- PsycARTICLES:
- Citation and Abstract
Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: An experimental study with the elderly.
Alexander, Charles N.; Langer, Ellen J.; Newman, Ronnie I.; Chandler, Howard M.; Davies, John L.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 57(6), Dec 1989, 950-964.
Can direct change in state of consciousness through specific mental techniques extend human life and reverse age-related declines? To address this question, 73 residents of 8 homes for the elderly (mean age = 81 years) were randomly assigned among no treatment and 3 treatments highly similar in external structure and expectations: the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program, mindfulness training (MF) in active distinction making, or a relaxation (low mindfulness) program. A planned comparison indicated that the "restful alert" TM group improved most, followed by MF, in contrast to relaxation and no-treatment groups, on paired associate learning; 2 measures of cognitive flexibility; word fluency; mental health; systolic blood pressure; and ratings of behavioral flexibility, aging, and treatment efficacy. The MF group improved most, followed by TM, on perceived control. After 3 years, survival rate was 100% for TM and 87.5% for MF in contrast to lower rates for other groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
- Digital Object Identifier:
- 10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.950
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