Hypertensive Patients: A Pilot Trial of Stress Reduction and Health Education Programs in African Americans. PLOS ONE, 10(11), e0142689.

  Sixteen-week volunteer substudy of 48 participants from a randomized trial comparing TM plus basic health education with extensive health education in African Americans with hypertension. No significant between-group advantage was found for telomerase gene expression or systolic blood pressure.

  • Biochemical: Telomerase gene-expression changes did not differ significantly between groups; the TM-group hTERT change did not reach conventional significance (p = .055).
  • Health—Cardiovascular: Systolic blood pressure fell within the TM group, but the between-group difference was not significant; diastolic blood pressure favored extensive health education (p = .04).
  • Health Promoting Behavior: Both stress reduction and health education were evaluated as lifestyle approaches; the small volunteer substudy does not establish telomere lengthening.
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• 2014· Creativity Research Journal· Empirical
  Travis, Frederick; Lagrosen, Yvonne (2014). Creativity and Brain-Functioning in Product Development Engineers: A Canonical Correlation Analysis. Creativity Research Journal, 26(2), 239–243.

  Correlational study of creativity, EEG brain integration and psychological measures in 21 Swedish product-development engineers. No meditation intervention was tested.

  • Cognitive Performance: Creativity flexibility and originality were associated with faster processing and conflict resolution.
  • Electroencephalographic: Creativity measures were associated with higher brain integration.
  • Self Development: Creativity was associated with moral reasoning and aspects of sense of coherence; correlations do not establish causal effects.
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• 2014· Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion· Empirical
  Charles, Ginger L.; Travis, Fred; Smith, Jonathan (2014). Policing and spirituality: their impact on brain integration and consciousness. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 11(3), 230–244.

  Interviews with 33 police officers followed by psychological and EEG investigation of selected highly spiritual officers. The paper relates spirituality to coping and brain functioning; it does not test a TM intervention.

  • Psychological Health: Interviews identified themes concerning spirituality and coping with stressful police work.
  • Response to Stress: Selected highly spiritual officers reported low perceived stress; observational findings do not establish causation.
  • Electroencephalographic: The selected officers showed high brain integration and fast executive processing.
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• 2012· Behavior Modification· Research Review
  Lang, Ariel J.; Strauss, Jennifer L.; Bomyea, Jessica; Bormann, Jill E.; Hickman, Steven D.; Good, Raquel C.; Essex, Michael (2012). The Theoretical and Empirical Basis for Meditation as an Intervention for PTSD. Behavior Modification, 36(6), 759–786.

  Review of mindfulness, mantra and compassion meditation as possible interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder. This is a broader meditation review, not a trial establishing TM-specific efficacy.

  • Review Paper—Psychology: Describes possible psychological mechanisms through which meditation could address PTSD symptoms.
  • Review Paper—Health: Finds limited but promising evidence and recommends further evaluation rather than firm conclusions about effectiveness.
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• 2012· International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences· Theoretical/Review
  Lagrosen, Yvonne; Travis, Frederick T.; Lagrosen, Stefan (2012). Brain integration as a driver for quality management success. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 4(3), 253–269.

  Conceptual synthesis of brain integration, personal values and quality-management research. The proposed framework links individual development to organizational success; it does not report a new empirical test.

  • Review Paper—Management: Proposes a framework linking brain integration, core values and quality-management practices to organizational success, drawing on prior research including TM studies.
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• 2011· Theoretical/Review· Collected Papers Vol. 6
  King, M. S. The theoretical foundations and practical validation of Maharishi’s Integrated System of Rehabilitation. Barrister and Solicitor of Western Australia and the High Court of Australia. 1993.

  This paper focuses on the contributions of the Transcendental Meditation program to resolving the broad social problems associated with addictions. The author proposes that drug and alcohol abuse are symptoms of a general stress-addiction-crime epidemic in society. The paper then reviews sociological research findings showing how societal disorder—experienced as crime, drug abuse, political conflict, and economic instability—can be substantially and cost-effectively reduced through the group practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program.

