TM Improves ADHD

Transcendental Meditation technique (TM) has been found to be an effective, safe and drug free aid for remedying ADHD. These are the findings of an exciting new study. The study was published in the peer-reviewed online journal ‘Current Issues in Education’.

This initial pilot study tracked a group of middle school children with ADHD.  These students meditated twice a day in school for ten to twenty minutes at a time morning and afternoon.  Parents were also encouraged to have students continue regular meditation at home on weekends and holidays. Home compliance was not rigorously monitored.

The researchers saw more than a 50 percent reduction in

stress and anxiety and improvements in ADHD symptoms. The children also demonstrated greater attention, working memory, organization, and behavior regulation.

The researchers said "The effect was much greater than we expected," and "teachers reported they were able to teach more, and students were able to learn more because they were less stressed and anxious."

Six weeks before the start of the study, two teachers and two administrators were instructed in the Transcendental Meditation technique in order to lead the twice daily meditation sessions at the school. After completion pre meditation assessments, the children were given the standard course of instruction in the Transcendental Meditation technique. Over the 3-month study period, students participated in follow-up checks to maintain correct meditation.

Past research has shown children with ADHD have slower brain development and less capacity to deal with stress. "Stress interferes with the ability to learn—it shuts down the brain," said William Stixrud, Ph.D., a Silver Spring, Maryland, clinical neuropsychologist and co-author of the study.

"Medication for ADHD can be effective for some children, but it is minimally or ineffective for others. Even for those children who do show improvement with the medication, the benefit is often not enough and/or accompanied by negative side effects," Stixrud said.

While in some cases a child is unable to get on without medication, there is increasing worry about the risks to health and the side effects of the standard ADHD medications. These include mood swings, disturbed sleep, tics, impaired growth, and heart problems. In 2006 the FDA ordered drug companies to put warning labels on ADHD medications, stating the possible serious health risks.

The meditation study took place at a private K-12 school for children with language-based learning disabilities. Participation was restricted to 10 students, ages 11-14, nine boys and one girl. Each had a diagnosis of ADHD. Eight of the students were on medication.

In order to determine the effect of the TM practice, standard ADHD assessment inventories were done at the beginning and end of the three-month period. These were done by parents, teachers and students to measure stress and anxiety, behavior and social competency, and executive function. In addition the children were underwent a number of performance based testing to measure cognitive functioning.

One parent speaking of the effects of the program on their daughter said "The results were quite remarkable," .. "The twice daily meditations smoothed things out, gave her perspective, and enabled her to be in greater control of her own life when things started falling apart. It took some time, but it gradually changed the way she handled crises and enabled her to feel confident that she could take on greater challenges —in her own words, ‘climb a mountain.’"…."Everyone noticed the change,"

TM doesn’t require concentration, controlling the mind or disciplined focus. The fact that these children are able to learn and do the with ease indictaes that this technique may be particularly well suited for children with ADHD and similar conditions.

A second TM-ADHD study with a control group measured brain function using electroencephalography (EEG) has now been done. Initial results indicate that three months practice of the technique showed substantial improvement in brain function in visual-motor skills. Particular improvements were seen in the circuitry of the brain related to attention and distractibility. After three further months of continued TM practice, measurements of distractibility progressed into what is considered the normal range.

A third TM-ADHD study, which will be financed by a grant of $2 million from the David Lynch Foundation (DavidLynchFoundation.org), will go further in investigating the effects of the Transcendental Meditation on ADHD and other learning disorders.

 

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