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Meditation and Academic Performance
Perceptual and Motor Skills
Abstract
20 students in an introductory psychology class were randomly assigned to experimental-treatment and attention-control groups. Baseline measures of examination grades and study time were taken for both groups. Experimental Ss were then taught and asked to practice Actualism meditation techniques before studying and before examinations. The control group was taught the techniques but asked to practice at other times. Data analysis yielded no significant differences between the groups in mean weekly study time in either the 3-wk baseline or 9-wk experimental period. The Actualism meditation group performed significantly better on examinations than the control group during the experimental period. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
... Academic performance. In one experiment that examined the effects of meditation on academic performance, Fiebert and Mead (1981) randomly assigned 20 psychology undergraduates to either treatment or control groups. Baseline measures of examination grades and study time were taken for both groups. ...
... One programme of visualisation research reported that mental rehearsal of the process for reaching a goal enhanced progress in achieving those goals, while envisioning successful completion of a goal did not (Taylor, Pham, Rivkin, & Armor, 1998). Hall (1999) recently conducted another study similar to that done by Fiebert and Mead (1981). In this study, she examined the effects of meditation on the academic performance of 56 African American college students. ...
... The relationship of meditation to wellbeing is considered first, followed by a discussion of wellbeing and attention. shown some support for this in clinical applications (Carrington, 1987;Epstein, 1998;Miller, Fletcher, & Kabat-Zinn, 1995;Teasdale, 1999) and in everyday life (Anderson et al., 1999;Brown, 1993;Fiebert & Mead, 1981;Hall, 1999;Tloczynski & Tantriella, 1998;Woolfolk et al., 1976). Progressive relaxation techniques have also proven effective in reducing levels of perceived stress and anxiety, and have long been used by clinicians for a variety of psychopathologies in which anxiety is a component (Bernstein & Borkovec, 1973). ...
The primary purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between attention enhancement and concentrative meditation. The secondary aim was to explore relationships between attention and psychological wellbeing. Fifty-three adult volunteers with no prior meditation experience were randomly assigned to one of three groups: concentrative breath meditation, progressive relaxation, or wait-listed control. Forty-five participants completed the programme. Following individual training, participants practised their assigned technique at home in 20-minute sessions, twice daily for four weeks. Pretest and posttest measures assessed changes in attention and wellbeing. Attention was evaluated using three psychometric performance measures: a computerised Continuous Performance Task (CPT), Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS), and Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT). Wellbeing was evaluated using three self-report measures: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Profile of Mood States, and Physical Tension Scale. Following four weeks of practice, analyses showed the meditation group achieved significantly greater discriminability performance on the CPT than did the other groups. This finding supported the primary research hypothesis. That is, enhanced attention was a direct effect of meditation training and was not a generalised product of physiological relaxation. DSS and SCWT did not significantly differentiate the groups. Improved performance on these measures was shown by all groups, and was attributed to practice effects. The training groups generally reported greater mean improvements on wellbeing measures than the control group, but differences were not significant. Contrary to the research hypothesis, findings did not support a significant relationship between changes in attention and changes in wellbeing. This suggests that enhanced attention was neither an antecedent nor consequence of improved wellbeing. Correspondence between Buddhist and contemporary psychology is considered, with some implications for application of meditation as a clinical intervention strategy. Concentrative meditation is proposed to be fundamentally a technique for training, control, and deployment of attention. Future research should explore meditation as a cognitive control strategy.
... Given that meditation benefits a wide variety of cognitive processes in both the short-and long-term, educators worldwide have begun to utilize meditation as a learning tool for students across a wide variety of age and education levels (Kirk et al. 2011;So and Orme-Johnson 2001;Zeidan et al. 2010). Fiebert and Mead (1981) examined whether focused meditation before studying and examinations would promote better knowledge retention compared with students meditating at different times. Baseline measures taken over the course of 3 weeks revealed no differences between groups, but meditation before examinations and study sessions resulted in better scores on examinations during the 9-week experimental period compared with participants that meditated at other times. ...
