Center for Social and Emotional Health and Consciousness
Health Worldwide
Center Projects
Schools
Transcendental Meditation has been shown to have powerful benefits in reducing stress and improving the quality of life for students and teachers alike.
The Quiet Time Program has been introduced across the nation and world in schools as a stress reduction and cognitive development technique (Transcendental Meditation) with broad effects. Hundreds of studies have been published on the effects of two 15-minute meditations on social-emotional health, school violence, academic performance, and attendance rates. Many of the schools are low-income urban schools where poverty, violence, and fear impact learning and overall health. TM has been shown to have powerful benefits in reducing stress and improving the quality of life for students and teachers alike. See more information on the benefits of TM and the Quiet Time Program in schools.
Current Projects
There are many projects in schools throughout the world including:
California, Chicago, Detroit, Iowa, Portugal, Brazil, and many more!
Prisons
Transcendental Meditation has applied toward reducing stress and improving health within Oregon State Correctional Institution.
Watch Freedom Behind Bars, a documentary video from the David Lynch Foundation on the Oregon Prison Project.
Veterans
Transcendental Meditation has reduced PTSD symptoms for Veterans.
Findings from a recent major clinical trial on Veterans with PTSD, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and conducted at the San Diego VA, was published in The Lancet Psychiatry – a leading mental health journal. The paper entitled, “Non-trauma-focused meditation versus exposure therapy in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled trial,” showed Transcendental Meditation (TM) to be effective in treating PTSD symptoms in Veterans. Click here for Lancet Psychiatry study.
Women’s Health
Transcendental Meditation has reduced psychological distress and improved the quality of life of at-risk women.
Each year, about 20% of U.S. women experience some type of mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety. Mental health conditions can affect more women than men, and can affect women in different ways from men.
The following research indicates that a consciousness-based approach such as Transcendental Meditation can be efficacious in reducing psychological distress and improving the quality of life of at-risk women:
Improved Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients. Integrated Cancer Therapy, 2009
Decreased Burnout, Stress, and Depression in Women Employees. The Permanente Journal, 2014
Increased Emotional Intelligence and Reduced Stress in Women Administrators. The Permanente Journal, in press
Reduced Psychological Distress and Improved Spiritual Well-Being in Family Caregivers. International Archives of Nursing and Health Care, 2015
Improved Self-Efficacy and Reduced Perceived Stress in Impoverished Mothers in Uganda. Health Care for Women International, 2018
Decreased Trauma Symptom Severity in Women Prison Inmates. The Permanente Journal, 2017
Decreased Blood Pressure in Women. American Journal of Hypertension, 2005
Health Education
Transcendental Meditation has been helpful in treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse.
Substance Abuse
Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis, Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 1994. 11, 13-87.
In a meta-analysis of 19 studies, with a total of 4,524 subjects, the Transcendental Meditation program was found to significantly reduce the use of alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs in both the general population and in heavy users (demonstrating both secondary prevention and treatment efficacy). The effect on reducing use of these substances is also significantly larger than those produced by relaxation, and other prevention and treatment programs. Abstinence was maintained or increased over the long-term, indicating effective relapse prevention. Prior research on the Transcendental Meditation program was found to significantly reverse physiological and psychological factors leading to substance abuse, thereby promoting primary prevention.
Effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on substance use among university students, Cardiology Research and Practice, 2011, 537101. PMCID: PMC3087968.
In a randomized controlled trial (N = 295 university students) the Transcendental Meditation program showed a significant reduction in drinking rates among male students compared to controls.
Integration of Transcendental Meditation (TM) into alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 2018, 87, 23-30.
In a matched control study of 60 adults with primary alcohol use disorder (AUD) newly admitted to an inpatient treatment facility, both feasibility and efficacy was established. Uptake of TM was high (85% in the meditation group showed compliance with meditation practice of at least once per day; of those 61% practiced TM twice-daily. Participants reported high satisfaction with TM. Those practicing TM twice-daily were less likely than the rest of the sample to return to any drinking (25% vs. 59%) or heavy drinking post-discharge (0% vs. 47%). Greater regularity of TM practice was inversely correlated with psychological distress, craving, and alcohol use at follow-up.
HIV/AIDS
Effects of behavioral stress reduction Transcendental Meditation intervention in persons with HIV, AIDS Care, 2013, 25(10):1291-7.
Stress is implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of HIV. The TM program has demonstrated effectiveness in improving outcomes via stress reduction. The feasibility of implementing TM and its effects on outcomes in persons with HIV were investigated. In this community-based single blinded Phase-I, randomized controlled trial, twenty-two persons with HIV were randomized to TM intervention or healthy eating (HE) education control group. Retention was 100% in TM group and 91% in HE control group. Significant between group differences were observed for generic and HIV-specific health-related quality of life.
International Projects
Transcendental Meditation helped in projects throughout the world including Uganda, Albania, Brazil, Greece, Afghanistan, and Portugal.
Current Projects
Uganda: program for impoverished mothers, and a project with abused teenage girls
Albania: women’s prison project in Tirane, Albania
Brazil: a large school project in Rio de Janeiro with several hundred students who are learning the Transcendental Meditation program and the advanced TM-Sidhi program
Greece: a project with refugees in Athens
Afghanistan: a project with staff members of the International Rescue Committee on trauma symptom severity
Portugal: advisory role to a school project, evaluating changes in social emotional health in students and staff
Research Staff
Publications and Grants
The Center for Social-Emotional Health partners with leading academic and medical institutions, including VA San Diego Healthcare System, the University of California at San Diego, Uniform Health Services, MD, Kaiser Permanente Healthcare System, OR, Friends Research Institute, MD, and Northwell Healthcare System, NY, to conduct research in the areas of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), burnout, depression, anger, perceived stress, alcohol addiction, resilience, emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and quality of life
Senior Researchers
- Sanford Nidich, Ed.D., Director
- Randi Jeanne Nidich, Ed.D., Co-Director
- Leslee Goldstein, Ph.D.
