To Study the Impact of Meditation on Self-Control and Internet Addiction

Abstract

Aim: To study the impact of meditation on self-control and internet addiction.

Material and Methods: This study employed a pretest-posttest control group design to examine the effects of meditation on self-control and internet addiction among students. The study sample comprised 100 students. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (meditation) or the control group (no intervention), with 50 students in each group. Age between 18 and 25 years, Enrolled as full-time students, Moderate to high levels of internet use as assessed by the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and Willingness to participate in the study were included in this study.

Results: At baseline, the experimental group had a mean Internet Addiction Test (IAT) score of 65.4, with a standard deviation of 10.2, and a Self-Control Scale (SCS) score of 80.1 with a standard deviation of 12.3. The control group had a mean IAT score of 66.2 (SD = 9.8) and an SCS score of 79.5 (SD = 11.9). These scores indicate that there were no significant differences between the groups before the intervention, confirming that the groups were well-matched at the start. After the 8-week intervention, the experimental group showed a significant improvement in both measures. The mean IAT score for the experimental group dropped to 45.3 (SD = 8.4), indicating a reduction in internet addiction. The mean SCS score increased to 95.4 (SD = 10.1), indicating enhanced self-control. In contrast, the control group showed minimal changes, with a posttest IAT score of 64.7 (SD = 9.6) and an SCS score of 80.2 (SD = 12.0). This suggests that the meditation program had a substantial positive impact on the experimental group.

Conclusion: Overall, the study demonstrates that an 8-week meditation program can significantly reduce internet addiction and enhance self-control among university students. The results suggest that incorporating meditation into regular routines can be a powerful tool for improving mental health and well-being.