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New study shows reduced stress in adolescents At-risk adolescents can reduce their level of stress when practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique at school, according to a new study recently presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Participating in—the study were 106 secondary school students from three U.S. public schools, 68 of whom learned the Transcendental Meditation technique and the remaining 38 serving as controls. Students in the study were primarily from lower income, minority populations, including African-American, Hispanic, and Native American. The meditating students showed significant reductions in anxiety, emotional problems, hyperactivity, and total student problems, and improved overall mental health after an average of four months. According to Dr. Sanford Nidich, professor of education and physiology and lead author on the study, a large number of adolescents suffer from a high degree of stress, resulting from the pressures of schoolwork, relationships with parents and friends, use of drugs and other non-prescribed substances, and the environment in which they live. ''Something must be done to help today's youth deal with the enormous amount of stress in their lives,' Dr. Nidich said. 'This research shows that the most at-risk adolescents can substantially reduce stress within a few months of practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique.'' The findings support previously published research showing improvements in academic achievement as well as reduced school absenteeism, rule infractions, and suspensions. ''I have seen first-hand the kind of positive impact a few minutes of Transcendental Meditation at the beginning and end of the school day can make," said Dr. Robert Colbert, assistant professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut and study coauthor. ''Administrators, teachers, and students find the Transcendental Meditation technique helpful, especially in relieving stress and increasing energy levels.'' Funding was provided by the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace. © Copyright 2008, Maharishi University of Management
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