Anxiety reduction associated with meditation: home study.

Abstract

The effects of a new meditation technique were investigated; 159 A.R.E. members were randomly assigned either to a treatment or control group with the former learning the new technique using a home-study workbook manual and the latter continuing their customary meditational techniques. Analysis of variance (repeated measures) was used to compare group means of the scale scores yielded by two instruments, the IPAT Anxiety Scale (Self-analysis Form) and the Mooney Problem Check List, Adult Form (Mooney & Gordon, 1950). Unlike the control group, the treatment group reported highly significant reduction on the IPAT Anxiety Scale scores after 28 days of meditating with the new approach but no significant differences were found on the check list variables for either the treatment or control group. Implications of the findings for mental health professionals (psychiatrists, clinical and counseling psychologists) are briefly discussed.