Relationship of frequent mantram repetition to emotional and spiritual well-being in healthcare workers.
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).


CONCLUSIONS
Improvements in emotional and spiritual well-being may be mediated by frequent mantram repetition.
Bormann
Jill E
JE
VA San Diego Healthcare System, CA 92161, USA. jill.bormann@va.gov
Becker
Sheryl
S
Gershwin
Madeline
M
Kelly
Ann
A
Pada
Laureen
L
Smith
Tom L
TL
Gifford
Allen L
AL
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D002140:California; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005086:Existentialism / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D016272:Occupational Health; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000193:education*; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires