Influence Of P.M. On Anxiety And Hassles Of Prisoners

JAIN VISHVA BHARATI UNIVERSITY

Influence Of P.M. On Anxiety And Hassles Of Prisoners

Purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the Preksha Meditation on anxiety and six types of hassles [as suggested by Spencer A. Rathus] of prisoners of Jodhpur Central Jail. In this investigation a pre and post-research design was adopted. A sample of 25 male prisoners equivalent in respect of age, education and economic status was taken in this study. The Sinha Anxiety Scale, and the questionnaire of hassles in six areas prepared by the investigators, were administered on the subject before assigning the Preksha Meditation technique. The subjects (prisoners) practised P.M., 40 minutes, every day in the morning under direct supervision of P.M. instructor. The said psychological measures were re-administered on the subjects after 25 days practice of the Preksha Meditation. The Sandlers' 'A' test was employed to see the significant difference, if any, between the two experimental stages of the subjects. The results reveal that the inmates reduced their anxiety significantly (P < ∙ 001) and also reduced their hassles, in six areas, viz., (1) Health (p < ∙ 001), (2) Family (P < ∙ 001), (3) Society (p < ∙ 001), (4) Occupation (p < ∙ 05), Economy (p < ∙ 05) and (6) Others (p < ∙ 001) after 25 days P.M. practice.

INTRODUCTION

The citizens of our society have felt increasingly more lonely and helpless, as the suicide, drug abuse and crime rates have risen. Prisons provoke these feelings of helpless (Haney, et. al., 1973), there by stimulating the "fight-flight" reflex postulated by Cannon (1929) and increasing crime, violence and self-destructive behaviour such as drug abuse and suicide. In the field of correction and rehabilitation researches have been conducted since last hundred years but yielded few, if any, treatment or rehabilitation techniques that effectively reduce the hostility and aggression, characteristics of inmates population and criminals on the streets. However, a number of recent research studies on various techniques of meditation suggest that they may offer a new hope for dealing with difficult problem of corrective human behaviour patterns. The problems of anxiety, stress and aggression that are typical of inmate population have also been showed to be positively affected by various meditation techniques.

The Preksha Meditation (P.M.), one of the meditation techniques, is a spiritual but scientific process invented by Acharya Shri Mahaprajna in 1975 from the Jain Agamas.

It is a process of awaking one's own reasoning mind (viveka) to control passions, emotions, and negative thoughts. It is the technique of perceiving ones inner self by concentrating on perception without feeling of pain or pleasure (rather than on thoughts).

Hassles

The daily routine problems faced by a person are known as the hassles. Rathus (1990) described the term tension as notable daily conditions and experiences that are threatening or harmful to a persons' well being, known as "Daily Hassles".

1. Health hassles: e.g. physical illness, concern about medical treatment and side effects of medication.
2. Household hassles: e.g. preparing meals, shopping, home, maintenance, etc.
3. Environmental/Social hassles: e.g. crime, neighbourhood, deterioration, traffic noise, etc.
4. Work hassles: e.g. job satisfaction; not liking ones works duties and problems with co-workers.
5. Financial Responsibility hassles: e.g. concern about owing money, such as mortgage payments and loan instalments.
6. Others: time pressure hassles, job security problems, and love affair hassles.

Anxiety

The concept of anxiety underlines many theories of psychology and psychopathology. Excessive anxiety is believed by many to be a primary source of ineffective coping and functioning (Hall and Lindze, 1957). In appropriate circumstances arousal to lesser extent, than excessive anxiety can provide important information to the organism; of impending danger. Arousal based on real dangers in the external world by Freude to be "reality anxiety" (Hall and Lindzey, 1957). Excessive anxiety, reduces the efficiency of the individual in satisfying his needs, disturbs interpersonal relations and produces confusion in the thinking. Severe-anxiety conveys no useful information to the person; instead it produces confusion and impedes performance.

Many traditional methods like psychotherapy and counselling that aim at the alleviation of anxiety and tensions usually require a substantial period of treatment before any change in anxiety is effected. Some other methods for reducing anxiety, such as psychotherapy, drug therapy and hypnotherapy, are currently being explored. However, the demand for a more effective, reliable long-lasting and readily available procedure to alleviate anxiety and tension justifies the examination of a promising new technique i.e., the Preksha Meditation.

It is reported that people who practice P.M. regularly improve their psychological state including greater clarity of thinking, increased harmony in social relations, increased tranquillity of mind and decreased physical and mental tensions also.

In the present scientific age psychological researches are being carried on various meditation techniques for benefits of human being. Winquest (1969), Wallace (1972), Lazer, Farwell and Farrow (1972) reported reduction in anxiety in prisoners during Transcendental Meditation (T.M.) practice. Cunninghum and Koch (1973), found a reduction in anxiety and an increase in positive behaviour in prisoners.

Gaur and his associates have also explored out many beneficial effects of various meditation techniques on prisoners like Transcendental Meditation and Preksha Meditation. Gaur, Rudola, Seikh and Pathak (85) attested the positive effects of T.M. on mental health of prisoners.

Gaur (1995) also attested the contribution of regular practice of T.M. in rehabilitation of prisoners. Gaur and Betal (1999) found that regular practice of P.M. strengthens the ego, super-ego and self-concept formation capacity while it reduces the ergic-tension in the practitioners.