- Maxwell Rainforth, Ph.D.
- John Salerno, Ph.D.
- Charles Elder, Kaiser Permanente NW, Portland, Oregon
- Marie Loiselle, Ph.D.
Researchers
- Blaze Compton
- Vaidya Sangeeta Sharma
Associate Researchers
- Michele Jersak
Duraimani S, Schneider RH, Randall OS, Nidich SI, Xu S, Ketete M, Rainforth MA, Gaylord-King C, Salerno JW, & Fagan J. (2015). Effects of lifestyle modification on telomerase gene expression in hypertensive patients: Pilot trial of stress reduction and health education programs in African Americans. PloS One, 10(11), e0142689.Nidich SI, Rainforth MV, Haaga DA,
Goldstein, L., Nidich, S., Goodman R., & Goodman, D. (2018). The effect of Transcendental Meditation on self-efficacy, perceived stress, and quality of life in mothers in Uganda, Healthcare for Women International.
Hagelin J, Salerno JW, Travis F, Tanner M, Gaylord-King C, Grosswald S, & Schneider RH. (2009). A randomized controlled trial on effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on blood pressure, psychological distress, and coping in young adults. American Journal of Hypertension, 22(12):1326-31.
Elder C, Nidich S, Colbert R, Hagelin J, Grayshield L, Oviedo-Lim D, Nidich R, Rainforth M, Jones C, Gerace D. (2011). Reduced psychological distress in racial and ethnic minority students practicing the Transcendental Meditation Program. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 38(2), 109-116.
Elder, C., Nidich, S., Moriarty, F., & Nidich, R.. (2014). Effect of Transcendental Meditation on employee stress, depression, and burnout: A randomized controlled study. The Permanente Journal, 18(1):19-23.
Hagelin J, Salerno JW, Travis F, Tanner M, Gaylord-King C, Grosswald S, & Schneider RH. (2009). A randomized controlled trial on effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on blood pressure, psychological distress, and coping in young adults. American Journal of Hypertension, 22(12):1326-31.
Nidich, S. Mjasiri, S., Nidich, R., Rainforth, M., Grant, J., Valosek, L., Chang, W., & Zigler, R. Academic achievement and Transcendental Meditation: A study with at-risk urban middle school students, Education, 2011: 131(3), 556-564.
Nidich R., Nidich S., & Schneider R. (2003). The Transcendental Meditation program and quality of life in breast cancer patients: A feasibility study. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 55:153.
Nidich S, O’Connor T, Rutledge T, Duncan J, Compton B, Seng A, & Nidich R. (2016). Reduced trauma symptoms and perceived stress in male prison inmates through the Transcendental Meditation program: A randomized controlled trial. The Permanente Journal, 20(4):43-47.
Nidich SI, Rainforth MV, Haaga DA, Hagelin J, Salerno JW, Travis F, Tanner M, Gaylord-King C, Grosswald S, & Schneider RH. (2009). A randomized controlled trial on effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on blood pressure, psychological distress, and coping in young adults. American Journal of Hypertension, 22(12):1326-31.
Nidich, S. (principal investigator) & Rutledge, T. (partnering principal investigator). A randomized controlled trial of meditation compared to exposure therapy and education control on PTSD in Veterans,2013-2017 grant period. Department of Defense US Army, Award numbers:W81XWH-12-1-0576 & W81XWH-12-1-0577. Maharishi
Nidich, S., Seng A., Compton B., O’Connor T., Salerno J., Nidich R. (2017). Transcendental Meditation and reduced trauma symptoms in female inmates: A randomized controlled study. The Permanente Journal, 21, 39-43.
Nidich, S., Schneider, R., Nidich, R., Rainforth, M., Scharf, D., Salerno, J., Smith, D.E., Dillbeck, M., & Nader, T. (2001). Effect of Maharishi Vedic Vibration Technology on the quality of life of patients with chronic illness. Frontiers of Bioscience, 2001;6:h1-6.
Schneider R, Bokhari S, Rainforth M, Salerno J, Gaylord-King C, Nidich S. (2017) The Effects of Meditation and Cardiac Rehabilitation on Myocardial Blood Flow: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial. Circulation; 136:A16768
Travis F, Valosek V, Konrad A, Link J, Salerno J, Scheller R, Nidich S. (2018) Effect of meditation on psychological distress and brain functioning: a randomized controlled study. Brain and Cognition. (in press).
Valosek, L., Link, J., Mills, P., Konrad, A., Rainforth, M., & Nidich, S. (in press). Effect of meditation on emotional intelligence and perceived stress in the workplace. The Permanente Journal.
Valosek, L., Nidich, S., Wendt, S., Grant, J., & Nidich, R. (in press). Effect of Meditation on Social-Emotional Learning in Middle School Students, Education.
Nidich, S. (principal investigator) & Rutledge, T. (partnering principal investigator). A randomized controlled trial of meditation compared to exposure therapy and education control on PTSD in Veterans,2013-2017 grant period. Department of Defense US Army, Award numbers:W81XWH-12-1-0576 & W81XWH-12-1-0577. Maharishi International University Research Institute and VA San Diego Healthcare System. Funding: $2.4 million. [Grant]