Transcendental Meditation and Reduced Trauma Symptoms in Women Inmates

Transcendental Meditation and Reduced Trauma Symptoms in Women Inmates: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

The pilot study investigates the potential benefits of the Transcendental Meditation program in reducing trauma, including PTSD, in female prisoners. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either the TM program or a wait list control group for a period of four months.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Transcendental Meditation program

Detailed Description

This randomized controlled pilot study will evaluate the effects of Transcendental Meditation ® (TM) on female offenders with trauma. Twenty-two inmates at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, Oregon, with at least four months left of incarceration, will be enrolled in the study. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either a TM (n=11) or a wait-list control group (n=11). Subjects will be measured at baseline and four-month posttest, using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version (PCL-C) Twenty of the subjects (10 in each group) will take part in their treatment assignment and complete post-testing.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 22
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• female inmates, at least 4 months left of incarceration, signed written informed consent prior to baseline testing

Exclusion Criteria:

• none

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: wait list control; Waitlist control subjects interested in learning the TM program will be asked to wait for 4 months before learning if they were randomly assigned to this comparison group. Controls will receive usual medical care during 4 month intervention period.
Experimental: Transcendental Meditation; The TM technique is a simple, effortless, mental technique to reducing stress which allows the mind to experience finer levels of the thinking process to achieve a state of restful alertness. The Transcendental Meditation program will be taught as a standard seven-step program over five consecutive days.	Behavioral: Transcendental Meditation program; a mental technique using a mantra or 'soothing sound' that refines the thought process enabling the mind to 'transcend' its own thinking process and experience a state of pure consciousness. Subjects practice this technique twice a day for 20 minutes sitting in chair with eyes closed.; Other Names: TM technique

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Posttraumatic Stress Checklist- Civilian Version (PCL-C) total score	The PCL-C is a widely-used 17-item self-report questionnaire of trauma symptom with total score and intrusions, avoidance and hyperarousal subscales	4 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Maharishi International University
• Collaborators: Western Oregon University; Maharishi University of Management Research Institute
• Investigators: Study Chair: Fred Travis, PhD, Maharishi University of Management Research Institute

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 1, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 3, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): June 6, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): June 6, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 3, 2016
• Last Verified: June 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: PTSD; Meditation; Trauma; TM; Female Prisoners
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
• Other Study ID Numbers: DLF1008

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: inquiring investigators may contact the principal investigator, Dr Sanford Nidich, for data share plans. Database resides with the PI and the biostatistician