Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program in Education

The Transcendental Meditation® Program in the Classroom: A Psychological Evaluation Howard Shecter, M.A. Graduate Department of Psychology, York University, North York, Ontario, Canada Research Completed January 1975 Positive changes in creativity, intellectual performance, and other psychological variables occurred in high school students practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique. EDITORS ABSTRACT The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether the Transcendental Meditation technique is responsible for observed psychological improvement. Volunteer high school students were randomly assigned to three groups: one group took a four-day course in the Transcendental Meditation technique, one group took a 14-week Science of Creative Intelligence® course (exclusive of the Transcendental Meditation technique), and one group took both courses. A fourth matched group took neither course. Psychological tests measuring creativity, intellectual performance, anxiety, and a number of personality variables (complexity, conformity, energy level, innovation, self-esteem, and tolerance) were administered before and after the 14-week interval. Those practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique (either with or without the Science of Creative Intelligence course) showed significantly greater improvement on all measures than those not practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique (either with or without the Science of Creative Intelligence course). The increase in creativity and intellectual performance among practitioiners in the Transcendentl Meditation program is particularly noteworthy. These findings demonstrate improvement in important aspects of psychological health and indicate that the Transcendental Meditation technique itself, rather than an understanding of the theory associated with the technique, is responsible for these positive psychological changes. Over longer periods of time than the 14-week experimental period in this study, when regularity in the practice may become more variable, the value of the Science of Creative Intelligence course in maintaining regularity may become evident and should be studied. Reference: Shecter, H. W. (1978). “A psychological investigation into the source of the effect of the Transcendental Meditation technique.” Dissertation Abstracts International 38: 3372B–3373B. For more information, please contact the Department of Education at one of the following addresses: Department of Education, Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, IA 52557 Phone: (641) 472-7000 ext. 5021 • E-Mail: eddept@mum.edu • Fax: (641) 472-1189