NCJ Number
46073
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 3-20
Date Published
1978
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION (TM) PROGRAM IN REHABILITATING INMATES AT A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON IN CALIFORNIA IS ASSESSED.
Abstract
THE TM TECHNIQUE IS A MENTAL PROCEDURE THAT PRODUCES PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS CHARACTERIZED BY THE PROFOUND SLOWING OF METABOLIC PROCEESES AND DEEP RELAXATION. TM PROGRAMS IN PRISONS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVENESS, SOCIAL INTROVERSION, ANXIETY, HOSTILITY, AND THE NUMBER OF BEHAVIORAL INFRACTIONS. A CROSS-VALIDATION DESIGN WAS USED TO ASSESS THE CONSISTENCY OF THE OUTCOMES OF THE FOLSOM TM PROGRAM AS A REHABILITATIVE TREATMENT MEASURE. EACH OF TWO EXPERIMENTS INVOLVED THE PREMEASUREMENT AND POSTMEASUREMENT OF A TREATMENT AND A CONTROL GROUP WITH A 14-WEEK TREATMENT INTERVAL. THE SUBJECTS COMPLETED INVENTORIES DESIGNED TO ASSESS PERSONALITY TRAITS, ANXIETY, AND HOSTILITY. IN ADDITION, SLEEP PATTERNS AND SMOKING HABITS WERE MONITORED. IN THE TWO EXPERIMENTS, PARALLEL SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TM AND CONTROL GROUPS ACROSS ALL INVENTORIES WERE FOUND, INDICATING REDUCTION IN ANXIETY, NEUROTICISM, HOSTILITY, AND IMSOMNIA AS A FUNCTION OF TM TREATMENT. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) FOR A CRITICISM OF THIS ASSESSMENT, SEE NCJ 56146; FOR A RESPONSE TO THE CRITICISM, SEE NCJ 56147. SEE ALSO NCJ 37910.