... For example, we do not know whether meditation would affect students' performance on a cumulative final exam. Of course, educators should also consider that the present study was able to demonstrate measurable change in student performance with only 6 min of meditation training, with other research demonstrating that the positive effects may last months (Fiebert and Mead 1981) and may persist even after training is discontinued (Basak et al. 2008). Introducing meditation in the classroom also produces other student benefits beyond grade increases, including greater student interest in topics related to meditation, mindfulness, and selfregulation and greater understanding and appreciation of the differences between eastern and western psychology (Hull 2001;Michaelson 2006). ...
New research shows that even very simple forms of meditation training canenhance the cognitive skills required for successful knowledge retention. Thissession will explain why researchers believe that meditation can improve students'performance. Session participants will learn how to teach or administer a simpleform of meditation called the "counting method" that is taught to novices withinthe Zen Buddhist meditation tradition. The main purpose of this form of meditationtraining is to improve the practitioner's concentration, which allows students tolearn more during lectures or study sessions.
... These studies have all shown that engaging in mindfulness meditation practice for a period of time can significantly impact exam scores. Student groups that meditated before studying and before exams generally scored higher on exams than student groups that did not meditate (Fiebert & Mead, 1981; Mrazek et al., 2013). ...
Mindfulness meditation is a technique for regulating attention and emotions, which can help individuals enhance self-awareness and reduce stress. This paper aims at review the positive effects of mindfulness meditation on English learners and teachers, including improving English learning abilities and enhancing motivation, confidence, and enjoyment in English learning. Through systematic literature searches and screening methods from databases such as CNKI, Wan fang, Pub Med, and Web of Science, relevant papers on mindfulness meditation and English learning from the past decade were selected. Their research purposes, methods, innovations, and conclusions were analyzed. This paper specifically explores the literature review on the impact of mindfulness meditation on English learning, summarizing both the theory and practice of mindfulness meditation, and proposing future research directions and suggestions. Mindfulness meditation has a positive impact on English learning and classroom teaching, but its specific effects are influenced by various factors such as the type, duration, and frequency of mindfulness meditation. More empirical research is needed to validate its effects on English learning and to explore the optimal integration methods.
... Schools and colleges must organize educative sessions for students and their parents on digital mindfulness, digital citizenship, and ethical and productive use of social media. For example, yoga and meditation can help build attention management skills in students (Fiebert et al., 1981;Harrison et al., 2004;Luxhman et al. 2021). While most schools are organizing sessions on these subjects in India, their importance and effectiveness can be improved. ...
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of social media engagement, which includes frequency of using social media platforms (FSMP) and social media involvement, on the academic distraction and academic performance of the student. The study further tests the moderating role of attention control on the relationship between academic distraction and academic performance. Method: Data were collected from 272 students studying in universities in India. Students answered questions on the frequency of visiting social media platforms and social media involvement, components of academic distraction, and attention control. AMOS software was used to test the structural model. Results: FSMP does not contribute to academic distraction; however, consistent social media involvement does predict academic distraction. Unlike previous studies, academic distraction does not influence the academic performance of students born in the digital era, who have accessed social media throughout their childhood. Attention control moderates the relationship between academic distraction and academic performance. Conclusions: The study challenges past research that claims social media engagement has a negative effect on student academic performance. Social media involvement, such as texting, commenting, and sharing updates, causes academic distraction but may not affect student academic performance. A novel finding is that the strength and direction of the relationship between academic distraction on academic performance vary with attention control. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: The study can be useful for educators and policy makers to build strategies for developing digital citizenship behaviours among students and thereby leverage social media for improved academic achievements of students. In particular, the potential moderating role of attention control in the interaction between academic distraction and academic performance has implications for educators and researchers.
... Schools and colleges must organize educative sessions for students and their parents on digital mindfulness, digital citizenship, and ethical and productive use of social media. For example, yoga and meditation can help build attention management skills in students (Fiebert et al., 1981;Harrison et al., 2004;Luxhman et al. 2021). While most schools are organizing sessions on these subjects in India, their importance and effectiveness can be improved. ...
