From the Heart: Comparing the Effects of Spiritual and Secular Meditation on Psychophysiology, Cognition, Mental Health, and Social Functioning in Healthy Adults

Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the effects of Christian and Islamic heart-centred spiritual meditation to mindfulness meditation and waitlist control conditions, respectively, in healthy adults. The potential effects will be studied at multiple levels, with a focus on psychophysiology, cognition, mental health, and social functioning.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 to 60 years old
* able to read, speak and understand English
* willing to be randomly assigned to all the conditions, with religious affiliation restricting allocation to either the Christian or Islamic type of spiritual meditation conditions
* consider oneself to be a Christian or Muslim and pray at least weekly

Exclusion Criteria:

* currently suffer from any mental health conditions or use medication to manage mental health conditions
* long-term serious physical medical problems, such as liver, brain, kidney, or other life-threatening chronic diseases
* a history of a heart condition, high blood pressure, Raynaud syndrome, diabetes, or musculoskeletal condition
* the current use of anxiolytics/mood stabilizers.

Conditions10

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