A Meditation Curriculum on Anger, Hostility, and Egoism for Incarcerated Adults

An evaluation of a meditation based curriculum
developed to reduce anger, hostility, and egoism was
be performed using incarcerated adults as
participants. Previously, Vannoy and Hoyt (2004),
pilot tested a new intervention delivered to
incarcerated adult males. In the current study, the
goal was three fold: a) to replicate the previous
findings, while improving the experiment; b) expand
the focus to investigate the impact of the
intervention on the anti-social construct of
hostility and the pro-social construct of
social-connectedness; and c) include female
participants. Results of this study indicate the
intervention was effective at reducing anger in
female participants. Changes on other variables
failed to reach statistical significance. We
hypothesized that meditation participants would
voluntarily continue to meditate, while participants
in treatment as usual would not opt to voluntarily
continue studying course material. Male participants
in MBESH participated in after-care at a high rate
(89%), and female participants in MBESH participated
at a moderate rate (45%). The participation rate in
after-care for both male and female
treatment-as-usual participants was 0%.

Autorentext
Steven Vannoy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. Dr. Vannoy conducts research and provides clinical services in a wide range of community settings.

Klappentext
An evaluation of a meditation based curriculum developed to reduce anger, hostility, and egoism was be performed using incarcerated adults as participants. Previously, Vannoy and Hoyt (2004), pilot tested a new intervention delivered to incarcerated adult males. In the current study, the goal was three fold: a) to replicate the previous findings, while improving the experiment; b) expand the focus to investigate the impact of the intervention on the anti-social construct of hostility and the pro-social construct of social-connectedness; and c) include female participants. Results of this study indicate the intervention was effective at reducing anger in female participants. Changes on other variables failed to reach statistical significance. We hypothesized that meditation participants would voluntarily continue to meditate, while participants in treatment as usual would not opt to voluntarily continue studying course material. Male participants in MBESH participated in after-care at a high rate (89%), and female participants in MBESH participated at a moderate rate (45%). The participation rate in after-care for both male and female treatment-as-usual participants was 0%.