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of social media engagement, which includes frequency of using social media platforms (FSMP) and social media involvement, on the academic distraction and academic performance of the student. The study further tests the moderating role of attention control on the relationship between academic distraction and academic performance. Method: Data were collected from 272 students studying in universities in India. Students answered questions on the frequency of visiting social media platforms and social media involvement, components of academic distraction, and attention control. AMOS software was used to test the structural model. Results: FSMP does not contribute to academic distraction; however, consistent social media involvement does predict academic distraction. Unlike previous studies, academic distraction does not influence the academic performance of students born in the digital era, who have accessed social media throughout their childhood. Attention control moderates the relationship between academic distraction and academic performance. Conclusions: The study challenges past research that claims social media engagement has a negative effect on student academic performance. Social media involvement, such as texting, commenting, and sharing updates, causes academic distraction but may not affect student academic performance. A novel finding is that the strength and direction of the relationship between academic distraction on academic performance vary with attention control. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: The study can be useful for educators and policy makers to build strategies for developing digital citizenship behaviours among students and thereby leverage social media for improved academic achievements of students. In particular, the potential moderating role of Deepa et al., 2022 Open Access Higher Learning Research Communications 65 attention control in the interaction between academic distraction and academic performance has implications for educators and researchers.
... This sample complemented the study's design, since most participants (78%) were completely new to meditation. Additionally, participating in this study was potentially beneficial for the target population, since meditation was previously reported to reduce stress and anxiety related to college (Lemay et al. 2019) and to increase academic performance (Fiebert and Mead 1981;Lin and Mai 2016). Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study via an online platform called the 1KA OneClick Survey (1KA). ...
Objectives: Despite being often overlapped and used interchangeably in academic literature, loving-kindness meditation (LKM) and compassion meditation (CM) are also seen to have their distinct features. As a differential approach towards LKM and CM can promote a more accurate integration of these practices into the clinical field, it is worth studying their differential effects. The present pre-registered study, thus, aimed to experimentally compare effects of single-session LKM and CM on first-time practitioners’ emotions.
Methods: Two hundred and one university students were randomly allocated to three (LKM, CM and control) groups. The self-reported emotions were measured twice, before and after completing an assigned task.
Results: (1) Both LKM and CM significantly increased other-focused positive emotions compared with the control condition; (2) Both LKM and CM increased happiness and overall positive emotions, and decreased sadness; however, the effect sizes of LKM were consistently larger compared to those of CM; (3) Both LKM and CM significantly increased low arousal positive emotions compared with the control condition.
Conclusions: LKM and CM represent two theoretically different practices. However, as they belong to the same tradition of meditation, they are similar in their intention of forming positive wishes towards self and others, and this appeared to have a positive effect on practitioners’ emotional experience. At the same time, LKM was found to be more effective in evoking positive emotions in first-time practitioners, compared to CM.
... Some of these studies look at how meditation may affect exam scores, assuming that exam scores are a valid measure of academic improvement. Fiebert and Mead (1981) and Mrazek et al. (2013) both discovered that meditation had a marked effect on exam scores over a period of time. In Fiebert and Mead's study, a group of students who meditated before studying and before examinations scored higher than another group that did not. ...
Incorporating mindfulness into education has been linked to improving academic, social and emotional learning. This article describes an investigation of the implementation of meditative practices in a foreign language setting (German). Two classes underwent distinct varieties of meditation: The count-to-ten method and the guided meditation approach, whereas a third class served as a comparison group by not partaking in meditative activities. Meditative practices were implemented for a period of one year and data were collected on students’ academic achievement, measures of mindfulness, and evaluations of their perspectives on meditative practices. Results revealed that classes in the treatment conditions showed marked signs of academic achievement and increased awareness relative to the comparison group. Differences were revealed between the two meditation methods in terms of distinct aspects of mindfulness as measured by the five-facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ). In addition, students showed a positive disposition towards meditative practices in general, which was measured by a new developed instrument: the five spheres of meditation experience survey (FSMES). Results suggest that meditative practices may play a role in designing and developing novel pedagogical practices.
