An important article published in the well-respected, peer-reviewed, academic
Journal of Clinical Psychology in 1989, compared the effect of several relaxation and meditation techniques, including Transcendental Meditation and Benson's "Relaxation Response", on trait anxiety.
Benson's "Relaxation Response" is a meditation technique based on breathing control, that can be considered a simplification of Yogananda's Hong So meditation. Benson, in his book "The Relaxation Response" (a bestseller that sold 5 million copies since 1975), stated that his technique was as effective as Transcendental Meditation, and he suggested that he had "unlocked" the TM secret (in other words, he thought he had created a technique which was very similar to TM).
Later, several studies have shown that TM is actually more effective. This meta-anlysis by Eppley et al is the most important among those studies. It shows that "effect size" in reducing trait anxiety (based on 146 independent studies) after 10 weeks of regular practice is around 0.77 for Transcendental Meditation, and less than 0.40 for the other techniques, including Benson's Relaxation Response (that is quite valid, almost reaching the 0.40 value).
This is reported in the first academic article ever on NSR meditation, published in 2007 in the peer-reviewed journal
Psychological Reports, which found an effect size of 0.67 after two weeks of regular practice in a pilot study on NSR meditation. New, unpublished studies on NSR, found an effect size greater than 0.70 after eight weeks.
Fabrizio Coppola
Istituto Scientia
http://www.natural-stress-relief.com
References and Abstracts:
Eppley, K, Abrams, A., Shear, J. (1989). Differential effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety: a meta-analysis.
Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45, 957-974.
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112457231/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2693491
For more information also read:
http://www.tm.org/stress/stress.html
Abstract:
Hand and computer searches located studies on the effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety. Effect sizes for the different treatments (e.g., Progressive Relaxation, EMG Biofeedback, various forms of meditation, etc.) were calculated. Most of the treatments produced similar effect sizes except that Transcendental Meditation had significantly larger effect size (p <.005), and meditation that involved concentration had significantly smaller effect. [...]
The difference in effect size between treatments was maintained both when only published studies were included and when only the studies with the strongest design were included. [...]
Coppola, F. (2007). Effects on Natural Stress Relief meditation on trait anxiety: A pilot study.
Psychological Reports, 101, 130-134.
http://ammons.ammonsscientific.com/php/doi_temp.php?doi_value=PR0.101.5.130-134&tiff_name=PR-August-2007_0018&t=EFFECTS%20OF%20NATURAL%20STRESS%20RELIEF%20MEDITATION%20ON%20TRAIT%20ANXIETY:%20A%20PILOT%20STUDY
For more information also read:
http://www.naturalstressreliefusa.org/research.php
Abstract:
Natural Stress Relief (NSR) meditation, a mental technique which is practiced for 15 minutes twice a day, aims to reduce stress and anxiety by eliciting a specific state of physiological rest along with mental alertness. The meditation is taught in a self-administered program, requiring a one hour training training during the first three days, followed by the regular twice-daily practice. Each 15 minute session consists in sitting quietly with closed eyes while applying a specific mental procedure. To test the effectiveness of NSR meditation in reducing trait anxiety, Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was administered to 25 participants four times over a three week period: one week before starting to practice NSR meditation, a few hours before starting, one week after, and two weeks after. The difference in trait anxiety score in the week before starting the practice was not significant, while it was significant both after the first week of practice (Cohen’s d = .46) and after the first two weeks of practice (d = .67).
Benson, H. (1975).
The relaxation response. New York: Morrow.