Effect of anapanasati meditation on anxiety: a randomized control trial

Abstract

BackgroundMeditation has shown positive results in improving the psychological disorders such as anxiety. There is a need to study the therapeutic benefits of Anapanasati meditation, a mindfulness meditation technique.PurposeThe study aims at investigating the effect of Anapanasati meditation on individuals with moderate anxiety.MethodsA total of 112 participants who were willing to participate in the study were recruited for the study. Anapanasati meditation was used as an intervention. The participants were divided into two groups experiment and control groups. Experiment group had 56 persons performing Anapanasati meditation and Control group had 56 persons not performing any type of meditation. The experiment group practiced one hour of Anapanasati meditation daily under the supervision of experts for six months and continued their daily routine and control group was not given any intervention, but they continued their daily routine. State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is used to assess the anxiety level.ResultsThe STAI score before and after Anapanasati meditation was analysed for both experiment and control groups using Paired Samples T test. The experiment group has shown significant reduction in the STAI (P < 0.05) score after the intervention whereas in the control group the reduction in STAI score was not significant.ConclusionThis study has shown that after six months of intervention, the subjects with moderate anxiety who practiced Anapanasati meditation had a significant decrease in their STAI score and the control group has not shown significant change in the STAI score.

Role of Equanimity on the Mediation Model of Neuroticism, Perceived Stress and Depressive Symptoms

“…The mechanisms involved in these relationships are unclear, and no prior study has been conducted on the effect of equanimity on these relationships. Evidence has shown that the practice of mindfulness and breathing meditation was negatively related to neuroticism [50,51]. Researchers also found that mindfulness meditation was directly related to equanimity [52,53], in line with the related investigation that the patients with personality problems who engaged in mindfulness practice may have cultivated a greater acceptance toward adversity and perceived less adversity and more equanimity in situations in which they felt vulnerable [54].…”

Moderating role of observing the five precepts of Buddhism on neuroticism, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms

“…In clinical implication, observing the Five Precepts may be promoted along with any form of mindfulness meditation or mindfulness-related therapy [58][59][60]. In addition to buffering adverse mental health outcomes, observing the Five Precepts has been shown to be associated with well-being [61].…”