Social-Emotional Competence and Stress Reduction in Middle School Students: A Pilot Study

Principal Investigator:

Rita Benn, Ph.D.
Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Integrative Medicine

Funding sources:

Private donor

Time period for subject recruitment (start/end dates):

March 2002 - August 2005
Recruitment for this study has been completed.

Background of study:

Several studies have elucidated the beneficial effects of meditation for stress reduction in adults and concomitant effects on physiological functioning. There has been minimal research, however, on the impact of this technique in school age populations on social emotional or cognitive development.

Objectives/aims of study:

This study provides the unique opportunity to investigate how one form of meditation, Transcendental Meditation (TM), may affect student well-being, social-emotional competence, and school achievement.

Design of study:

This study consisted of three pilot studies: 1) a cross-sectional study of sixth students (N=83) in two charter schools: one in which students practiced TM; 2) a qualitative study of 10 seventh grade students who practiced TM; and 3) a two arm, longitudinal randomized RCT of fifth grade students (N=42) in charter school where students in one arm were instructed in TM and other, a wait list control.

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