The Mantram Repetition Program (MRP)

Background: Healthcare workers report high levels of stress in the workplace. To determine how to reduce stress, the authors examined the effectiveness of frequently repeating a mantram (a word with spiritual meaning) on emotional and spiritual well-being.

Methods: A pretest-posttest design was used to measure stress, state/trait anxiety and anger, quality of life, and spiritual well-being in a convenience sample (N=42) of hospital workers completing a mantram intervention program.

Results: Significant improvements were found in stress (p < .001), trait-anxiety (p = .002), trait-anger (p = .02), quality of life (p = .001), and spiritual well-being (p = .003). When examining the effects of mantram practice, trait-anxiety and religious and spiritual well-being were significant (p < .05).

Conclusion: Improvements in emotional and spiritual well-being may be mediated by frequent mantram repetition.

Rank: 56

First Author: Bormann

Outcome: Stress,Anxiety,Quality of Life,Anger,Well-being

Outcome p-value: Stress:⭑⭑⭑, Anxiety:⭑⭑, Quality of Life:⭑⭑⭑, Anger:●, Well-being:⭑⭑

Intervention Category: Mindfulness

Time per Employee (hours): 7.5

Hours per Employee: 8

D&B Study Quality Rating: 16

Reviewer Confidence: 2.5

Country: US

Study Design Type: Quasi-experimental

Materials Available to Implement: The program is available through a non-profit: The PsychArmor Institute. There are 4 short modules and a caregiver version. To access these programs, one has to create an account and password. Then do a search on “Mantram” to find: ⭑4 Self-Learning Mantram Modules sponsored by PsychArmor Institute: https://psycharmor.org/courses/mantram/ Intervention outlined in publication. The intervention is based on The Mantram Handbook (Easwaran, 1977/1998/2001; adapted). A limited workshop process description available in the article's supplemental table: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350621002237?via%3Dihub#appsec1. More information is available from jillbormannphd@gmail.com

Materials Available: yes

Organiz./Individ. Focus: Individual

Prevention Category: Primary,Secondary

Effect size Small:

Effect size Medium:

Reference: Bormann, J. E., Becker, S., Gershwin, M., Kelly, A., Pada, L., Smith, T. L., & Gifford, A. L. (2006). Relationship of frequent mantram repetition to emotional and spiritual well-being in healthcare workers. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 37(5), 218–224. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20060901-02