Effect of meditation on emotion and behavior of differently abled adolescent

Abstract

Background: Deaf and dumb adolescents navigate a distinct set of challenges compared to their peers with typical hearing and speech abilities. Communication barriers and potential social isolation may contribute to heightened emotional stress, impacting their overall mental health. The potential benefits of meditation, which include stress reduction, improved emotional regulation, and increased mindfulness, offer a promising avenue for supporting the well-being of these adolescents. In the realm of psychological and emotional well-being, the study of meditation has gained increasing attention for its potential to enhance various aspects of mental health. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the influence of meditation on the emotional and behavioral dimensions of these differently abled adolescents. Materials and Methods: In this pre-experimental one group pretest and posttest design, 30 differently abled belonging to age 11-18 years with complete hearing loss were selected by consecutive sampling. The Child Behavior Checklist was used to collect data using interview technique. Intervention was provided in terms of 3 sessions. Results: In pretest 17% of them were found with borderline emotional and behavioral problems whereas in posttest only 13%of them showed borderline emotional and behavioral problems. There is significant difference in the level of emotion and behavior among differently abled adolescents before and after meditation (p<0.001).There was significant association between level of emotion and behavior of differently abled adolescents and selected demographic variables like gender and their hobbies. Conclusion: There is an immense need for promoting meditation practice regularly in the school and residential areas to promote emotional and behavioral wellbeing.