nd cost containment.
However, the problem with these findings and conclusions is the case study methods used by Urbanowski and Miller (1996) consisted primarily of interview and patient self-report data in measuring therapeutic effectiveness. No standardized measures were collected and no assessment was made of the degree to which patients were effective meditators. Thus, placing confidence in Urbanowski and Miller's (1996) conclusions is difficult.
Similarly, Hawks, Hull, Thalman and Richins (1995) conducted a meta-study of the existing research on meditation and healing. Research and review articles were identified through a CD-ROM computer search of ERIC (1966 to 1994), PSYCHLIT (1974 to 1994), and MEDLINE (1991 to 1994) databases using appropriate key words. In addition, cumulative indexes from Advances (1984 to 1993) were manually searched, and reference lists from identified studies and literature reviews were analyzed.
A total of 71 articles were identified and considered. The selected interventions were chosen on the basis of soundness of research design, peer-review publication, clear description of intervention method, and relationship to spiritual health components. It was concluded that these articles supported imagery, meditation, and group support activities as enhancing physical, psychological and spiritual well-being.
Among the benefits observed in association with meditation were several outcomes directly relevant to psychotherapy. These were: an increased sense of meaning and purpose in life: greater self-awareness; and greater connectedness with self, others, and a larger reality. Also, the studies supported positive changes in health behaviors such as communication, diet activity, and treatment compliance.
However, in their general examination of research on meditation, Hawks, Hull, Thalman and Richins (1995) did not separate studies where meditation was examined alone from studies wher...