Use of the Transcendental Meditation Technique to Reduce Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by Reducing Stress and Anxiety: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This exploratory study tested the feasibility of using the Transcendental Meditation ® technique to reduce stress and anxiety as a means of reducing symptoms of ADHD. Students ages 11-14 were taught the technique, and practiced it twice daily in school. Common ADHD inventories and performance measures of executive function were administered at baseline and three months later. Results showed statistically significant reductions in stress, anxiety, and improvements in ADHD symptoms and executive function. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is now among the most prevalent chronic health conditions affecting school-aged children. Almost 4.5 million children between ages 4 and 17 are diagnosed with the disorder, and almost half of these children are on ADHD medication. The majority of those on medication remain on it in adulthood (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2005). Seventy-five to 85 % of the time, ADHD is complicated by other emotional or behavioral disorders. An anxiety disorder is present in as high as 40 % of ADHD children (Costello, Mustillo, Erkanli, Keller, & Angold, 2003; Pliszka, 2000). Side effects of the ADHD medication can further compound the problem by causing or exacerbating emotional disorders. Consequently many children on ADHD medication are taking multiple drugs that include treatment for anxiety or other mood disorders, though most of those drugs are not FDA approved for use with children. The long-term health effects of ADHD medications are not fully known; however, evidence suggests risks of cardiac disorders and sudden death, liver damage, and psychiatric events. The side-effects and long-term health outcomes associated with ADHD drug treatment potentially have important health implications for the millions of children (CDC,