Fostering Inmates' Well-being and Mental Health
- Conditions
- Well-being
- Interventions
- Other: Transcendental Meditation training
- Registration Number
- NCT04747730
- Lead Sponsor
- Queen Mary University of London
- Brief Summary
The objective of the project was to provide an assessment of the impact of Transcendental Meditation on prison inmates' well-being. To achieve this goal the investigators conducted a before-and-after study in Her Majesty's Prison Warren Hill (HMP) (England). Meditation is correlated with better self-regulation and is innovative because it fosters generalisable psychological processes that support cognitive, emotional and behavioural regulation, with self-regulation being an important factor behind a variety of outcomes.
Unfortunately, the trial couldn't be completed as the investigators didn't manage to recruit a sufficient number of participants.
- Detailed Description
The meditation intervention consists of teaching four one-hour lessons of the Transcendental meditation technique developed and offered by the David Lynch Foundation. The technique involves the use of a sound (mantra) to effortlessly allow the mind to settle down to a state of inner calm. Meditation enables those who have learned it and regularly practice it to be more self-aware and respond in a calmer and more considered manner to whatever happens in their present experience.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- TERMINATED
- Sex
- Male
- Target Recruitment
- 44
- any inmate with no history of drug or alcohol abuse
- recreational drug users who have refrained from using drugs for two weeks before learning the meditation technique
- alcohol or drug addicts who are recovering from alcohol or drug use and have refrained from drug use for at least three months before taking part to the programme
- informed consent not signed.
- expected stay in HMP Warren Hill shorter than six months since the beginning of the project.
- drug users and alcoholics not in rehabilitation
- people with serious mental health problems
- people who do not speak English as a first language.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Transcendental Meditation training Transcendental Meditation training The intervention of the project is the teaching and learning of Transcendental Meditation technique. The technique involves the use of a sound (mantra) to effortlessly allow the mind to settle down to a state of inner calm. It is a simple, natural and effortless practise, and unlike other meditation strategies, it does not involve concentration or control of the mind. The practice does not require any religion, philosophy, or change in lifestyle. Once learned the technique, participants will practice it twice a day, 20 minutes every morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Patience and trust 4 months after training Two survey questions assessing propensity for delayed gratification:
1. assessing propensity for delayed gratification using monetary values (scale 1 to 32, 32 is highest, 1 is lowest).
2. assessing propensity for delayed gratification using subjective values (scale 0 to 10, higher numbers reflecting a greater propensity than lower ones).
One survey question on trust: scale from 0 to 10 (0 is lowest, 10 is highest).Mental health: - GHQ 12 - SF-12 Health survey 4 months after training SF-12 was collected via survey questions.
The SF-12 is a health-related quality-of-life questionnaire consisting of twelve questions that measure eight health domains to assess physical and mental health. Physical health-related domains include General Health (GH), Physical Functioning (PF), Role Physical (RP), and Body Pain (BP).Positive reciprocity 4 months after training Two survey questions:
1. "When someone does me a favour are you willing to return it?" (scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is the lowest value and 10 the highest).
2. Hypothetical scenario where someone helps the participant find their way. How much are they willing to provide as monetary reward for the help received? No scale. Outcome in pounds.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
HMP Warren Hill
🇬🇧Woodbridge, United Kingdom