... Two controlled studies have reported significant improvements in academic performance by college students practicing mindfulness techniques (Fiebert & Mead, 1981;Hall, 1999). However, these studies are in need of replication with youth samples. ...
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children (MBCT-C) is a 12-session manualized group psychotherapy developed by the author and her colleagues. MBCT-C was adapted from an 8-session group program of MBCT developed by Segal and his colleagues for the prevention of depressive relapse in adults. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of MBCT-C with middle-school aged children.
A randomized controlled trial was conducted implementing a cross-lagged research design. Participants consisted of 25, mostly low-income, inner-city children, aged 9 to 12, who were enrolled in a remedial reading program at an urban University (15 girls, 10 boys). 84% were ethnic minorities (15 Latino, 6 African American, 4
Caucasian). After matching for age and gender, children were randomized to 1 of 4 groups. Acceptability of the treatment was partly evaluated by participation rates. 74% of those invited to participate were recruited into the study. 86% of children attended more than 6 sessions (completion criterion). Session attendance for 21 children that completed the program was 89%. Enhancement of attention has long been considered the essence of mindfulness. This primary hypothesis was supported. After participating in a twelve-week
intervention of MBCT-C, participants were found to exhibit significantly fewer attention problems than had been previously reported. Improvements were maintained at 3-month follow-up. The hypothesized relationship between mindfulness and anxiety was not fully supported. Significant reductions in anxiety symptoms were reported across groups. A hypothesized relationship between mindfulness and reading comprehension was not supported. Participants demonstrated improved reading comprehension across all groups. The hypothesized inverse relationship between mindfulness and behavior problems was partially supported. Although reported behavioral problems declined, no significant between-group differences were found. Significant within-subjects reductions in anxiety and behavioral problems were reported over the course of the study. Reductions in attention problems were significantly correlated with reductions in behavior problems.
MBCT-C appears to be both feasible and acceptable to children. Further program development, evaluation, and implementation are needed. The results of this study are promising and support the author’s call for continued research into the usefulness of mindfulness-based approaches for the treatment of childhood anxiety.
Purpose: This review aims to explore the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in promoting mental health and improving academic performance among students. Methods: Studies examining the impact of mindfulness meditation on students' mental well-being and academic outcomes were reviewed and analyzed. Various aspects such as memory, focus, concentration, and overall academic performance were considered. Results: The findings suggest that mindfulness meditation holds significant benefits for students, including improved memory, enhanced focus and concentration, and ultimately, better academic performance. This practice also shows promise in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression among students. Value: This review contributes to understanding the potential of mindfulness meditation as a valuable tool for supporting students' mental health and academic success. It underscores the importance of integrating mindfulness practices into educational settings to foster holistic well-being. Keywords: Meditation, Mental health, Academic performance, Mindfulness, Students, Well-being
京都大学人間・環境学研究科ドイツ語部会の学術雑誌
『ドイツ文学研究』
Ein holistischer Ansatz in der Universitätslehre ist mehr denn je gefragt und die Integration von Achtsamkeit und Meditation im Unterricht ist derzeit im Fokus der pädagogischen Forschung. Achtsamkeit kann hierbei helfen, die Lehrer-Schüler-Bindung zu stärken, indem auch soziale Bereiche des Lernens stimuliert werden. Der vorliegende Artikel soll bisherige Forschungsergebnisse zusammentragen, welche insbesondere für den Fremdsprachenunterricht von Interesse sind und gerne zur weiteren Forschung in diesem Bereich anregen.
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Please cite as:
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Zeilhofer, Luisa (2021), Achtsam im Fremdsprachenunterricht? Ein Forschungsüberblick über Meditation in der Hochschullehre. 『ドイツ文學研究』66: 1-28.
