Online Guided Integrated Amrita Meditation (IAM®) to Improve Mental Well-Being and Reduce Perceived Stress During COVID-19 in India

This study evaluated the impact of Integrated Amrita Meditation (IAM®) sessions conducted online through a video conferencing platform on decreasing mental distress (measured with the General Health Questionnaire) and perceived stress (measured with the Perceived Stress Scale) in Tamil Nadu during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research design was quasi-experimental and compared the outcome variables of an intervention and a control group at baseline and follow-up. The intervention group showed a significantly larger decrease in mental distress than the control group at follow-up, and another follow-up at four months showed that the improvement in mental health remained constant. Therefore, conducting online IAM® classes is an effective intervention to improve mental health and reduce stress levels. Conducting such interventions through an online mode using digital technology is as effective as conducting it directly. Thus, it should be offered to a larger population to sustain mental well-being and reduce stress, not only during a pandemic.