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Transcendental Meditation and Reduced Trauma Symptoms in Female Inmates: A Randomized Controlled Study.
Perm J. 2017 ;21. Epub 2017 Jan 17. PMID: 28333611
Sanford Nidich
CONTEXT: Compared with the general population, trauma experiences are higher among incarcerated women.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of Transcendental Meditation (TM) on trauma symptoms in female offenders.
DESIGN: Twenty-two inmates at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, OR, with at least 4 months left of incarceration were enrolled in this randomized controlled pilot study. Subjects were randomly assigned to either the TM group (n = 11) or a wait-list control group (n = 11).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects were measured at baseline and 4-month posttest using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version (PCL-C; primary outcome) with intrusive thoughts, avoidance, and hyperarousal subscales (secondary outcomes). Twenty of the subjects (10 in each group) took part in their treatment assignment and completed posttesting.
RESULTS: Significant reductions were found on total trauma (p<0.036), intrusive thoughts (p<0.026), and hyperarousal (p<0.043) on the PCL-C. Effect sizes ranged from 0.65 to 0.99 for all variables. Eighty-one percent of the TM subjects were compliant with their program.
CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate feasibility of the TM program in a female prison population and suggest that TM may be an effective tool for decreasing trauma symptoms. Future large-scale research is warranted.