Studied M. R. Goldfried's (see record
1972-09080-001) recommendations for enhancing the self-control features of desensitization by changing both the rationale and the procedure followed in this approach. 98 test-anxious (Test Anxiety Questionnaire) college students were assigned to 4 treatment groups, a placebo group, or an untreated control group. The 4 treatment groups resulted from the combination of 2 treatment rationales (active coping and passive reciprocal inhibition) and 2 treatment procedures (self-control and standard). The treatment groups were found to be equally effective in reducing debilitative test anxiety. However, the self-control variant of desensitization combining both the rationale and procedural modifications recommended by Goldfried required fewer scene exposures and treatment sessions than standard desensitization and yet was more effective at enhancing facilitative test anxiety and test performance. Finally, it appeared that the active rationale was more effective than the passive rationale in bringing about persistent changes in Ss' academic performance subsequent to treatment. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Assessed the comparative effectiveness of cognitive, arousal reduction, and combined cognitive and arousal reduction treatments for test anxiety. 48 test-anxious volunteers who had scored above 32 on the Debilitating Anxiety scale of the Alpert-Haber Achievement Anxiety Test were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 graduate-student therapists, who provided (a) cognitive therapy, (b) systematic desensitization, (c) a combination of cognitive therapy and systematic desensitization, or (d) a pseudotherapy control procedure. 12 other test-anxious Ss were assigned to a waiting-list control group. Test anxiety was assessed both on self-report measures, in an analog testing situation prior to treatment, at the completion of treatment, and at a 1-mo follow-up. GPA was also used as a measure of academic performance. Results indicate that cognitive therapy was more effective in reducing anxiety in the analog testing situation and improving GPA than other treatment and control procedures. Systematic desensitization, combined systematic desensitization and cognitive therapy, and the pseudotherapy control procedure were not reliably different from one another. Results underline the effectiveness of cognitive therapy in treating test anxiety. (36 ref)
Assigned 15 male and 6 female test anxious 17-25 yr. olds (1 high school student and 20 undergraduates) to a group cognitive modification treatment, group desensitization, or a waiting list control group. The cognitive modification group combined an insight-oriented therapy which was designed to make test anxious Ss aware of their anxiety-engendering thoughts with a modified desensitization procedure which employed (a) coping imagery on how to handle anxiety and (b) self-instructional training to attend to the task and not ruminate about oneself. Results indicate that the cognitive modification group was most effective in significantly reducing test anxiety as assessed by (a) test performance obtained in an analog test situation, (b) self-reports given immediately after posttreatment and later at a 1-mo follow-up, and (c) GPA. Following treatment, the test anxious Ss in the cognitive modification group did not differ from a group of 10 low test anxious Ss, and in fact the cognitive modification Ss reported a significant increase in facilitative anxiety. (63 ref.)
Reviews the literature and suggests an attentional interpretation of the adverse effects which test anxiety has on task performance. During task performance the highly test-anxious person divides his attention between self-relevant and task-relevant variables, in contrast to the low-test-anxious person who focuses his attention more fully on the task. This interpretation is supported by literature from diverse areas. Treatment and research implications of this interpretation are briefly discussed. (3 P. Ref.)
A skills-acquisition treatment for test anxiety was compared with 2 anxiety-reduction conditions, cue-controlled relaxation and meditation, and a practice-only group in terms of improved test performance. 50 highly test-anxious Ss representing the most anxious 28% of 232 undergraduates administered the Achievement Anxiety Test were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 experimental conditions. The 3 treatment groups received 5 90-min training sessions while the practice-only group was given an equal amount of time in practice on a posttreatment analog test (AT). Results indicate that the skills-acquisition group was superior to the other 3 conditions in terms of GPA and AT performance. The skills-acquisition group reported greater knowledge of effective test-taking skills and less attentional interference during testing than the other groups. Measures of heart rate and pulse transit time during the AT showed no significant group differences. It is suggested that the term "test anxiety" be retired and that inadequate test performance be reconceptualized as ineffective test taking. (35 ref)
Test-anxious college students received therapy consisting of relaxation or relaxation and study counseling in small groups or via self-instructional manuals. Subjects were also assigned to a group-administered placebo condition or two control groups. Self-report anxiety and academic performance data, collected before and after therapy, indicated both modes of therapeutic intervention to be (a) equally effective in reducing anxiety and improving grades, and (b) significantly better than no treatment.