Lasting Solution to School Violence Through Consciousness-Based Education Program:
Scientific Research

Research on the Transcendental Meditation^® and TM-Sidhi^® Programs.
The causes of violence and criminal activity, both inside and outside the school, are complex. All of these factors, however, are linked to stress —either they are caused or exacerbated by stress or they contribute to stress. These factors include:

• Physiological factors, such as arousal levels and imbalance in neurotransmitter and hormonal levels
• Psychological factors, including high anxiety, psychological stress, and low ego strength and self-regard
• Behavioral factors, including drug and alcohol abuse
• Sociological factors, such as high unemployment, high violence and crime, and family dysfunction.

Research has shown that practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs addresses all of the above four factors contributing to violent and criminal behavior and leads to significantly reduced levels of violence and crime on the individual and societal levels.

Click here for an annotated bibliography of published research investigating the effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on factors related to stress and violence.

Physiological risk factors
A stressed and imbalanced physiology can only support distorted thinking and wrong behavior. Practice of the Transcendental Meditation^® technique releases stress and normalizes physiological functioning, thereby addressing wrong behavior at its source. Specifically, more than 100 studies indicate that practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique produces:

• Improved cardiovascular functioning
• Increased autonomic stability
• Enhanced endocrine functioning
• Optimal changes in EEG functioning
• Improved health
• Decreased hospital use

The following graph from a meta-analysis of 31 physiological studies depicts some of these findings. This analysis found that practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique produced significant decreases in basal skin conductance levels (a direct measure of sympathetic arousal or stress), significant decreases in breath rate, and significant decreases in plasma lactate (a neurohormone associated with stress). These physiological changes occurred spontaneously as the mind effortlessly settled down during practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique to a unique state called “restful alertness”—deep physical rest along with heightened mental alertness.

More research on the effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on physiological functioning.

Psychological risk factors
The experience of restful alertness during the practice of Transcendental Meditation results in the release of stress and integration of mind and body. This leads to profound psychological changes, which are counter to the risk factors associated with violence. The following table summarizes the psychological risk factors for violence and crime and presents the protective effects of practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique.

The Transcendental Meditation program
related to the psychology of violence and criminal behavior

Known Risk Factors	Protective Benefits of the Transcendental Meditation Program
High anxiety and psychological stress	Reduced anxiety
Low intelligence	Increased intelligence
Low academic achievement	Improved academic achievement
Anti-social personality; poor peer relations skills	Increased capacity for warm interpersonal relationships Increased sensitivity to feelings of others Reduced hostility
High impulsivity	Reduced impulsivity
Low ego strength and self-regard	Increased self concept and ego strength
Earlier than usual risk taking behaviors, including drugs and alcohol	Reduced use of alcohol and non-prescription drugs
Dishonesty	Increased level of moral judgment

Reductions in anxiety
A statistical meta-analysis conducted at Stanford University of 146 independent outcomes indicated that practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique reduced anxiety greater than concentration or contemplation techniques, or forms of physical relaxation.

Increase in self-actualization
Not only do anxiety and other maladaptive psychological traits decrease with practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique , but positive psychological traits increase. A meta-analysis of 42 studies found that practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique enhanced self-actualization more than concentration, contemplation, or relaxation techniques. Self-actualization refers to realizing more of one's inner potential, expressed in every area of life—integration and stability of personality, self-regard, emotional maturity, capacity for warm interpersonal relationships, and adaptive response to challenges.

Reductions in criminal recidivism
These findings of decreased anxiety and increased self-actualization have been found to lead to more prosocial behaviors. Prison inmates who learned the Transcendental Meditation technique, for example, had significantly fewer new prison terms and more favorable parole outcomes. As presented in this next graph, meditating inmates returned to prison 40% less than inmates just involved in education programs, vocational training or psychotherapy.

Additional findings on rehabilitation.

Behavioral factors
Behavioral factors, especially drug and alcohol abuse, are strongly linked to violence and crime. More than half of violent crime in the United States has been linked to abuse of these substances. More than 20 research studies have shown that practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique has significant effects on reducing substance abuse. The most significant of these, a statistical meta-analysis of 198 independent treatment outcomes, found that the Transcendental Meditation program produced a significantly larger reduction in tobacco, alcohol, and non-prescribed drug use than standard substance abuse treatments and standard prevention programs. In addition, relapse rates with individuals who learned the Transcendental Meditation technique were significantly less than with other programs. Whereas the effects of conventional programs typically fall off rapidly, within three months, effects of the TM program increase over time, with total abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, and non-prescribed drugs ranging from 51%-89% over a 18-22 month period (Alexander et al, 1994).

Sociological factors
Researchers have found a high correlation between social stress and various categories of violence and crime. Social stress, caused by factors such as unemployment, dysfunctional families, and violence in the community, contributes to the experience of individual stress, which can erupt in violence. The unique power of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs as an antidote to school and societal violence is that they not only reduce stress and anxiety in the individuals who practice them, but they also produce a harmonious effect in the social environment. Rigorous research published in leading social science journals indicates that practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique by one percent of a society’s population, or collective practice of the more powerful Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs by only the square root of one percent of a society’s population, produces an influence of harmony for the entire population.

This research has been replicated more than 40 times and at different societal levels, including city, state, national, and global. The reductions in social stress caused by practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs are manifested in the following research findings:

Reduction of violent deaths (homicides, suicides and traffic fatalities)

• Decreased crime
• Decreased auto accidents
• Decreased turbulence and violence in society
• Decreased work days lost due to strikes
• Improved economic trends, including decreased unemployment and inflation
• Improved quality of city, state, national and international life, as measured by composite indices of many variables
• Decreased war intensity and war deaths in conflict areas
• Increased progress towards peaceful resolution of conflict
• Improved international relations
• More positive statements and actions of heads of state concerning adversaries

This highly significant research demonstrates through the practice of the Transcendental Meditation program, schools can become centers of harmonizing influence for the whole community, centers that directly contribute to the dissolution of social stress.

Decreased crime rate in U.S. cities
A study of 48 U.S. cities found that a phase transition to decreased crime rate began when 1% of the population of the city was instructed in the Transcendental Meditation program.

Twenty-four cities in which 1% of the population began the Transcendental Meditation program by 1972 displayed significant decreases in crime rate during the next year (1973) and a decreased crime rate trend during the subsequent five years (1972-1977 in comparison to 1967-1972). In contrast, crime rate increased in 24 matched control cities.

Reference: Dillbeck, M.C., Landrith, G., III, & Orme-Johnson, D.W. (1981). The Transcendental Meditation program and crime rate change in a sample of forty-eight cities. Journal of Crime and Justice, 4, 25-45.