  • Review Paper—Rehabilitation: Theoretical and Review Paper—Reduced Substance Abuse
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• 2011· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 6
  Hagelin, John S.; Rainforth, Maxwell V.; Orme-Johnson, David W.; Cavanaugh, Kenneth L.; Alexander, Charles N.; Shatkin, Susan F.; Davies, John L.; Hughes, Anne O.; and Ross, Emanuel. Effects of group practice of the Transcendental Meditation program on preventing violent crime in Washington, DC: Results of the National Demonstration Project, June–July 1993. Summary.

  This study found that during a two-month period in which an increasingly large group of participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program assembled in Washington, DC, there was a significant decrease in violent crime in the District of Columbia; violent crime decreased as the size of the group increased.

  • Sociological—Improved Quality of Life: Improved Quality of City Life as Measured by Decreased Violent Crime Rate in the National Capital (Washington, DC, USA, June and July, 1993)
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• 2011· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 6
  Alvarez Roset, J. L., and Schuler, M. Implementing the Transcendental Meditation programme in the Brazilian military police forces: A case study. International Meditation Society, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in conjunction with Committee of Ayurvedic Medicine, Secretary of Medical Services, Ministry of Social Welfare, Brasilia, Brazil.

  This case study evaluated the effects of implementing the Transcendental Meditation program among the police forces of three states of Brazil. After positive results among the police were reported by leaders in Goiás state, police forces in other states began the program. Results among police trainees in Piauí state who learned the Transcendental Meditation program included a high percentage of participants reporting physical benefits, greater relaxation, less worry and tension, greater capacity for study, improved relationships, more support for their military education, and greater respect for country and organizations. In Bahia state, police officers displayed a reduction in disciplinary sanctions and doctor visits after beginning the practice, and an improvement in relationships of the officers with their community members. Police trainees in Bahia state also showed reduced disciplinary sanctions and reduced doctor visits after learning the Transcendental Meditation program.

  • Academic Performance: Enhancement of Military Education among Police Officer Trainees
  • Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Decreased Disciplinary Problems among Police Officer Trainees
  • Health—General: Decreased Doctor Visits among Police Officer Trainees
  • + 9 more findings
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• 2011· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 6
  Belham, M. F. C. Introducing in a military academy the Transcendental Meditation program for prevention of stress. Centre for Personnel Studies, Department of Teaching and Research, Ministry of the Army, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

  This study found that military cadets who learned the Transcendental Meditation program showed increased capacity of attention, improved memory of details, increased effectiveness in executing orders, improved emotional functioning, increased physical strength, and reduced resting heart rate. In addition, military officers at the academy who learned the Transcendental Meditation program displayed increased concentration of attention, improved memory of details, and improved emotional performance.

  • Cognitive Performance: Increased Capacity of Attention among Military Cadets
  • Learning and Memory: Improved Memory of Details among Military Cadets
  • Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Increased Effectiveness in Executing Orders among Military Cadets
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• 2011· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 6
  Istratov, E. N.; and Lyubimov, S. N. Comparative analysis of alpha rhythm content in spontaneous EEG activity among subjects practising the Transcendental Meditation technique. Brain Research Institute, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow.

  The practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique was found to increase restful alertness, as reflected in high frontal EEG alpha power during the practice of Transcendental Meditation, and stabilization of frontal EEG alpha power outside the practice of Transcendental Meditation.

  • Electroencephalographic: Stabilization of Frontal EEG Alpha Power Outside the Practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique
  • During the Practice—Brain Activity: High Frontal EEG Alpha Power During the Transcendental Meditation technique
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• 2005· Behavioral Medicine· Research Review· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  Walton, Kenneth G.; Schneider, Robert H.; Salerno, John W.; and Nidich, Sanford I. Psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease. Part 3: Clinical and policy implications of research on the Transcendental Meditation program. Behavioral Medicine 30: 173–183, 2005.

