Meditation on affective and cognitive functions of nursing students: a quasi experimental study

Background of the study: Student nurses have different types of stressors e.g. financial stress, academic pressure from teachers and parents, time and health-related issues. This stress leads to affective, cognitive, social and physical changes. Sometimes mild stress is beneficial for academic tasks and performance while progressive high stress leads to affective and cognitive Impairment. Changes in affective and cognitive functions is one of the common mental health related issue among nursing students studying in nursing colleges and Raj yoga Meditation may help in improving their quality of life in terms of improving affective and cognitive functions and it is a safe, non-pharmacological, non–invasive, cost effective method and easy to practice. Objectives of the study: The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of meditation on affective and cognitive functions of nursing students in selected nursing colleges of Punjab. Material and Methods: A quantitative research approach and a quasi- experimental research design was used. Non-probability convenient sampling technique was used to select 60 nursing students. Questionnaire method was used to collect data by using Subjective Happiness Scale and Modified Rey osterrieth complex figure test. Raj yoga Meditation was given to experimental group for 20 minutes once a day for 21 consecutive days. Results: The findings of the study revealed in the experimental group, the pre-interventional mean±S.D is 4.958±0.8229 and post-interventional mean±S.D is 6.113±0.7357, t=6.0511, in affective function. In experimental group, the pre-interventional mean±S.D is 31.7±2.046 and post-interventional mean±S.D is 34.2±1.750, in copy trial. In the experimental group, the pre-interventional mean±S.D is 21.30±3.72 and post-interventional mean±S.D is 27.3±3.08, t=7.9145, in memory trial. In control group, pre-interventional mean±S.D is 4.708±1.0988 and post-interventional mean±S.D is 4.996±0.5549 in affective function. In control group, pre-interventional mean±S.D is 31.0±1.896 and post- interventional mean±S.D is 30.7±0.8632 in copy trial. In control group, pre- interventional mean±S.D is 19.57±3.65 and post-interventional mean±S.D is 21.30±4.24 in memory trial. Conclusion: This study concluded that Raj yoga meditation was effective in improving the affective and cognitive functions of nursing students.