A study of 54 orphan adolescents in Pune, India, found that three months of Anapanasati meditation—a mindful breathing technique—was associated with increases in appraising others' emotions, emotional regulation, sharing feelings with peers, and a sense of a promising future. Content analysis of subjective experiences revealed nuanced changes hinting at enhanced self-awareness and regulation of negative emotions, while other emotional facets remained stable. The findings suggest meditation's transformative potential for emotional well-being in this population.
A three-month program of Anapanasati meditation improved internal locus of control, psychological well-being, resilience, and altruism among orphan adolescents in Pune, India. The study included 108 adolescents aged 13–17, equally divided between orphans living in institutions and non-orphans, with equal numbers of males and females. Significant changes appeared from the second month onward in the experimental group compared to the control group. The authors suggest that this low-cost, culturally non-intensive meditation technique can be practically applied in schools, orphanages, and residential care facilities, especially in resource-constrained settings.