Gaur and Sharma (2001) observed better psychosomatic health in the prisoners who practised the P.M. They also observed that the prisoners who practised P.M., increased their ego, super-ego strength and spontaneity, while they decreased their ergic-tension and became more tranquil, calm, relaxed and unfrustrated. They also became more self-reliant, realistic and free of jealous.

Problem

What is effect of P.M. on anxiety and six types of hassles / tensions of prisoners?

Hypotheses

In this pilot study two hypotheses were formulated. In the first hypothesis it is assumed that in comparison to their pre-experimental stage the prisoners will reduce their anxiety significantly, after a 25 days practice of P.M. Secondly as compared to their pre-experimental stage the prisoners will be found significantly lower in their tensions related to six types of hassles, at the end of 25 days P.M. practice.

Research Design and Procedure

Design

A pre-and post-experimental design was followed. It was a self- controlled "subject" relevant design.

Sample

A sample of 25 male prisoners of Jodhpur Central Jail equivalent in respect of their age, education and economic status was taken in this study.

Tools and Tests

1. Sinha anxiety Scale
   and
2. The Rating Scale of hassles in six the areas prepared by the investigators.

Procedure

The subjects were tested on both the aforesaid tests before commencement of P.M. practice. The training was given to the subjects by the trained teacher of Preksha Meditation. The subjects followed the practice regularly for 25 days, 45 minutes per day in the morning. At the end of 25 days all the subjects (inmates) were re-tested on the said tests.

RESULT

Scores obtained on both the measures were analysed by using Sandlers' 'A' test. The results reveal globle positive effects of P.M. on the inmates.

TABLE 1

Mean and Sandlers' A' Values at Pre-and Post-experimental

Table 1 indicates Mean and Sandlers' 'A' values of prisoners on Anxiety Scale. Observing the table it is very clear that the anxiety level of the inmates reduced significantly (p <∙001) as their mean scores decreased from 24∙2 to 20∙0. The result implies that 25 days practice of P.M. helped the inmates for reducing their anxiety significantly. The statistical analysis confirmed the proposed first hypothesis. Lazar, Farwell and Farrow (72) also reported the lower anxiety in the practitioners of Transcendental Meditation. The result of Cunnighum and Koch (1975) also support our findings as they found similar results.

Table 2, presents Mean and Sandlers' 'A' values at pre-and post- experimental stages of the prisoners. The result reveals that inmates reduced their tensions or hassles in all the six areas significantly.

TABLE 2

Mean and Sandlers' A' Values at Pre-and Post-experimental stages of prisoners on the Questionnaire of Hassles.

The result implies that the inmates, after the practice of 25 days Preksha Meditation, diluted their hassles in all the six areas, significantly. They became significantly less worried and anxious about their Health (p < ∙001), Family problems (p < ∙001), Social problems (p < ∙001), Occupational problems (p < ∙05), Economical problems (p < ∙05) and Other problems (p < ∙ 001). The proposed second hypothesis is also confirmed by the obtained result. As it has already been mentioned that regular practice of P.M. strengthen the ego, super-ego strength of practitioners (Gaur and Sharma), hence it may be concluded that reduction in all is due to the regular practice of Preksha Meditation.

DISCUSSION

It is observed from the above referred studies that regular practice of meditation technique produce beneficial effects in the practitioners. In this study the results reveal that the practice of Preksha Meditation also decreased anxiety as well as the hassles in the six areas of inmates. After practice of P.M. the inmates reduced their anxiety significantly, this result is corroborated by the findings of Winquest (1969), Wallace (1973), Lazer Farwell and Farrow (1972), who also reported lower anxiety in the practitioners of Transcendental Meditation. Similarly the results of Cunningham, and Koch (1975) also supported our findings.

The inmates who practised the P.M. diluted their hassles and became significantly less worried about their problems. The prisoners who practiced the P.M. observed deep rest. As the Preksha Meditation relaxes and gives deep rest to the practitioner, therefore, the inmates reduced their tension (ergic-tension), which was the main cause of their stress and strain. By practising the P.M. regularly the inmates developed a positive attitude towards their problems and therefore they reduced their worries and became less anxious about their problems. The findings are corroborated by the study of Gaur and Sharma (2001), who observed significantly lower ergic-tension in the prisoners who practising the P.M. Observing their study it is very clear that the subjects practising P.M. increased their ego, super-ego strength and spontaneity, on the other hand they decreased their ergic-tension and became more tranquil, calm, relaxed and unfrustrated.

Though it was a pilot study but on the basis of feedback of the inmates and the observations of authorities of Jail it was found that the inmates were cheerful, happy and harmonious in their behaviour after the each session of P.M. practice as they came out of the grip of anxiety and tensions.

REFERENCES

• Cannon, W.B. (1929). Bodily Changes in Pain, Hunger, Fear and Rage, New York; Appleton.
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• Gaur, B.P. (1994) Personality and Transcendental Meditation. New Delhi: Jainsons Publications.
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• Gaur, B.P. Rudola, M. Sheikh, S. Pathak, LK. (1985). T.M. reactions on J.N.P.I. Dept. of Psychology, University of Jodhpur, India, Paper presented at National Council of Education, Research an Training, New Delhi, India.
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