Evidence-Based Effects of
Vipassana Meditation
as taught by S. N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagy U Ba Khin

by Julia Arditi

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Participants Needed!

The study is about the effects of Vipassana meditation on cognitive function, well-being, and mental health.
It is conducted by Julia Arditi, as part of her Ph.D. at the School of Psychology, the University of Auckland. It was approved by the Vipassana Centre management and the University of Auckland Ethics Committee.
Participants are students of 10-day Vipassana meditation courses. They complete a survey in three time points.
The survey includes cognitive tasks and a questionnaire. The tasks resemble computer games and examine short term memory, cognitive processing speed, and cognitive flexibility. The questionnaire evaluates different areas of well-being and mental health. Participants complete the survey either before, and after their course, or twice before their course. All them complete a follow-up three months after their course.

How to Participate?

Read the Participant Information Sheet

Sign the Consent Form

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How to

FAQ

How many people participated so far?

Data collection started in the New Zealand Vipassana Centre, Dhamma Medini, on October 2024. As for 1st April 2025, thirty Vipassana students participated.
How many participants are needed?
We will need about 150 participants. High participation rate will enable more substantial conclusions.
What is the feedback from participants after completing the survey?
Participants reported enjoying the cognitive tasks and learning something about themselves.
Will participants have access to the study results and conclusions?
Yes! The results and conclusions will be posted on this website and a link will be emailed to participants.
Will participants have access to their own survey responses?
No, a single participant responses are not effected only by their course but also but situational factors. The effects of the course can only be learnt from responses that are consistent across groups.
Will participants receive a thank you gift?
Yes, after completing the three months follow-up participants will receive a $30 online Amazon voucher.

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PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET

Project title: The effects of Vipassana meditation as taught by Goenka on cognitive function, well-being, and mental health.

Name of Supervisor: Prof. Jeff Hamm

Name of Researcher: Julia Arditi

Researcher Introduction: Julia Arditi is a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Psychology, University of Auckland.

Project description and invitation

Although a survey showed that the practice of Vipassana, as taught by Goenka, was a stronger predictor of well-being than other types of meditation, studies that specifically research its effects are scarce. This study intends to investigate the effects of 10-day Vipassana meditation courses on cognitive function, well-being, and mental health. Students accepted for a 10-day Vipassana meditation course are welcome to participate.

Project Procedures

Participants will be assigned to one of two groups. The first group will complete an online survey, including cognitive tasks and a questionnaire, ten days before and ten days after their course. The second group will complete the survey twice before their course to control for test-retest effects. Both groups will complete it three months after their course.

The survey will evaluate meditation experience and practice, cognitive function, well-being, and mental health. It will be accessed through a link emailed to participants and will take about 45 minutes to complete.

Access to the Internet, a computer with a real keyboard (not a phone or tablet), and a good command of the English language are essential.

Participation is voluntary and confidential and does not affect the meditation course. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon voucher as a token of Appreciation.

Data storage/retention/destruction/future use

Questionnaires and test results will be encrypted and securely transmitted from the participant's browser to PsyToolkit server in the United States. The researcher will download, save them in a coded format on a university server and delete them from the PsyToolkit server. During data collection, participants' identifying details will be stored separately from their responses. After data collection, identifying details will be deleted, and data will be de-identified. De-identified data can be shared with other researchers and publishers through secure repositories but will be deleted after six years.

Anonymity and Confidentiality

During data collection, participants' identities will not be anonymous, as they have to be recognized by the researcher. However, participants' identities will be kept confidential, and their results will be stored in a coded format. At the end of data collection, identifying details will be deleted, and the data will be de-identified.

Right to Withdraw from Participation

Participation in the study is voluntary, and participants can withdraw at any time. They also have the right to withdraw their data for at least three months following data collection. Participants who want to withdraw their participation or data should contact the researcher.

Contact Details and Approval Wording

For any questions, please contact the researcher, Julia Arditi, Email: hard254@aucklanduni.ac.nz, Phone: 027-5917227.

You may also contact: The supervisor, Prof. Jeffery Hamm, E-mail: j.hamm@auckland.ac.nz.

Head of the School of Psychology, E-mail: n.harre@auckland.ac.nz, Phone number: 09 373- 7599 extn. 88512.

For any queries regarding ethical concerns, you may contact the Chair, University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee, Ethics and Integrity Team, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142. Telephone 09 373-7599 ext. 83711. Email: humanethics@auckland.ac.nz

APPROVED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND HUMAN PARTICIPANTS ETHICS COMMITTEE ON 30/08/2023 FOR (3) YEARS, REFERENCE NUMBER UAHPEC26431

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Consent1

CONSENT FORM

(THIS FORM WILL BE HELD FOR A PERIOD OF 6 YEARS)

Project title: The effects of Vipassana meditation as taught by Goenka on cognitive function, well-being, and mental health.

Name of Supervisor: Prof. Jeff Hamm Name of Researcher: Julia Arditi.

