Effects of Occupational Therapy Program Based on Active Meditation on Hair Cortisol Levels in Undergraduate Healthcare Students
Journal
Occupational Therapy International
ISSN
1557-0703
0966-7903
Date Issued
2022
Author(s)
Alejandra Espinosa
Rodolfo Morrison
Diego Gonzalez
Juan Jamardo
Federico Fortuna
Carmen-Paz Díaz
Pamela Gutiérrez
Carla Frías
Paula Soto
Alejandra González
Sandra Mella
Bibiana Fabre
Type
Resource Types::text::journal::journal article
URL Institutional Repository
Abstract
<jats:p>Context. Meditation incorporation helps to fight against disorders such as depression, stress, and anxiety. Specifically, few studies have studied Osho’s Active Meditation on young people, but observed evidence using passive meditation shows that it could improve stress well-management, emotional control, and other mental unhealthy conditions. Goal. The present study pointed to evaluate the results of an occupational therapy program centered on active meditation on hair cortisol concentration in a sample of undergraduate healthcare students. Methods. Undergraduate students from the University of Chile’s health careers were divided at random into control (<jats:inline-formula>
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1">
<mi>n</mi>
<mo>=</mo>
<mn>7</mn>
</math>
</jats:inline-formula>) and treated groups (<jats:inline-formula>
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2">
<mi>n</mi>
<mo>=</mo>
<mn>15</mn>
</math>
</jats:inline-formula>). The treated group participated in an active meditation program once a week for three months. This treatment included different techniques such as Chakra Sounds, Nataraj, Mandala, Kundalini, Devavani, Gourishankar, and Nadabrahma. Hair samples were taken before and after the treatment period to measure cortisol. Results. The control group increased cortisol level <jats:inline-formula>
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3">
<mn>168.9</mn>
<mo>±</mo>
<mn>76.8</mn>
</math>
</jats:inline-formula> pg/mg compared with initial levels. The treated group shows a decrease of initial cortisol values in <jats:inline-formula>
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4">
<mn>28.5</mn>
<mo>±</mo>
<mn>12.8</mn>
</math>
</jats:inline-formula> pg/mg after meditation protocol application. Conclusions. Blending active meditation in students’ daily routine through occupational therapy intervention might prevent undergraduate students’ stress in healthcare careers.</jats:p>
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1">
<mi>n</mi>
<mo>=</mo>
<mn>7</mn>
</math>
</jats:inline-formula>) and treated groups (<jats:inline-formula>
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2">
<mi>n</mi>
<mo>=</mo>
<mn>15</mn>
</math>
</jats:inline-formula>). The treated group participated in an active meditation program once a week for three months. This treatment included different techniques such as Chakra Sounds, Nataraj, Mandala, Kundalini, Devavani, Gourishankar, and Nadabrahma. Hair samples were taken before and after the treatment period to measure cortisol. Results. The control group increased cortisol level <jats:inline-formula>
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3">
<mn>168.9</mn>
<mo>±</mo>
<mn>76.8</mn>
</math>
</jats:inline-formula> pg/mg compared with initial levels. The treated group shows a decrease of initial cortisol values in <jats:inline-formula>
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4">
<mn>28.5</mn>
<mo>±</mo>
<mn>12.8</mn>
</math>
</jats:inline-formula> pg/mg after meditation protocol application. Conclusions. Blending active meditation in students’ daily routine through occupational therapy intervention might prevent undergraduate students’ stress in healthcare careers.</jats:p>
Subjects
mindfulness
;
yoga
;
attention
;
intervention
;
experiences
;
cancer
;
pain
;
delivery of health care
;
hair
;
humans
;
hydrocortisone
;
meditation
;
occupational therapy
;
stress, psychological
;
students
;
hydrocortisone
;
hair
;
health care delivery
;
human
;
meditation
;
mental stress
;
occupational therapy
;
procedures
;
student
;
therapy