  The authors review research evidence for prevention of cardiovascular disease, as well as reduction of health care expenditures related to cardiovascular disease and to other disorders; the implications of this research for health care policy are also discussed.

  • Review Paper—Health: Research Review—Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Reduced Health Care Expenditures
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• 2005· Journal of Social Behavior and Personality· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  Davies, John L.; and Alexander, Charles N. Alleviating political violence through reducing collective tension: Impact assessment analyses of the Lebanon war. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 17: 285–338, 2005.

  Seven assemblies of experts in the Transcendental Meditation Sidhi program, which were of sufficient size to have a predicted influence on Lebanon during the time of the Lebanon war during the period 1983 to 1985, were found by time series intervention analysis to be associated with significantly increased cooperation among the parties, as well as significantly decreased conflict intensity, decreased war fatalities, and decreased war injuries, and improvements in an overall index of peace based on all four of these variables.

  • Sociological—Reduced Violent Conflict: Increased Peace Index (Lebanon, Seven Periods in 1983–1985)
  • Sociological—Reduced Violent Conflict: Increased Cooperation (Lebanon, Seven Periods in 1983–1985)
  • Sociological—Reduced Violent Conflict: Decreased Conflict (Lebanon, Seven Periods in 1983–1985)
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• 2005· Journal of Social Behavior and Personality· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  Broome, J. Richard N.; Orme-Johnson, David W.; and Schmidt-Wilk, Jane. Worksite stress reduction through the Transcendental Meditation program. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 17: 235–273, 2005.

  Employees who learned the Transcendental Meditation program showed decreased stress after six weeks, and decreased blood pressure after 5.5 months, in contrast to employees practicing muscle relaxation.

  • Psychological Health: Reduction in Psychological Stress
  • Health—Cardiovascular: Reduction in Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure
  • Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Improved Corporate Climate—Greater Support
  • + 1 more findings
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• 2005· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  Carlisle, Thomas W. Effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on psychological, health, social, and behavioral indicators of stress reduction and human resource development in the Indian workplace. Dissertation Abstracts International 65(12A): 4629, 2005.

  Managers who learned the Transcendental Meditation program showed decreased perceived stress, more healthy lifestyle, improved personal experiences, reduced medical symptoms, and increased self-esteem.

  • Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Decreased Perceived Stress of Managers
  • Organizational Performance and Well-Being: More Healthy Lifestyle of Managers
  • Organizational Performance and Well-Being: Improved Personal Experiences of Managers
  • + 2 more findings
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• 2005· Journal of Social Behavior and Personality· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  Chandler, Howard M.; Alexander, Charles N.; Heaton, Dennis P. The Transcendental Meditation program and postconventional self-development: A 10-year longitudinal study. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 17: 93–121, 2005.

  Participants in the Transcendental Meditation program showed significantly increased ego development over a 10-year period in contrast to matched control groups; they also displayed increased principled moral reasoning and intimacy, thus demonstrating development in cognitive, emotional, and ego functioning.

  • Self Development: Increased Ego Development
  • Cognitive Performance: Increased Principled Moral Reasoning
  • Social Behavior: Increased Motivation for Warm Interpersonal Relationships
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• 2005· Journal of Social Behavior and Personality· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  Nidich, Sanford I.; Schneider, Robert H.; Nidich, Randi J.; Foster, Gloria; Sharma, Hari; Salerno, John; Goodman, Rachel; and Alexander, Charles N. Effect of the Transcendental Meditation program on intellectual development in community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 17: 217–226, 2005.

  Elder adults participating in the Transcendental Meditation program displayed higher levels of cognitive performance than age-matched controls, independent of education level.

  • Cognitive Performance: Higher Reasoning Ability
  • Cognitive Performance: Higher Verbal Intelligence
  • Learning and Memory: Better Long-Term Memory
  • + 1 more findings
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