I have read the Participant Information Sheet and have understood the nature of the research and why I have been selected. I have had the opportunity to ask questions and have them answered to my satisfaction.
I agree to take part in this research.
I understand that participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw my participation at any time and to withdraw any data traceable to me during the data collection period (after this period, identifying details will be deleted, and the data will be de-identified and non-traceable. If data will have to be shared to publish the research results, it will be shared in its de-identified form).
I understand that data will be kept for 6 years, after which they will be destroyed.

APPROVED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND HUMAN PARTICIPANTS ETHICS COMMITTEE ON 30/08/2023 FOR (3) YEARS, REFERENCE NUMBER UAHPEC26431

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Survey

Evidence-Based Effectivity of
Vipassana Meditation

A meditation survey, published by Bowles et al. in 2022, demonstrated the effectiveness of Vipassana meditation as taught by Goenka.

One thousand six hundred meditators reported on their Negative Affect (such as anger), Psychological Distress (such as nervousness), Positive Affect (such as joy), and Satisfaction with Life.

They practiced: Focusing Attention on Breath (88%), Loving Kindness (51%), Mindful Yoga (39%), Open Awareness (35%), Mindful Walking (28%), Self Enquiry (27%), Visualization (25%), Sound Meditation (21%), Focusing Attention (19%), Mantra (17%), Vipassana as Taught by Goenka (9%).

Negative affect was lower among Vipassana meditators, but not any other meditators' group

Psychological distress was lowest among Vipassana meditators. Mindful Yoga practitioners also had lower than average psychological distress but not as low as Vipassana meditators.

Positive affect was highest among Vipassana meditators . Focused Attention, Sound Meditation, and Mindful Yoga practitioners also had higher than average positive affect, but not as high as Vipassana meditators.

Satisfaction with life was highest among Vipassana meditators. Loving Kindness, Mindful Yoga and Self Inquiry practitioners also had higher than average satisfaction with life, but not as high as Vipassana meditators.

The authors and funders of the study are not practitioners or in any way affiliated with Vipassana as taught by Goenka.

Bowles, N. I., Davies, J. N., & Van Dam, N. T. (2022). Dose–response relationship of reported lifetime meditation practice with mental health and wellbeing: A cross-sectional study. Mindfulness, 13(10), 2529-2546.

My Meditation

Julia's Meditation Background

I started meditating in 1990, when I did a Transcendental Meditation (TM) course. I practiced it daily but I was disappointed as it was not bringing the change I sought. In 2000, I did my first 10-day course of Vipassana meditation, as taught by Goenka. During the course, I intensely felt the impact of the practice, and I was fascinated by the theory. I decided to stick to the daily practice and check out its results. Twenty five years and about the same number of courses later, I can not be thankful enough for its effects in my life.

My Research

Julia's Research Background

I graduated with a Bachelor's in Psychology in 1997. In 1999 I started a Master in Brain Sciences that turned into a Ph.D. I also worked as a researcher at the lab for early development in which I conducted my Ph.D. study. In 2008, wishing to broaden my research skills, I returned to university and completed a Master in Health Sciences. In my thesis and later work at the Centre for Disease Control, I explored gaps in population health.

Now days, I am doing my second Ph.D. on the psychological effects of Vipassana meditation as taught by Goenka. As a meditator and a researcher, I hope to contribute to the public awareness and knowledge of this technique potential in promoting well-being and mental health.

Here is a list of scientific publications I was involved in:

Population Heath -
Zucker, I., Arditi-Babchuk, H., Enav, T., & Shohat, T. (2016). Self-reported type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related eye disease in Jews and Arabs in Israel. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 18, 1328-1333.
Merkin, S. S., Arditi-Babchuk, H., & Shohat, T. (2015). Neighborhood socioeconomic status and self-rated health in Israel: the Israel National Health Interview Survey. International journal of public health, 60, 651-658.

Psychophysiology and Early Development -
Arditi‐Babchuk, H., Feldman, R., & Gilboa‐Schechtman, E. (2009). Parasympathetic reactivity to recalled traumatic and pleasant events in trauma‐exposed individuals. Journal of Traumatic Stress: Official Publication of The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, 22(3), 254-257.
Arditi-Babchuk, H., Feldman, R., & Eidelman, A. I. (2009). Rapid eye movement (REM) in premature neonates and developmental outcome at 6 months. Infant Behavior and Development, 32(1), 27-32.
Arditi, H., Feldman, R., Hammerman, C., & Eidelman, A. I. (2007). Cerebral blood flow velocity asymmetry, neurobehavioral maturation, and the cognitive development of premature infants across the first two years. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 28(5), 362-368.
Arditi, H., Feldman, R., & Eidelman, A. I. (2006). Effects of human contact and vagal regulation on pain reactivity and visual attention in newborns. Developmental Psychobiology: The Journal of the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology, 48(7), 561-573.

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Evidence-Based Effects of Vipassana Meditation as taught by S. N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagy U Ba Khin