| Controlled
studies conducted by the Education Initiative demonstrate that students
who were exposed to our relaxation response-based curriculum
experienced:
 | A higher grade point average |
 |
| Increased self-esteem |
|
| Decreased psychological distress |
|
| Less aggressive behavior |
|
| Better work habits |
|
| Better attendance |
|
| Decreased unexcused tardiness |
The Evaluation of a Mind/Body Intervention to Reduce Psychological Distress and Perceived Stress in College Students
Deckro G., Ballinger K., Hoyt M., Wilcher M., Dusek J., Myers P.,
Greenberg B., Rosenthal D., Benson H., Journal of American College
Health, Vol. 50, No. 6, May 2002. The authors examined the effect of a 6-week
mind/body intervention on college students' psychological distress,
anxiety, and perception of stress. One hundred twenty-eight students
were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=63) or a waitlist
control group (n=65). The experimental group received six (6) 90-minute
group-training sessions in the relaxation response and cognitive
behavioral skills. Significantly greater reductions in psychological distress, state anxiety, and perceived stress were found in the experimental group.
Academic Performance Among Middle School Students After Exposure to a Relaxation Response Curriculum
Benson H., Wilcher M., Greenberg B., Huggins E., Ennis M.,
Zuttermeister P.C., Myers P., Friedman R., Journal of Research and
Development in Education, Vol. 33: No. 3, Spring 2000. The relationship between exposure to a relaxation
response curriculum and academic achievement was examined among middle
school students. Teachers were trained in how to teach relaxation
response exercises and self-care strategies to their students. In
addition, trainers modeled for teachers how to teach relaxation and
self-care strategies to the students in the classroom. Four measures of
academic outcomes were analyzed: grade point average, work habits,
cooperation, and attendance. Students who had more that two exposures to semester long classes in which teachers had been trained in the relaxation response curriculum had higher grade point averages, work habits scores and cooperation scores than students who have two or fewer exposures. In addition, students who had more exposures to the relaxation response curriculum showed an improvement in academic scores over the course of a two-year period.
Increases in Positive Psychological Characteristics with a New Relaxation-Response Curriculum in High School Students
Benson H., Kornhaber A., Kornhaber C., LeChanu M., Zuttermeister P.,
Myers P., Friedman R., Journal of Research and Development in Education
- Vol. 27, No. 4, Summer 1994. Self esteem and locus of control were evaluated in
a group of high school students prior to, during, and following a
single academic year. Using a randomized, crossover experimental
design, students were exposed to either a health curriculum based on
elicitation of the relaxation response and then a follow-up period, or
to a control health curriculum and then the relaxation-response based
curriculum. Exposure to the relaxation-response curriculum, but not the control curriculum, resulted in significant increases in self-esteem and a tendency toward greater internal locus of control scores.
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